Another C grade hammer gun

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Okay Guys , This is a C grade with 32" Bernard barrels, The gun has a lot of original color and they made very few with 32" barrels Might have to do two sets of photo's since I have six pictures. Gary

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

This is the rest of pictures

[David Noble]

Gary, that is just beautiful! Where do you find all these treasures!

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Click on photo to enlarge and get better detail, Damn I must be getting shaky in my old age and no I have not been drinking!

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

David, believe me this gun came my way with some serious negotiation, and trades, I will say no more thanks

[George M. Purtill]

Those Bernard barrels are so pretty.

[Chuck Bishop]

Great looking gun Gary. Looks like you need a longer towel! Those barrels look sooooo long:shock:

[Eric Eis]

Gary that's beautiful....For shaking use a tripod...

[charlie cleveland]

what a beauty...dont look like this one was shot much... charlie

[Chuck Bishop]

Just a wild guess, late 1882 or 1883?

[Bruce Day]

The two other known C grade Bernard hammer guns are shown in the Hammer Guns section under Fraternal C Twins. Readers will see the close similarity in engraving. One of the photos follows here.

My gun came from Gary and in an earlier series of transactions, I benefitted from the serious ( and complex) trades Gary mentioned. Thanks to Gary for being a friend to serious Parker collecting and exhibiting. Maybe at some point all three Bernard hammer guns can be shown together. Gary's is a wonderful specimen.

Even the lower grade G and P hammer guns can be special , and can restored carefully to attractive and useful guns.

[Dave Purnell]

Gary, Maybe a beach towel would hold those long barrels, and maybe the golden towel guy can help. No, what am I thinking, they don't have beach towels in Kansas.

[Jeff Kuss]

Gary,
You are killing me!
Jeff

[Dean Romig]

That is a wonderful Parker Gary! Congratulations!

[Daryl Corona]

Great gun Gary. Maybe not drinking is the problem.:)

[George M. Purtill]

Gary and Bruce
what are the serial numbers of those C grade Bernard guns?
304XX range?

[Bruce Day]

SN 36,491, a Parker Bros New York Salesroom show gun.

I think now that there are about five known, still a small number.

[George M. Purtill]

Thanks Bruce for your prompt reply to my inquiry.
I bought 30427 yesterday.
We are talking junkpile.
I will post some pictures. You would never know it had Bernard unless you looked in the Book.
I actually can't tell yet if they are Bernard. You will see what I mean.

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Bring her back! George!

[Dean Romig]

George is somewhat 'camera challenged' so we may have to wait a bit .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ..yawn............................................ .................................................. .................................................. ................George?

[George M. Purtill]

That's mean Dean.

[George M. Purtill]

While I am waiting for my dear friend Edgar Terry Spencer to send me the photos, does anyone know a source for a grip cap of that vintage?

[Dean Romig]

George, my friend... the correct grip cap for a capped pistol grip in Grade 5 is solid gold.

Hang around Dave at shooting events where he is shooting his BH. His cap has fallen off at least once that I know of... perhaps it will again.


Oops! My mistake... I don't know what made me think a B4 is a Grade 5... I was probably confused with the Grade 5 Gary posted pictures of yesterday. :o

[Daryl Corona]

Maybe our good friend Dave could fabricate some out of his finest Italian marble complete with Parker logo.

[edgarspencer]

George does not know the meaning of junk. Those who know me, know I do.
I have all the pictures in my camera right now. I may get round to sending them to Geo in, oh, a bit, maybe.
Oh, and my eyes are better than his. I clearly read 'Bernard...' on the barrel.

[George M. Purtill]

Here are the photos. As I said above, she is a junker now. But I am hoping she will look 50% as good as Gary's in a while.
Yes those are Bernard steel barrels. You can't read diddly on the rib. Edgar says it says Bernard Steel but he is a metal guy.
She is already packaged up to go see her next caretakers: Brad Bachelder for her barrels and Tom Carter for screws and cleaning. and Chris Dawe for some stock work if the Mounties let him out.
Believe it or not, she looks worse in person.

[Bruce Day]

With imagination, patience, skill, time, effort and money, everything I see is restorable. Everybody needs a project gun once in a while to appreciate the high condition ones. This could turn out very well.

[Daryl Corona]

She's still a C grade and deserves a facelift. Nice find George.

[George M. Purtill]

I could shoot her today if the right lock wasnt broken inside.
She is tight and on face.
Her only problem was she spent a lot of years on her left side in a barn, my guess a chicken coop.

[edgarspencer]

The condition of the right hand lock, and breech balls should be sufficient to give you the courage to do what should be done. It takes patience and vision to see these long term projects through, whether you contract it out, or do it yourself.
I spent over 5 years, working nearly nonstop, to restore my 1892 steam launch. The next 28 years enjoyment made it all worthwhile. Bill Ruger plunked in his barn in NH, and it hasn't been out since. I sure wish it was still being used and enjoyed.
Think how much fun you'll have shooting it when Dean is standing next to you lusting over it.

Print a few of Gary's pictures, and pin them up in your gunroom. Nothing like some good gunroom porn.

[Dean Romig]

Think how much fun you'll have shooting it when Dean is standing next to you lusting over it.

Print a few of Gary's pictures, and pin them up in your gunroom. Nothing like some good gunroom porn.

Print a few pictures of Gary's and Bruce's and Charlie's pictures up in your gunroom... Nothing like some good inspiration!!

George, that will be a wonderful gun when the restoration is complete.

Best, Dean

[Bill Murphy]

Another "known" beater C Bernard hammer gun is on pages 252 and 271 of Muderlak's "Parker Guns Shooting Flying and the American Experience". I believe it has been on display at a PGCA Annual Meeting in the past. It is a ten bore 33" #4 frame pigeon gun I am told.

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

George , You dress that girl up a bit and you will be proud to take her out! good find!Gary

[George M. Purtill]

Gary and Bruce- Could you favor me with some pictures of the stock and forend- particularly the checkering- from your C grade Bernards?
Thanks in advance.

[George M. Purtill]

Another "known" beater C Bernard hammer gun is on pages 252 and 271 of Muderlak's "Parker Guns Shooting Flying and the American Experience". I believe it has been on display at a PGCA Annual Meeting in the past. It is a ten bore 33" #4 frame pigeon gun I am told.

Bill
I just looked up your reference.
Your gun is beautiful.
I am starting another thread for restoration help needed and would love some pictures of your C if you still own it.

[Bill Murphy]

I'm starting to learn a little about this computer machine lately. I'm probably getting close to being able to take a picture. It's not a bad gun. Luckily, about two years after this gun was built, Parker wanted their shooters to promote the new hammerless guns, so Mr. Perry only shot the gun for a short time when his hammerless DH was built. It came from a PA auction more than a few years ago. I don't know who took care of Perry's guns over the years, but his 33" eight gauge Greener Royal was in the same auction and it was also in the nearly mint condition of the 33" Parker.

[George M. Purtill]

Gary
I am missing both my screws on my project C grade Bernard. Are your screws original?

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

George, Yes as far as I know, I do not see any reason to believe they are not! The previous owner had the gun for quite a while. Gary