Parker 1/2 Frame 12 gauge Question

[EddyDehmer]

I know the Parker 12 gauge 1/2 frame is very rare, but does anyone know if because of the smaller frame the gun barrels were able to receive a 2 3/4” shell or if it was a standard 2 9/16” round on the 12 gauge. I’m curious in my search as a few articles I have read talk about how much of a joy this gun is to shoot and it is on my dream board to find this gun down the road. Thanks Eddy

[Bill Murphy]

1/2 frames were very late Remington guns and the assumption is that they are mostly all 2 3/4" chamber guns. Hunt one down. They are sweet little guns.

[Brian Dudley]

2-3/4” was the 12g standard by that time.

And... contrary to believe, the 1/2 frame 12g is not really all that light.

[Dave Tercek]

Mine is stamped 2 3/4.

[Dave Noreen]

I seem to recall there is a 1/2 frame A1 Special out there fully optioned with long barrels that weighs over 8 pounds.

[Chris Travinski]

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/shotguns/parker-shotguns/parker-true-quot-1-2-quot-frame-12-dhe-1-of-about-70-80-quot-1-2-quot-frame-28-quot-eject-bbls-1941-exc-mechanical-gun-only-6-lbs-10-oz-.cfm?gun_id=101292833

[Kirk Potter]

I would hope Del Grego wouldn’t of sent a gun back with the screws looking like that?

[Russ Jackson]

Every time the 1/2 Frame gun is mentioned ,it is always said to be " Rare " which just accounting for how few we see they probably are ! I have seen an ad where the seller proclaimed 1 out of 75 or 80 guns ,has anyone ever attempted to do a Head Count of these wonderful guns ?

[Michael Moffa]

If you want a light carry with big time wallop, try a 0 frame 16. Hits like a 12, carries like a 20.

[Brian Dudley]

Every time the 1/2 Frame gun is mentioned ,it is always said to be " Rare " which just accounting for how few we see they probably are ! I have seen an ad where the seller proclaimed 1 out of 75 or 80 guns ,has anyone ever attempted to do a Head Count of these wonderful guns ?


Yes.

Craig Reynolds studied and documented 1/2 frame guns and wrote articles for PP on them.
He estimates that around only 200 were made. If I recall. I am not sure how he got to that conclusion.
The 1/2 frame was developed by Meriden in 1930. But it is accepted that Metiden never actually built any guns on the frames that they built. They were not used until the time that Remington ran out of 1 size frames when they started dipping into the stock of 1/2 frames. And it is also accepted that Remington never actually made any frames. They were working from Meriden made inventory and production stopped before they ever had to worry about it.

[Bill Holcombe]

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/shotguns/parker-shotguns/parker-true-quot-1-2-quot-frame-12-dhe-1-of-about-70-80-quot-1-2-quot-frame-28-quot-eject-bbls-1941-exc-mechanical-gun-only-6-lbs-10-oz-.cfm?gun_id=101292833

Unfortunately that gun is already sold.

[EddyDehmer]

Thanks everyone for the information on the 12 gauge 1/2 frame question. It helped immensely for me to look into this for more information

[Russ Jackson]

2-3/4” was the 12g standard by that time.

And... contrary to believe, the 1/2 frame 12g is not really all that light.

Not for arguments sake but just for discussion purposes some are in fact light as the Frame size suggests , mine is a DHE 12 Ga. , has 28" Barrels and they are stamped " 3# " even and the gun weighs in at exactly 6 Lb. 12 Oz. ! Maybe some of you other members who have one will post Barrel Length and weights ? :corn:

[Kirk Potter]

Well, for what it’s worth I have a 1.5 frame 12 gauge 28” that weighs exactly what it letters as.. 7 lbs 1 ounce. So that’s only a 5 ounce difference. And considering there is another frame size in between, 6 lbs 12 ounces doesn’t seem particularly light.

[Brian Dudley]

Exactly. A sub 7 lb gun is very common in the 1 and even 1-1/2 frame sizes.
So, as I said, the 1/2 frame does not make as big if a difference as one may think.

[Russ Jackson]

I can tell you , I have owned a lot of 12 Gauge Parker shotguns over the years and very very few were any where near 6 Lb. 12 Oz. ! As I said this isn't an argument , just interested in what some of these 1/2 Frame guns weigh !

[James L. Martin]

I have a 1 frame VH 28" at 6lb 11oz and a GH 1 frame made in 1899 with factory replaced 1/2 frame 26" barrels that also weights 6lb 11oz

[Chuck Bishop]

The weight, according to the hang tag is 7 pounds and the chamber size is 2 3/4". I haven't weighed the gun with the second set of Remington made Parker barrels but both sets are 28".

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=358&pictureid=3796