1875 Parker Hammer Gun Question

[Scott Fox]

I have recently purchased a 1875 Parker hammer gun serial # 6359. The Parker research letter I obtained states that it is a 0 grade, 10-gauge, underlifter hammer gun, with 30" plain twist barrels. Now from my research in TPS, I believe that it was possibly entered incorrectly? I believe that it is in fact a grade 1. The barrels are marked Stub Twist, the stock and forend both have checkering, the locks, hammers, triggerguard, frame, butt plate are all modestly engraved. According to TPS this would be a grade 1, if I read it correctly. All numbers match on frame, barrels, forend, and triggerguard. I would appreciate any feedback that more knowledgeable Parker folks could provide.

[Brian Dudley]

Yeah, what you have there by way of engraving is very characteristic of a Grade 1 equivelant of the era. Early Parkers can be sometimes hard to tell exactly what grade they are, but 0 grades would have no engraving and no checkering.

[Scott Fox]

Here are a few more photos.

[Chuck Bishop]

Hello Scott,

Let me explain to you, and others, how the determination was made that you have a "0" grade underlifter. This does not mean that you don't, in fact, have a grade 1, just what the records show.

There is no Order Book for your gun so the list price could not be used to determine grade.

The Stock Book for your gun should show the barrel type steel used and usually the grade of the gun, all contained in one column of the page and that column is on the left side of the page. The page your gun is listed on has that column missing. I would guess the paper wasn't loaded properly in the scanner. The next column to the right shows the S/N of the gun. This is what your gun shows: PT59 (the last 2 digits of your S/N.) This PT in red was put in by either the authors of the Parker Story or by Charlie Price when he compiled the Serilization Book. There are guns above and below your S/N with PT's, T0's, and T1's (also in red ink.)

If you look in the Serialization Book under "Grade Codes in the Parker Gun Database", you'll find that the author states that PT's and T0's are grade 0 guns and the T1's are grade 1 guns. This is what I used to determine your gun was a grade 0. The type of steel whether plain twist or stub twist was not noted, just grouped as twist. I have S/N 8036, listed as T0 in the stock book and it's obviously a grade 0 with stub twist barrels.

So now you know how difficult it is to determine the grade of these early guns. As I said, you may in fact have a grade 1 but I can only report on what the Parker factory records show and get advice from TPS and the Serialization Book.

Chuck Bishop
Research Chairman

[Rick Losey]

Whatever the grade. It has class

Very nice

[Scott Fox]

Hi Chuck,

Thank you for your reply! I don't want you to misunderstand what I am questioning. I am not questioning the information you provided in the research letter. I am wondering if the Parker records could have been in error? I know that it has occurred in the Winchester records. It stands to reason that a clerk could have written the wrong info possibly. I really appreciate the hard work you do in deciphering the Parker record books! The ability to get this information is one of the reasons I love Parkers so much. Thank you, and keep up the good work!

[Brian Dudley]

Very nice Gun Scott with nice original patina!
Not that there are not errors. There are in anything out there, as long as a person is behind it. But, Since there not a grade number or letter system in place at that time, all there was to determine grade (or should I say QUALITY) of the gun was the barrel steel and the price paid.
Since the same barrel steel was used on different qualities, there-in lies the confusion. After Decarbonated Steel was phased out, Grades 0,1 and some 2's would have some variation of Twist steel, but many kinds of Twist steel were used early on.

[Mark Landskov]

That is a fine Parker, Scott! How are the bores? What is the unstruck weight of the barrels? Sherman Bell made up some mild one ounce loads for short tens. I use an ounce of 7-1/2 shot in all of my tens with outstanding results. I hunt grouse, primarily, but the tens are fun for the occassional 'nostalgia hunt'. Enjoy!

[Scott Fox]

Mark, The bores are nice, but they have very light pitting just in front of the chambers. The weight is not marked on the barrels, but the gun is heavy weighing 8 1/2 lbs.

[ed good]

looks 1 ish to me...

jes proves that when it comes to used guns, used cars an used women...

uh, ill git back tu ya lader...

[ed good]

...you never really know what you are gittin...until you have it for a while.