Larger Frame sizes for 10g and 8g.

[Brian Dudley]

Another active thread touches on frame sizes for 10g. and 8g. And I was wondering about the larger frame sizes.

The Parker Story lists frame size tables on page 527.

Frame sizes up to 7 are listed for barrel breech dimensions from actual factory documentation. And a table showing actual frame dimensions were compiled by the authors as taken from actual found guns.



The following are based on my personal observations only:

Regarding 10g. guns, They are commonly found on 2 and 3 in hammer and hammerless and 4 frame in hammer guns and 6 frame in hammerless.

8g guns were built on 6 frame hammerless and 7 frame hammer guns.




The tables in TPS show the existence of frame size 5 as well. And the author's table lists 5 frame as being used for 8g. And that 7 frame was used for both 10 and 8g. The text in TPS does state that the data on the 5 frame was taken from one found gun in 10g which was a hammer gun. They mention hammer guns in 8g. being found on both 6 and 7 frame. And even a hammerless 8g. on a 7 frame. The text also mentioned an 8 frame being "rumored" to have been made. I am not sure what these rumors were. But there was not any physical evidence or documentation to support it.

I am wondering what other guns members on this board may have seen or owned in 5 frame and 7 frame sizes. Those seem to be the two least often encountered sizes that were made.

[Craig Larter]

A PGCA member owns a Grade 2 hammer gun 10ga 5 frame 34"bbls. So at least one exists, very uncommon from my observations and record keeping. My 10ga hammer gun is on a 6 frame but it is very late gun circa 1905 131021.

[Phillip Carr]

I own a grade 2 Quality G 5 Frame with 36” Damascus barrels top action hammer gun. Special ordered with 3” chambers and patterned for #8 shot 200 pellets at 45 yards.
2 3/4” drop at comb. 12 lbs 14 oz.

[JAMES HALL]

I own a grade 3 top lever hammer five frame with 32 inch barrels. In was ordered by a man by the name of Spencer Kellogg. If you check him out you might find where some of the finishes of the wood could have been supplied by.

[CraigThompson]

I own a grade 2 Quality G 5 Frame with 36” Damascus barrels top action hammer gun. Special ordered with 3” chambers and patterned for #8 shot 200 pellets at 45 yards.
2 3/4” drop at comb. 12 lbs 14 oz.

Does your gun have the radius between breechface and water table ?

[CraigThompson]

I own a grade 3 top lever hammer five frame with 32 inch barrels. In was ordered by a man by the name of Spencer Kellogg. If you check him out you might find where some of the finishes of the wood could have been supplied by.

Jimmy does your Grade 3 have the radius between breechface and water table ?

[JAMES HALL]

Serial no.50697. Has radius

[Phillip Carr]

SN # 60065 has radius.

[Bill Murphy]

The "rumored" #8 frame gun was actually a late #7 frame fluid steel hammer gun with the gauge marking "8" on the rear lug. There is not a true #8 frame gun as far as we know.

[charlie cleveland]

i have a lifter with 7 frame size....also 2 hammer guns with 6 frame size in 8 ga...charlie

[Milton C Starr]

i have a lifter with 7 frame size....also 2 hammer guns with 6 frame size in 8 ga...charlie
This reminds me everytime I see a 8 ga come up for sale it's always a #6 frame wether it be a hammer or hammer less. Seems like when parker's was in business they would build you just about any gauge frame combination you wanted . If physically possible .



I wish we could get a picture of all the frame sizes side by side in order

[Brian Dudley]

Parker never advertised to the public different frame sizes.

It was all about weight and balance. Period.

The customer may specify a weight for the gun. And a barrel length of course. Then the factory would put together the combination required to get there.

[Brian Dudley]

For the time being, this photo of a 0 next to a 6 will have to fulfill all of your wishes and desires.

74358

[Milton C Starr]

Parker never advertised to the public different frame sizes.

It was all about weight and balance. Period.

The customer may specify a weight for the gun. And a barrel length of course. Then the factory would put together the combination required to get there.

Thanks , I actually did not know that .
This is why I love reading and learning about parker's. You are always learning something new about them .

[Bill Zachow]

For a short period of time, I owned an 8 gauge lifter on a 5 frame. Bought it out of the old Shotgun News. When I received it, the condition was so bad I had to return it. There are days that I wished that I had kept it.

[Milton C Starr]

For a short period of time, I owned an 8 gauge lifter on a 5 frame. Bought it out of the old Shotgun News. When I received it, the condition was so bad I had to return it. There are days that I wished that I had kept it.

Probably would have cost you in the neighborhood of 4-5k to have the barrels monoblocked/sleeved . Probably would have a rare gun but seems like even though 8 gauges are rare and expensive they don't exactly sell .now if you could get a salvaged gun for the stock and action for 1500$ or so it might be worth spending the money to basically have a set of barrels made and you might even out .

[Bill Murphy]

The only Parker orders I have seen that specified frame size were for the "2 1/2" frame which was for the #3 frame which is 2 1/2" wide. The orders I have seen for this frame size were for heavy 12 gauges.

[Brian Dudley]

Bill,

Correct, factory speak for the frame sizes was the measurement across the breech balls. And this was used in the record books before the actual frame size “number” column was added.

[Bill Murphy]

Thanks, Brian. The 2 1/2 terminology was used because raw frames did not have the frame number stamped on them.

[Ed Blake]

I have a 10 gauge Grade 3 toplever hammergun on a #4 frame with 32” barrels. Ordered by Arthur DuBray. Letters as such. Just short of 11 lbs.

[Garry L Gordon]

This thread is yet another reason PGCA membership is well worth the money! Thanks, guys, for adding a little more to my knowledge base.

[Bill Murphy]

I wonder if anyone who owns a #6 frame hammer gun has ever measured the pin separation to determine whether it is some other frame size mismarked, or a real #6 frame hammer receiver?

[Milton C Starr]

I wonder if anyone who owns a #6 frame hammer gun has ever measured the pin separation to determine whether it is some other frame size mismarked, or a real #6 frame hammer receiver?

Is a #6 frame for a hammer gun odd ?

[Craig Larter]

Bill Murphy: I measured my marked 6 frame grade 3 TL hammer gun and it measures as a 7 frame. 1 7/16 between the firing pins and 1.976 across the hinge pin. The gun is very late for a TL hammer 131021. Why did you suspect a 6 frame would really measure as a 7??
The second pictures shows the 1 3/8" setting for a 6 frame and it is clearly larger. At 15 pounds with 36" bbls on a 7 frame makes this beast be one of the largest Parkers ever produced.

[Jeff Kuss]

My 7 frame 8 ga has 38" barrels and weighs in at 15.25 lb.

[Bill Murphy]

Craig, I suspected that #6 frame hammer guns were mismarked #7 frames because in 60 plus years of Parker collecting, I had never seen a legitimate #6 frame hammer gun. Thanks, Craig, for clearing up this bit of information.