Parker Pages Fluid Steel Barrel Articles From the Past

[Dean Romig]

The question always seems to come up "Weren't the Fluid Steel barrels Parker used, regardless of different names on the ribs, all the same steel?"

The answer, after much metalurgical study over the years, is a definitive "No."

Here is a quick list of pertinent articles that address this question and were published in Parker Pages. This is from a cursory glance through the "Parker Pages Digital Archive" using the key search word "steel" but this list may not be complete:

1996 Volume 2 by Oscar Gaddy

1996 Volume 5 by Paul Burns

2002 Volume 6 by Ron Kirby

2003 Volumes 1 & 2 by Dave Suponski

2013 Volume 2 by Charlie Price titled "HT/A"

2013 Volume 3 by Charlie Price titled "Steel used For Parker Barrels"

2014 Volume 2 by Dave Suponski

Some articles are more scientific in study than are others but they all have valid, and in some cases undisputable, points.


I will add that there are other indisputable facts presented on this subject on the PGCA Forum by such authors as Edgar Spencer who has a lifetime of experience with metals and their alloys and chemical makeup.





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[Mike Franzen]

How can one get the digital archives?

[Russell E. Cleary]

A check for $55 (which includes shipping) to:

Mike McKinney, 18 Nottingham Road, Maggie Valley, NC 28751
Be sure to say if you want the CD or the thumb drive.

[Dean Romig]

The Parker Pages Digital Archive is available for sale to PGCA Annual and Life Members only.

Just like the Parker Pages magazine, the Digital Archive and everything in it, articles, stories, advertisements and all graphics are all protected under copyright. Selling it only to members allows the PGCA to protect this.





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[Drew Hause]

Marketing hyperbole, mythology, and opinions are of interest, but one cannot argue with numbers; which we have thanks to Dave Suponski and Ron Graham

Scroll down about 3/4 here for the actual composition analysis
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dnRLZgcuHfx7uFOHvHCUGnGFiLiset-DTTEK8OtPYVA/edit

Titanic, post-WWI Vulcan, and Trojan were essentially the same; AISI 1030 and 1035 Medium Carbon steels.
Titanic had low levels of both nickel and chromium compared to the others.
Parker Steel was non-standard Acid Bessemer Resulphurized Rephosphorized AISI 1109 low carbon Steel.

Of course composition could vary somewhat based on years of production ie. pre-WWI and post-WWI

As to the sources of "rough forged tubes", this should be of interest
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=17ixogftgITEblNUWtmFBv96ZvgjK6eFell8GsAWd-KI

If someone would like to send me a chunk of their Acme or Whitworth barrels I'd be happy to run the specimen over to METL for testing ;)