Parker made laminate barrels

[Breck Gorman]

I have no connection to this gun. Just wanted to bring it to the attention of those who are interested in the few surviving laminated barrels that Parker made in house with the P stamp on the barrel flats.
https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/shotguns/parker-shotguns---antique/parker-lifter12-gauge-12--125-grade.cfm?gun_id=101262518

[Brian Dudley]

That one was listed here a few weeks ago. Decent buy I think.

[Drew Hause]

Brad Bachelder's thoughts regarding the 'Diamond P' stamp 9-2010
“The diamond P remains to be an elusive mystery. What we have learned so far is a few commonalities. This mark appears on lifter and top lever guns, made around 1880. We have identified it on laminated, twist, and damascus barrels.
It generally is stamped on the right tube next to the extractor rod cut. In a few cases we have seen it on the forend hanger.
Quite often this mark is partially removed by machining. This leads me to believe it might be an acceptance mark, stamped after the initial barrel and lug assembly. Final fitting of the extractor rod clearance often removes some or all of the mark. The absence of braze in the mark also tells me that it was stamped after the lug brazing.”

Laminated Steel barrels produced by Parker 1877- c.1879 are in the 10,000-16,000 serial number range.
Note both the Diamond P and P on the flats

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/17227428/409230118.jpg

This is the gun Breck linked and the diamond P may have been lost when the repair work was done

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/17227428/414273019.jpg

[Bill Murphy]

The linked gun is out of Drew's 10000 to 16000 serial number range. Investigation continues.

[Drew Hause]

We've discussed this pattern at length in the past. Parker Bros. called it Laminated Steel. The tube makers in Liege called it "Toncin"

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/20069190/303191865.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/23997270/400518021.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19406549/405985031.jpg

I'm astounded that the tube maker at Parker Bros. could create such a complex pattern with such artistry, and have no idea what the lopin looked like, but it much have been quite intricate. John Blaze was from Birmingham, I've never seen anything like this pattern on a British gun, and I wonder if Liege tube makers were brought over?

Later Belgian sourced Laminated Steel tubes were quite different

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19406549/405985032.jpg

Nice collection of images of the pattern about 1/2 way down, courtesy of many here, esp. the "gold towel guy"
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/19406549