3" Chambers

[Ed Blake]

Has anyone ever seen 3" factory chambers on a damascus Parker? I'm looking at a #2 frame D2 with 32" barrels and an unstruck weight of 5 circa 1892. Bore diameters .734 that are very clean. The gun looks to be in very good original condition. Odds are the chambers were honed out. but I was wondering if they could be factory. Any way to tell other than a letter?

[Austin W Hogan]

I have a GH two barrel set , 73201 with both the waterfowl, and upland barrel sets chambered 2 7/8 inch. The chambering is supported by the archive, as is the 1 lb difference in weight. Both barrel sets balance precisely at the hinge.
The Parker catalog specifies that chamber depth is cut at the customers option, at no additional charge. It should be noted that, in this era , most long chambers facilitated a longer wad, not an increased load.

Best, Austin

[Jay Gardner]

I have a 12 ga DH from 1889 with 30" damascus barrels and 2-7/8" chambers which are original per the Letter on the gun. The right barrel is chambered Full and the left barrel is chambered Modified which I have been told was common for watefowl guns of that period.

[Drew Hause]

http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1897/VOL_30_NO_12/SL3012023.pdf (Neat Parker ad)
Dec. 11, 1897
The Cast Iron Medal, emblematic of championship of America, and a purse of $200, was shot on Watson’s Shooting Grounds. R.O. Heikes (using a Winchester 1897 pump) won the match by killing 91 out of 100 birds, taking the Cast Iron Medal and the $200.
Grimm killed 87 out of the 100 birds, using an L. C. Smith gun, 3 1/4 drams Du Pont powder in a 3-inch U. M. C. Smokeless shell, for first barrel, and 3 1/2 drams Du Pont powder in a 3 1/4-inch U. M. C. Trap shell in second barrel; 1 1/4 ounces No. 7 chilled shot in both barrels.

[Austin W Hogan]

The Iron Men article in Spring Parker Pages showed a special 3 1/2 inch 12 ga live bird load made by UMC for the American Challenge team in 1906. The American team was handicapped by limiting them to one shot, while the Britich and European teams could fire both barrels.

Best, Austin

[Destry L. Hoffard]

My infamous BH left the factory with damascus barrels and three inch chambers according to the letter.

Destry