$125 Grade 10 Gauge Lifter

[Jay Oliver]

I had posted about this one a few weeks ago for informational purposes only and ended up “needing” it. It is a 10 gauge Grade 3($125 grade) with 28” Laminated steel barrels(these have a “P” stamp and actually measure 28 3/8”). The Parker Story lists only 2 10 Gauge Grade 3 Lifters with 28” Laminated steel barrels. It’s on a #2 frame and weighs 8 ½ pounds. It has 2 5/8” chambers, I have a few lifters for the short, short 10 like that and already have some reloads ready.

These pictures don’t do it justice, but I had to take a few quick ones and share. Look at the receiver, could this have been nickel plated? It doesn’t mention it in the letter, but it looks like there is case coloring under that silver finish on the bottom of the receiver.

The gun is very well balanced, it doesn’t feel like a 10 gauge.

I will post the letter and something mentioned that is quite interesting below.

[Jay Oliver]

Here is the letter along with the engraving on the rib. It seems like this person was upset with their Laminated steel barrels(which seems hard to believe). They sent it back to have Damascus engraved, if you look at the rib it looks like the good folks at Parker started to do it then changes their mind. Chuck and I enjoyed speculating on what might have happened.

[Wayne Owens]

Glad to see you got it Jay! That is one beautiful, rare hammergun. I don't think you will ever regret it's purchase.

[Jay Oliver]

Thanks Wayne, once I found out it had 28" barrels(instead of 30" listed in the ad) from you, which I appreciated...I knew I would try to get it. I am still a little too excited over it :)

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Wow, very special! Those cyl/mod chokes on a 10 ga are interesting. Wonder what he was shooting with it. I like that combo, have it on a 16 and a 20 Parker.

[Kirk Potter]

Nice! Love the engraving on the dollar grade lifters.

[keavin nelson]

Beautiful 10 Jay, and that silver is just the patina you get from a very well cared for case hardened finish as it ages. Great condition!

[Mills Morrison]

Very interesting. One of my recent hammer guns had the same "mark rib Dam" in the books. Mine has Damascus barrels and maybe they forgot to engrave the rib

[Garry L Gordon]

A beautiful...and quite interesting...gun!

[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

Is the stippling around the scrollwork on the bottom of the action unusual? I don't remember noticing that before on the few Grade 3's I've seen.

[Dean Romig]

That stippling is sort of a trademark of that particular engraver.

I have a Lifter 16 Grade-3 with the same stippling, though mine has a bit more coverage. Mine also has the “P” Laminated barrels as well. Mine has 27” barrels, the only one known to have been made in this configuration.

Incidentally, the research records show it as having Damascus barrels but they are clearly Laminated Steel. I’ll take a look at the rib engraving a bit later.

Love these “P” Lam Lifters.





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[Jay Oliver]

That is good to know about the finish, I know nickel finish of that era tended to flake off after time. I have never seen a gun that has that much of a "silver" finish look on the receiver.

I like the choke combination as well. I think every 10 I have is basically choked full/full. A nice set up for hunting behind a pointing dog. This should do well on a sporting clays course. I can't wait to shoot it!

[Jay Oliver]

Dean, does this look like the engraving work of Gustauve Young? That is what I was thinking...

[Craig Larter]

beautiful gun, I love the engraving

[Shawn Wayment]

Wow is right! Gorgeous gun Jay!

[Dean Romig]

Dean, does this look like the engraving work of Gustauve Young? That is what I was thinking...

Jay, I believe so. The attached is taken from a previous discussion on this particular engraving style.

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[Mark Ray]

Super nice gun Jay, my very early, short 10 lifter also has 28” tubes, but they are damascus.

Ill hive you $50 for the hammers, plus a set of plain hammers of the same pattern!!,

:rotf::shock::bigbye::eek::whistle:

[Craig Budgeon]

Jay, look at your triggers, they are nickel plated and peeling. If you plate before hardening your nickel will evaporate. If you plate after hardening you have no case colors. Cold rolled steel which is hardened often takes on a lustrous appearance depending on the materials in contact with its surface.

[Larry Stauch]

The wood and workmanship on that gun is just beautiful. JW Hayward must have earned a pretty good living given the average daily earning in 1880 was $1.34. Nice find.

[Jay Oliver]

I need to do some real research on this, but I did do a quick Google search and J.W. Hayward was a doctor in Taunton, Mass.

When I bought this Parker, it was being sold at a gun store on consignment in New Bedford, which not too far from Taunton. I don't know the name of the person who put it on consignment, but the gun stayed close to home all of these years.

I seems like the doctor didn't use this Parker much and when he did he took very good care of it.

I am going see what else I can find out...

[Dean Romig]

Ol’ Doc Hayward probably only used it to scare away the chicken hawks swooping in on Taunton and his chicken yard.



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[charlie cleveland]

have this magazine with this chicken hawk making off with his prize hen...in the south I guess a big chicken hawk was the most dispized thing out there...charlie

[Dean Romig]

Probably just about anywhere in rural America in those times.





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[Jay Oliver]

Looks like Dr. Hayward liked English Setters...from American Kennel Register, January 1885, entries 1950,1951,1955 and 1958.

I always enjoy researching the original Parker owners.

Maybe this wasn't his only Parker...

Edit: Entry 1950 was cut from the picture I made and the names are mixed up on entry 1951 however 1955 and 1958 list the owner of this 10 gauge lifter

[Dean Romig]

If he had an affinity for English setters he most likely had a small bore ot two.





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