New member from West Central Florida

[John Black]

Hi everyone. John Black here. I'm 72 years old, ex-hunter and a active shooter for many years. I inherited my grandfather's Parker Brothers double barrel 12ga shotgun many years ago. Not really knowing what I had, it's been sitting in a closet all this time. I stumbled onto this group by accident just yesterday and it appeared to be something I would like to be part of. The shotgun, to the best of my knowledge, was purchased new by my grandfather around 1895. My grandfather, Rainer Black was a avid bird hunter and this was his favorite quail gun. I've never done any research on this gun, but I hope to find out whatever I can.

John Black

[John Knobelsdorf II]

John: Congratulations on having a family gun. Also, for finding this board. Members are exemplary in their courtesy and generosity.

What works to get information is: the most detailed description of details you see (if more is needed, then more will be asked for) AND (I cannot emphasis this enough) pictures of as many details as you can.

Pictures are relatively easy to post, and you can refer to two (2) links to videos about how to post to the forum. These are found at the bottom of the page titled: Parker Frequently Asked Questions (find this on the main page: parkerguns.org).

[John Black]

Thanks. I'll get some photos soon.

[Randy G Roberts]

Welcome aboard Young Fella. So you're a shooter and now you have a Parker. Have you been shooting those guns with stacked barrels or the SxS which is the more appropriate configuration ? :)

[John Black]

Randy, this is a side by side. But I haven't been shooting it. My dad originally got the gun after my grandfather died about 1953 and I got it from my dad in the 70's and it went in the closet with my other family hand-me-down. My dad always told me not to shoot it because it had damascus barrels and modern loads could destroy the gun and me. So I've never shot it. I am an active shooter, but not with the Parker.

[Harry Collins]

John,

If you could give us the full serial number we can often be able to tell you how it left the factory. The "Book" was compiled from Parker records and many of the serial numbers are listed. On another note many of us shoot our Damascus and Twist Parkers. Much research has been done along with actually blowing up a few Parkers to determine where and at what pressure these guns would fail. What was found is that Parker Damascus and Fluid Steel guns let go at the breach at the same 31,000 psi +-. That said, those of us that shoot our Damascus and Twist Parkers do so with velocities at 1200 fps or below and liter shot loads i.e.: 1oz in a 12 gauge. RST Shells makes appropriate loads for these fine old guns and pressures are well below 8,000 psi. We're within a year of one another in age and I have my fathers Parker. Other than my memories of him this little Parker is my most precious posession.

[John Black]

Thanks Harry. Truth be told, my oldest son has the Parker. Like my grandfather and father, I have passed it down to him. I have asked him to bring it to me so I can take some photos and get the serial number. Knowing now that I may be able to get proper loads for it, I may have it checked out to see if it is safe to shoot. Any suggestions as to how/where to have it checked? I live in the Tampa, FL area.

[Harry Collins]

John,

I am not familiar with gunsmiths in your area that would or wouldn't be knowledgable on old doubles. Most gunsmiths, I fear, are afraid of Damascus and Twist guns because of the liability they may incur. If you google https://sites.google.com/a/damascusknowledge.com/www/home you will find great information on these old barrels. Toward the bottom of the page in blue is Barrel Evaluation which will give you what you want to ask the gunsmith to look for.

Kindest, Harry

[John Black]

Thanks Harry.

[Garth Gustafson]

Welcome John,
Fortunately there are SXS gunsmiths that have the knowledge and experience to do a proper safety inspection on your Parker. These smiths have been vetted by PGCA members.

From the PGCA homepage click on Parker FAQs, see #1 Need a Gunsmith?

Good luck in getting your gun back in service and please keep us posted.

[John Black]

Thank you Garth

[John Black]

I have a photo of my father with this gun in one hand while retrieving a quail with his other hand from Ginger his Brittany Spaniel. I believe the photo was taken somewhere near Brewster, FL in the 40's as this is where my grandfather lived at the time. As some of you may know, the town of Brewster no longer exists and is listed in the register of Florida ghost towns. Just curious if anyone is interested in viewing the photo, and if so which forum thread should it be placed in?

[Garth Gustafson]

By all means post it here John. This is your thread and we love pictures.
Cheers

[John Black]

Ok, as soon as I figure out how.

[John Black]

76835

This is my dad with the Parker Brothers 12ga that my grandfather purchased around 1895 (so I was told). My dad is retrieving a quail from Ginger's mouth. Ginger is my grandfather's Brittany Spaniel. The photo was taken near Brewster, FL sometime in the 40's.


John

[John Black]

I have just come to the realization that my grandfather could not have purchased his Parker in 1895 as he would have been only 5 years old. So I now believe it was probably purchased more likely after 1925 which is when he moved his family from Alabama to Florida. What I don't know is whether or not the gun was new when he purchased it. As soon as I get it from my son I'll know the serial number and I can find out more about it.

[Harry Collins]

I appreciate the snake boots your father is sporting. When my father and I hunted quail around Naples, Florida (all houses now) we started at 6 AM and quit at 9 AM. That was time the rattle snakes started to wake up. There were a few "almost shot my foot" killing snakes. You couldn't see the dog for the palmetto bushes, but he had a bell and when it quit ringing the dog was on point. Then you would run as best you could in that direction as the birds wouldn't hold and flush. Great fun.

[John Black]

Harry, I don't know where my grandfather and father hunted during their early days in Florida. They lived in Boca Grande from the mid 20's until around 1940. My father left Boca Grande for Miami and a career with the railroad, and my grandfather left for Brewster, FL due to being transferred by the railroad. My grandfather hunted around Brewster until his death in the early 50's. My father was transferred to Tampa in 1954, and he and I hunted birds on the property where Busch Gardens now stands. I started shooting at age 7 with a old Iver Johnson single shot 410 which was my father's gun when he was about 6. I still have it. Definitely fun days. I never got to hunt with my grandfather as I was only 5 or 6 when he died.

[John Black]

Ok, I finally got the gun back from my son and took some photos. I found that according to the serial number the gun was manufactured in 1905 and it does have a damascus barrel.
Serial Number 131973

[Garry L Gordon]

I have a photo of my father with this gun in one hand while retrieving a quail with his other hand from Ginger his Brittany Spaniel. I believe the photo was taken somewhere near Brewster, FL in the 40's as this is where my grandfather lived at the time. As some of you may know, the town of Brewster no longer exists and is listed in the register of Florida ghost towns. Just curious if anyone is interested in viewing the photo, and if so which forum thread should it be placed in?

***Sorry, I missed the photo when I posted this -- great photo!!!***

John, Welcome! I would love to see the photo you reference, and I'd bet there are more here that would also. It might be best posted in the "hunting with Parkers" section, but I'm sure it might fit in other places also. I can't wait to see the gun. I think it would be interesting and informative to see what someone would order for quail during that time period (and in the deep South). If you get a letter, how nice would it be to have it with your grandfather's name attached to the order?! For a Parker owner, it does not get much better.

[John Black]

***Sorry, I missed the photo when I posted this -- great photo!!!***

John, Welcome! I would love to see the photo you reference, and I'd bet there are more here that would also. It might be best posted in the "hunting with Parkers" section, but I'm sure it might fit in other places also. I can't wait to see the gun. I think it would be interesting and informative to see what someone would order for quail during that time period (and in the deep South). If you get a letter, how nice would it be to have it with your grandfather's name attached to the order?! For a Parker owner, it does not get much better.

The photo is in this thread as well as photos of the gun. I am in process of ordering a letter. It would be so awesome if it were to have his name.

Thanks!