20ga. Damascus bore diameter

[Daryl Corona]

I'm looking for anyone who has a 20ga. damascus Parker that could give me the bore diameters. Also if you could include the first 4 or 5 digits of the serial number I'd appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

[Rich Anderson]

I have no way of measuring mine but why would the bore diameter be different for a Damascus vs fluid steel barrels?

[Daryl Corona]

I'm not sure they are Rich, but my 12ga. damascus barrels are not the standard .729 and I've wondered if the 20's were not standard either.

[Dean Romig]

Twenty gauge nominal bore diameter is .615"

Admiral Thomas Perry's 20 gauge Damascus DH, a 1908 gun, bores measure .619" and .620" which seem just a whisker oversize, but who knows?

I can very well imagine Parker Bros. may have polished or honed these bores... being Damascus they may have had minor imperfections after the first boring that may have needed a clean-up.

In my experience in the field of Volvos a four-cylinder block would have been fitted with three "C" sized pistons and one "D" due to the fact that the fourth hole was bored with a cutter that had already cut three holes and was dulled to the point that the fourth hole (cylinder) needed extra honing, hence the one larger piston.





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[Robin Lewis]

I think it was not uncommon for honing to be done on barrels back in the days of corrosive blackpowder and primers. Just a guess, I wasn't around then :duck: but can imagine "polishing" taking place.

[Brian Dudley]

The bore diameters on Parkers vary over the years. They went back and forth on the oversized bore diameters over the years. It is not at all uncommon to find oversized bores prior to 1900.
I am sure that Daryl is looking for a comparison point with other guns.

[Jerry Harlow]

1902 DH Damascus

r= .618
l= .615

[Jay Gardner]

I wish I had a 20 ga damascus gun to measure. :-(

[Daryl Corona]

That's exactly what I'm looking for Brian. Keep them coming guys.

[Craig Larter]

Daryl there were very few Damascus 20ga hammerless guns made, only 15percent of the total of grades 2 to 5 or 427. I had my heart set on a Damascus 20 but they never seen to come up for sale. If u own a dam 20ga hold on to it with both hands.

[Daryl Corona]

I've had one Craig for about 8 years now. It's a GHE with 28" tubes. Last weekend I was at my club shooting a round of clays with it when one of the guys on my squad asked to shoot it. He was shooting a Ruger 20ga. He ended up finishing the round with it and this guy is not A SxS guy. I went back to my 30" Sterly All he said is that it was really cool shooting a 100+ year old gun and it was really pretty.

[Michael Moffa]

two 20's, 0 and 2 frame, both 30 in barrels, one Parker Special Steel one Damascus, round knob and English stocks, both splinter FE.

[Dean Romig]

If u own a dam 20ga hold on to it with both hands.


....or a 28ga...:whistle:





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[Rich Anderson]

I don't think the Damascus 20's are that difficult to find if you have the patience to wait for one. I have three a CHE (home page photo last month) a GH with 30 inch barrels and a 26 inch GHE. A couple of years ago I sold a GH 20 with 28 inch tubes. That was a mistake.

Robin Hollow has a DH 28 Damascus for sale and a friend sold one about a year ago. They are not the same guns either.

[Craig Larter]

Rich: According to The Parker Story, 3 total GH guns were made in 20ga damascus . You own two and Daryl owns one.

[Dave Noreen]

Closest I've come was back when I was in college, the Seattle gunsmith Webb Hilgar had a lovely DH-Grade 20-gauge in his shop. My Father wasn't going over $100 for a Damascus gun and Webb was at $125.

[Daryl Corona]

Rich: According to The Parker Story, 3 total GH guns were made in 20ga damascus . You own two and Daryl owns one.

Now ain't that just something? This just in.

Notice found in the April issue of the Maryland field and farm journal:

"Mssrs. Anderson of Michigan and Corona of Maryland will have on display for your viewing and shooting pleasure all three of the aforementioned GHE 20's this month, April 2019, from the 24th-27th at the fabulous Drake Landing shooting park located in Fuqua-Varina, N.Carolina. Don't miss this head to head competition between two of the top smallbore shooters east of the Mississippi who really don't give a crap about scores but focus on having fun.

All are welcome to attend and get the chance to meet these two stellar Bourbon drinkers. Tickets available online at smallboresrule.wop or at the door (cash only). Price of $45 does not include price of targets. Custom low pressure ammo available at a nominal fee. Discounts available to current and past PGCA, AHFCA, Lefever, Remington members"

Seriously ladies and gents, come on down and bring your A game and burn some powder with our crew. There's plenty of time to go to Deep River for the rest of the Southern and I can promise you a good time for your trigger finger at the "satellite" Southern. If you have a smallbore bring it, if not I'm sure we can find you one to shoot. Of course all other gauges welcome.:bigbye:

[CraigThompson]

Rich: According to The Parker Story, 3 total GH guns were made in 20ga damascus . You own two and Daryl owns one.

I know of a fourth then and it matches what’s in the serialization book .

[Reggie Bishop]

I think there are more 20 gauge damascus guns than some may be thinking.

[Brett Hoop]

I think there are more 20 gauge damascus guns than some may be thinking.

I am certain there are more grade 2, 20ga. Damascus guns, than listed in the TPS. I have seen 2 listed for sale in the last couple of weeks. There was one at Baltimore last month. I am looking forward to the Southern and hoping Rich brings one of his along with brother Daryl's. I know of another that is supposed to be coming. Not like I am keeping track or anything:cool:

[Chuck Bishop]

You guys that quote TPS that there were only xxx of a gun made seem to forget that there are missing records in both the order and stock books.

[Reggie Bishop]

Robin Hollow has a grade 2 Damascus 20.

