6-Frame Trivia

[Dave Noreen]

In my continuing social isolation time on the computer collecting pictures of various Parker features and markings I've noticed a little screw on the top tang of a couple of 6-frame guns in the 15xxxx serial number range.

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The only other hammerless 6-frame I've got a similar picture of doesn't have the screw.

[Milton C Starr]

My 6 frame is in the 116xxx range and it has the screw there but it's harder to see .

I believe a PH 8 gauge in the 15xxxx just popped up on GI I will look and see if it has them .

Oh that is the one on GI haha

[Milton C Starr]

its harder to see than the 15xxxx one .

[charlie cleveland]

I learned something today.. charlie

[Dean Romig]

But what we haven't learned is the purpose of that screw and why it isn't found on the smaller frame guns.





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[Milton C Starr]

Heres a picture of the screw with the top lever removed . A previous member had this gun back in 2012 searching the serial number on here pulled it up .

Something ive been wondering and I dont know how this applies to small frames , but why do some of these have a two piece dolls head and on others its solid with the rib ?

[Jeff Kuss]

I believe they are all two piece.
My 6 frame 10 has the extra screw.

[Milton C Starr]

I believe they are all two piece.

Ah I believe you are correct , some guns the line is visible and on others its more blended in I think . On this PH 8 its easy to see but on my NH you just about need a magnifying glass .

[Milton C Starr]

I believe they are all two piece.
My 6 frame 10 has the extra screw.

Any pictures of your 6 frame 10 ga ? So far I think ive counted 4 or 5 of them here .

[Brian Dudley]

You guys ready for the answer... ?




The Screw in question under the top lever of 6 frame guns is to hold in an extension piece for the top lever linkage to fit into. The smaller frame sizes has a cut in the frame for this purpose. But, on the 6 frame guns, it is too large to use the normal top lever parts. So, instead of making all new top lever parts for just the 6 frame, they made up the extension block for the normal parts to fit into. So that way they could utilize the normal size linkage parts in the big frame.

Here is a photo of a 6 frame on top and a 2 frame on bottom. You can see the extension block attached to the bottom of the tang on the top frame.

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[Brian Dudley]

I happened to have all of these photos in my archives from a 6 frame 8g. that I restored a number of years ago. I thought I shared them at that time, but maybe not. Here they are...


Some Parker internal parts have variances in them based on frame size.

But the 6 frame guns have a many number of unique parts in them due to their massive size.

Here are a number of them for you to compare and learn from.


6 frame top lever on top and 2 frame on bottom.

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See here the marking on the bottom of a 6 frame top lever. (Model No. 6 Hammerless. And the year 1899 (the gun it came from was made in '99).

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A 6 frame cocking slide (on right) next to a 2 frame slide.

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A 6 frame safety jacket assembly (on right) next to a standard assembly (they are all the same size on all other frame sizes).

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A 6 frame trip (on right) next to the normal Trip assembly.

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The 6 frame cocking crank (on right) next to the standard crank.

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The 6 frame trigger plate (on right) next to a 2 frame plate.

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A 6 frame sear (on right) next to the standard sear. Note how far the leg bends in, due tot he width of the frame and having to bring it in to the normal
position.

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Finally the 6 frame on top with a 2 frame on bottom.

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The gun that these parts came from. An 8g. PH with 40" barrels.

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[Brian Dudley]

Something ive been wondering and I dont know how this applies to small frames , but why do some of these have a two piece dolls head and on others its solid with the rib ?



All of the Rib extensions on Parkers are a separate piece from the rib. At least from the time that they started using the patent dolls head extension. The extension piece is about 2.5" long.

[Milton C Starr]

All of the Rib extensions on Parkers are a separate piece from the rib. At least from the time that they started using the patent dolls head extension. The extension piece is about 2.5" long.

That was great seeing all those different parts for the 6 frames , when I got my 6 frame at first I was like oh its not that big . However I got to compare it beside a 10 gauge hammergun and you can definitely appreciate the difference then . The breech thickness on the small 10 ga is around .21" and the 6 frame is around .28"-.29" .

Is there any reason documented why some of the extensions have the visible seam and some dont ?

[Dean Romig]

Brian, I remember the discussion with pictures of the cocking crank and the floor plate and maybe one or two other things that are considerably bigger on the 6 frame, but I don't remember any discussion on the purpose of that extra screw in the top tang..





