Another D Grade Lifter

[Eric Baker]

I bought this gun in 1997, had been looking for a high grade lifter for several years. Nearly walked past it at a gun show because it was virtually unrecognizable. The barrels and action had been polished and blued and the buttstock was in a plastic grocery bag. It had been shattered into 5 or 6 pieces through the head and wrist. Noticed the lifter button and stopped for a look. Had to fight with the seller to include the buttstock, he wanted to saw it up to make pistol grips. Told him I needed it to make a pattern stock. Remarkably it was all there except a small piece on the left side of the trigger plate and I was able to re-assemble and re-checker it. The left hammer and screw are not original to the gun but off a later D Grade lifter in the 12,000 serial number range. Though worn, the engraving scene on the trigger guard bow is clearly visible on this one.

[Dean Romig]

You did a very nice job of putting that stock back together.

I especially like the setter and snipe on the left lock plate.

[calvin humburg]

I lean toward the Pointer and the grouse. What a Great gun, I really like the 1/2 star on the fence or would it be better said "the side of the bolster"? Yes you did a wonderful job on the stock. best ch

[Daryl Corona]

Beautiful gun Eric, nice job on that stock. I just love that ball grip. Who restored the receiver and barrels and what length are they?
Daryl

[Mark Landskov]

Great job on bringing her back to life, Eric! Very nice.

[charlie cleveland]

this is what i like to see..taking abattered old gun that very few would look at must less take it home with them and turning it back to its former glory...nice job.... charlie

[Dave Suponski]

Eric, That is a wonderful gun. Tell us more about the restoration.

[Bruce Day]

Very nice. I take it you are a dentist, and the attention to detail shows.

I have previously posted many photos of high grade and well done hammer guns in this hammer gun section of the forum if you care to look. There is a D grade 20 ga top action hammer that was neglected and broken, a B grade 12 top action that was severely pitted then micro welded and a 16ga lifter with silver quarter moon inlay in the ball grip. You might find those interesting.

Bruce Day, unreformed Yankee Air Pirate

[Eric Baker]

Good morning all, thank you for all the positive comments on this nice old gun. Personally I can't pick a favorite engraving scene, I like them all. I only wish the one on the trigger guard was in better condition, I don't recall ever seeing another retreiver on a Parker.

Bruce I'm not a dentist but a dental technician, the difference being that dentists repair teeth, I make new ones.

I don't think of what I did with this gun as restoration, rather resurrection since the only place I added finish was the repaired areas of the stock. Everything else was removal, just revealing what was hidden.

Glued the stock up in 97 while still on active duty stationed in San Diego. We moved back to Colorado in 03 and the effects of the dryer climate are evident in that all the glue lines are now raised, visible in the first photo of the right lock around the stock teardrop. Wood shrinks, Acraglas doesn't.
The spliced-in piece of wood is visible in the first photo extending from the dog's head to the rear of the bow. My first attempt at replacing missing wood, I've done better since. Re-checkered the stock while lying flat on my back awaiting lumbar disk surgery. Not my best work but I was heavily medicated for pain, and yes if you checker a stock laying on your back the sawdust does get in your eyes. Checkering around the ball grip is a real challenge as you're working with end grain and a tight complex curve. Hat off to the the guy that did it the first time.

I did the barrels and receiver myself. Many hours and a light touch with 320 and 400 grit wet/dry paper to remove the blueing then buffing with fine steel wool. Because of the texture of the damascus, a light touch left enough blueing behind to bring out the pattern. I think it also brought out the detail in the engraving. Fortunately whoever did the polishing was pretty carefull and little damage was done. The only places where the engraving looks "melted" is at the front end of the lock plates and the burst pattern above the left firing pin.

The barrels are 26" and appear uncut although the serialization book lists it with 30" originally. Bruce and I were discussing this in another thread and I'll attach a photo of the muzzles and solicit opinions. The right bore is .765 and the left .760 with 8 to 10 thousanths of constriction. The bores are lightly pitted and have been polished, .030 wall thickness at the thinnest. I'd feel safe to shoot it but not before straightening them out a little, some dents and irregualrities remain. I'd have already done this but I don't have a set of dent raising plugs big enough, mine only going to about .740.

The frame appears to be a 1 1/2 and the gun weighs approx 7.5lbs so its a fairly lightweight 12ga lifter.

Attached are a few more photos of the barrels. The right is struck with a D forward of the flats an a small 0 on the flats. Hard to see in the photo but the left is struck with a 5 just ahead of the flats. The barrel hook is struck with a small JS and the bottom of the lug has an S. The serial number is on the rear face of the lug. D for damascus I imagine, any thoughts on the rest? The elephant ivory bead was fabricated by me, the original brass one was sheared off.

[Bruce Day]

Differential re-browning and etching will provide greater steel/iron contrast, as with these G grade barrels:

[Eric Baker]

I gave my friend Doug the Oscar Gaddy series on this process from DGJ. He made up a set of tanks from big pvc and took a crack at it on these barrels from a 16ga 0 frame GH. Not bad for his first attempt. Unfortunately this was about 10 years ago and haven't been able to get him to do it again. I think it was more of an exercise to see if he could do it. He's a rocket scientist at NASA working on the Space Station project.

[Bruce Day]

Its filthy, long, dirty, smelly job. Maybe that's the reason he won't do it again. Maybe its also wiser to send the barrels and $300 to Dale Edmonds.

[Eric Baker]

That's why I haven't taken it up. Some things I'd rather pay someone else to do. What's a Yankee Air Pirate Bruce?

[Bill Murphy]

Tell your friend to forget the trivial pursuits and get busy with the important things in life.

[Eric Baker]

Can't argue with ya there Bill. Unfortunately his wife has become accustomed to to a certain standard of living and would fight it, and she's tough.

[Bruce Day]

.... What's a Yankee Air Pirate Bruce?

A term of endearment from my little Vietnamese friends while I won their hearts and minds.....one piece at a time.