[Michael Moffa]

I showed a picture of one of the three also. No, I figure there are at least a couple of hundred Dam 20's. It's a beautiful gun and gage.

[Jay Oliver]

I think someone probably knows a lot more about this than I do. When I got my 20 gauge damascus GH with 28 inch barrels I remember seeing 3 total GH 20ga. guns being made in the Parker Story as well.

I was very excited understandably, but after some research it appears that was a mistake. I can't remember or point to an explanation of it. I just remember reading in some older posts that those production numbers were incorrect.

I do think my damascus GH 20 is going to be my shooter at the Addieville fun shoot in a few weeks :) Last year it was in the shop having a leather covered recoil pad installed on an already cut stock right after I bought it.

[Daryl Corona]

I appreciate all the replies on the beauty, rarity, etc. of these particular 20's but I was really looking for measurements of bore diameters and if possible the first 4 or 5 digits of the serial numbers. Thanks in advance.

[charlie cleveland]

i have a d grade damascus 20 gauge 28 inch barrels once belonged to robert wood johnson founder of johnson and johnson medecal suppliies.....bohgt it off the for sale section here on the parker forum....charlie

[Charles Shelton]

I have a picture of my Grade 2 with 26 inch barrels, but no measurement of bores.
http://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/53469_600x400.jpg (http://www.jpgbox.com/page/53469_600x400/)

I do not have a micrometer.
Will a RCBS thumb operated case measurement tool with dial readout to .001 inch do for measuring ID at the muzzles?

The gun was made in 1900 and according to the Parker letter, returned to the factory for mods twice before being bought and hunted hard by a lady in Southeast OK. My dad knew the family and upon their passing, picked up this gun for his sons.
I was the smallest and the only one that it fit, so it became mine and went off to college with me back in 1960. It will stay in the family after I pass, so it is not for sale. I guess I should do a Provenance document on this gun like I have for my double rifles - before I forget the details. :)

[Dean Romig]

Will a RCBS thumb operated case measurement tool with dial readout to .001 inch do for measuring ID at the muzzles?.


It won't tell you anything but the I.D. at the muzzle. It won't even give you the choke constriction because it won't measure the bore diameter which is your starting point for determining constriction in thousandths from the bore.





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[Charles Shelton]

Thanks Dean,
The chokes are IC and Modified, same as my Repro 20 and 12.
I do not know and have never cared about actual ID measurements as I have shot this Parker and two Parker reproductions(20 and 12) for many decades. If I can see it, I can usually hit it.
I am now shooting them left handed/eyed due to a recent operation on my right eye.
Two weeks ago, I dropped a pheasant at 40+ yards with the left barrel (muscle memory with no thought). My buddies were all impressed and I was just blessed.
http://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/56573_600x400.jpg (http://www.jpgbox.com/page/56573_600x400/)

[Bill Murphy]

I once had a lovely summer vacation in Wildwood, New Jersey, and my uncle was in the Army in World War One. My first car was a 1950 Ford four door. Do you need any more information, Daryl?

[CraigThompson]

You guys that quote TPS that there were only xxx of a gun made seem to forget that there are missing records in both the order and stock books.

Not only books missing but quite possible the counts of the ones you have records for could be off because of human error .

[Dave Noreen]

Here we go again. Errata Sheet Version 3, 6/6/01 gives us
"Page 279, Table at lower left -- "GRADE 2 HAMMERLESS GUNS WITH DAMASCUS STEEL BARRELS" -- The column with statistics for the 20 gauge is incorrect. A total of 446 hammerless doubles of 20-gauge were made with barrel lengths as follows: (length/count) - (32/3), (31/1), (30/49), (28/244), (27/3), (26/145), (24/1). These changes will effect the totals in various summary tables."

[Daryl Corona]

I once had a lovely summer vacation in Wildwood, New Jersey, and my uncle was in the Army in World War One. My first car was a 1950 Ford four door. Do you need any more information, Daryl?

Geez, this is like herding cats.:banghead:

Yeah Bill, while you were at Wildwood after WW1 were men still wearing the one piece bathing suits and I'm assuming the Ford had bias belted tires and right about now you were pulling the snow tires for some Sunday drives in the country on those Firestone's with summer tread.:corn:

[Bruce Day]

“Here we go again”

Correct. Thanks Dave. You and others have pointed out this errata sheet corrected error many times. Damascus barreled twenty gauge guns are not rare but can be found through waiting and searching. Twenty gauge guns became more popular after WWI as cartridges became more effective and hunters changed from meat hunting to sport hunting. Few Damascus or twist barreled guns were made after WWI.

20/26 CHE Turkish Star Damascus ( 1903)

[Rich Anderson]

i have a d grade damascus 20 gauge 28 inch barrels once belonged to robert wood johnson founder of johnson and johnson medecal suppliies.....bohgt it off the for sale section here on the parker forum....charlie

Charlie that sounds like a beauty. I'd like to find a D grade Damascus 20.

[Rich Anderson]

According to TPS only 8 C grade 20's were built with 26 inch Damascus barrels. You have one Bruce as do I so that only leaves 6 to find:whistle:

[Jay Gardner]

What should a damascus 20 with 28” barrels weight?

[Bill Murphy]

It depends on the bore diameter. I heard a rumor that Daryl Corona is compiling a list of bore diameters, but that is only a rumor. He is also becoming somewhat proficient at "herding cats".

[Bill Murphy]

Daryl, #71,179, .625 to .630. #150,363, .620. #150,881, .625. All Damascus guns.

[Mark Ray]

Rich: According to The Parker Story, 3 total GH guns were made in 20ga damascus . You own two and Daryl owns one.

There at least 4, i will be shooting a gh 20, 4 iron damascus ar the Southern