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[Dean Romig]

Is there any reason documented why some of the extensions have the visible seam and some dont ?

The seam is far more obvious on barrels that have been refinished, or have been exposed regularly to caustic atmospheric conditions.






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[Milton C Starr]

The seam is far more obvious on barrels that have been refinished, or have been exposed regularly to caustic atmospheric conditions.






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Such as waterfowling near salt walter ?

From what I could find on mine it probably spent the majority of its life on the local river just 2hrs upstream . The humidity here though is pretty rough on guns /

[Dean Romig]

Yup, exactly those kinds of conditions.




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[Brian Dudley]

The funny thing about the 6 frame guns is that everything is texas sized except for the trigger guard. They look tiny on the guns.

[Rick Roemer]

With all those differences and obvious unique parts, were 6 frame guns more expensive? One would think so.

[Milton C Starr]

With all those differences and obvious unique parts, where 6 frame guns more expensive? One would think so.

I seen a Parker catalog from 1912 IIRC that lists the DH grade 8 gauge as $35 more than the 10,12, etc which according to a inflation calculator would be around $912 difference today . However ive heard 1 day of good waterfowling could make as much as 10 days wage as your average worker so the price difference may have been negligible to a professional waterfowler ? Theres probably alot of caveats to that however and alot of variables I would think .

Though if you were waterfowling for a living and you just needed a big gun for the job a grade 1 or 0 would have been cheaper .

[Milton C Starr]

I wonder if Parker started loosing money on building 8 gauges or the profit margin got alot smaller . I looked at two research letters , one was a grade 2 lifter 36" 8 gauge order in 1877 for $120 . Then a grade 2 hammerless in 1910 36" 8 ga for 120$ , so did they not raise the price of them as the decades went on ?

[charlie cleveland]

another puzzle quickly solved....but do all the 6 and 7 frame guns have this block....charlie

[Brian Dudley]

The 8g was an adder.
But I would not be sure about the few 6 frame 10g guns that were built.

[Dave Noreen]

I was sure Brian would have the answer for this when I made my post and he has come through big time. Thanks.

[Craig Larter]

My 6 frame guns show no evidence of the screw or screw slot, it must have dressed off in many instances.

[Brian Dudley]

My 6 frame guns show no evidence of the screw or screw slot, it must have dressed off in many instances.

Some may have been. There is no reason that the block would ever have to be removed for service.

[Dean Romig]

The 8g was an adder.
But I would not be sure about the few 6 frame 10g guns that were built.

I don’t understand the term “adder” - can you explain it please?





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[Brian Dudley]

I don’t understand the term “adder” - can you explain it please?





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A price adder. Premium.

[Dave Noreen]

The PH-Grade was for many years the $65 list price gun in 12-gauge and smaller. In 10-gauge it was the NH-Grade and listed at $70. The catalogs state that AH- to PH-grades could be had in 8-gauge for $35 above 10-gauge list.

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[Dean Romig]

Wow! That's quite an "adder" (premium).





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[CraigThompson]

The PH-Grade was for many years the $65 list price gun in 12-gauge and smaller. In 10-gauge it was the NH-Grade and listed at $70. The catalogs state that AH- to PH-grades could be had in 8-gauge for $35 above 10-gauge list.

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By no means am I trying to knock the NH/PH as I have both in 10 gauge 3 frames however for some reason I've always liked the VH and EH/GH guns more . I suppose because when I was a good bit younger all the Parker guns I ever saw were VH and later in life when I started acquiring more the EH/GH was the first I owned with animal engraving so to speak .

[Milton C Starr]

The PH-Grade was for many years the $65 list price gun in 12-gauge and smaller. In 10-gauge it was the NH-Grade and listed at $70. The catalogs state that AH- to PH-grades could be had in 8-gauge for $35 above 10-gauge list.

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Thats interesting , my NH is a 10 gauge but its on a #6 frame the price was still $70 so the larger frame sized didnt add to the cost . I suppose the extra $35 for a 8 gauge was from the cost of the barrels . Then again you would think #6 frame 10 gauge barrels would have cost more to make than #3 frame 10 gauge barrels .

So a PH 8 gauge would be $100 or the same price as a smaller gauge DH from the looks of it ?

[Milton C Starr]

Found this price list of 1912 , the prices here are different than what I seen in a another Parkers 1912 catalog .