An 1883 Question

[Robert Redmond]

Hello, I just recently acquired my first Parker, a fairly decent (for the price?) grade 2 12 gauge top lever from 1883, #29982. Stock’s in pretty good shape, has some nice grain, but the metal’s pretty worn and it’s one tape strip shy of being on face. It also looks like it’s been dropped since there’s scuffs at the muzzle and a chip missing from the toe. I was wondering if it’s been cut off a bit to fix fall damage, since it’s exactly 29.5” instead of 30”, but the barrels touch. The muzzles are also oddly shaped but symmetric and about 0.75” across. You can see they’re kind of flattened out from 3 o’clock to 5, and 7 to 9. Any ideas?

[Dean Romig]

Yes, it's had the barrels cut evidenced by the barrel length which shows to have been 30" in the Serialization book and by the lack of steel keels beneath the ribs leaving only lead solder in those spaces.





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[Tom Kidd]

Here is my method for 'rounding' muzzles. A long taper solid plug, stn stl, brass, or hard wood will do, a friendly workbench hammer and an ash/hickory handled fitting brush. GENTLY tap lightly lubricated plug in till just past tight with the barrels in an appropriate vice. Then hold the wood flat against the barrel surface and while continually rotating/sliding 'flat' around the circumference tap outside of wood. As you 'round' the muzzle gently keep inserting plug, don't pound in, or you will end up with a blunderbuss muzzle, you only want to round to original shape/size. Support the muzzles, I use a wooden block with a piece of industrial felt on top.(1/2" thick, high density) Common sense will result in a perfect undetectable repair. Remember, no heavy handed work around fine guns, sort of like working on a clock/watch. Enjoy!

[Robert Redmond]

Thanks both. I’m guessing this was cylinder choked as new, or maybe opened up since it’s already been cut, but it hits clays well enough. Is it a problem that the keels are gone?

[Dean Romig]

Not a problem that the keels are gone. They were simply an aid in aligning the ribs properly against the tubes so they could be soldered in place.





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[ED J, MORGAN]

It would be good to pattern the gun as Parker chokes are quite long. you may be pleasantly surprised.

[Rick Riddell]

Please share the rest of the gun!!!

[Robert Redmond]

Here it is. This is my first shotgun too, btw. Before this my only experience with them was shooting my great-grandpa’s Webley a couple times when I was 10.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Looks like a nice shooter Robert. Still has nice damascus pattern on barrels, I'd be hunting pheasants with it with RST or my own appropriate reloads. I love hammer guns.

[Robert Redmond]

Here is my method for 'rounding' muzzles. A long taper solid plug, stn stl, brass, or hard wood will do, a friendly workbench hammer and an ash/hickory handled fitting brush. GENTLY tap lightly lubricated plug in till just past tight with the barrels in an appropriate vice. Then hold the wood flat against the barrel surface and while continually rotating/sliding 'flat' around the circumference tap outside of wood. As you 'round' the muzzle gently keep inserting plug, don't pound in, or you will end up with a blunderbuss muzzle, you only want to round to original shape/size. Support the muzzles, I use a wooden block with a piece of industrial felt on top.(1/2" thick, high density) Common sense will result in a perfect undetectable repair. Remember, no heavy handed work around fine guns, sort of like working on a clock/watch. Enjoy!

I actually couldn’t find anything around the house like that but managed to get it 99%+ rounded with a 1/2” drive 1/2” socket and a wooden mallet. Almost like it wasn’t even dropped!