I got my new Parker Letter and I am happy.

[Armond Fish]

Well Mark did my new letter and I got it today in the mail(Thanks alot Mark).It even had the original owners name ( E.H. Brooks) from Newton PA.I had one question for you guys.... In the letter it says the barrels are choked RH cyl and LH 68% . What does 68% mean? Thanks in advance. And thank you once again Mark Conrad for doing my letter again after I messed up.

[John Dunkle]

Congrats!!!

As I said in your earlier post... Mark will make it right...

Please send a PM or e-mail to Mark a personal note, OK?? Very, very few times do the folks who assist PGCA get a personal "Thank You".. Mark deserves a lot of them - IMNSHO..

Best to you!

John D.

[Armond Fish]

Thanks John, I have already PMed Mark to thank him. What a great place this is.

[Dean Romig]

68% should be somewhere around MOD and IMP. MOD..
Parker chokes were patterned by % of shot that strikes within the particular diameter of the circle used for patterning at the time the gun was made and shot from the particular yardage used in patterning at the time the gun was made. For the sake of arguement, let's suppose that at the time your gun was made Parker Bros. was patterning guns at 40 yards and using a 30" circle so it was patterned so that 68% of the shot fell inside a 30" circle from 40 yards.

Edited after reading Robin's post.

[Robin Lewis]

Look at this link for more information:
http://parkerguns.org/pages/faq/ChokeSize.htm

[Armond Fish]

Thanks Robin, That was very helpful.

[Mark Ouellette]

Armond,

The 68% choke was the result of testing the loads available shot through the constriction at the muzzle. Chances are that then hardened shot, plastic shot cups, and progressive burning powders were not available. These modern components lessen shot deformation which in turn results in more shot in the pattern. If you chose to pattern that barrel with today's ammunition the effective choke may likely be even tighter.

Today a constriction in a 12 gauge of .030" will produce the same effective pattern as .040" constriction did when most Parkers were made.