14 gauge?

[Jack Hamner]

Hello and THANK YOU for allowing me to join this special forum.
I am not a gun collector per se, but I recently ran across a Parker hammer gun in a local pawn shop and fell in love with it.
I went by the other day and purchased it. It bears a patent date of Nov. 13, 1866, and was advertised as a 14 gauge.
This is evidently true, as I read on another forum about this same gun (serial # N 0968) being sold on an online auction in 2006. A discussion followed about finding ammo for 14 gauges.
I guess what I would like to know is whether or not this gauge is particularly rare in the early Parkers, and also if there is any way of determining the year of production from the serial number. The gun has decarbonized steel barrels (30 1/4 ") and is in good to very good condition.
Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to give me!
P.S.--As I said, I am a novice collector, so please let me know if I have left anything out, and I will try and correct it!

[Rick Losey]

what you left out is the pictures :rotf:

[Jack Hamner]

what you left out is the pictures :rotf:

OOPS! Will try and post some soon!

[Dean Romig]

Hi Jack - your 14 ga. Parker was probably made in the first couple of years of Parker gun production. The 14 gauge can probably be considered Rare. I'm not going to go open my TPS to find the data but I will say that not many were made. Pictures would be nice.

Here's one owned by our friend Daryl Middlebrook and restored by Doug Turnbull. It's a real beauty!!
It's quite a bit later than yours and this one has what appear to be Laminated Steel barrels and is quite a nice piece!



.

[Jack Hamner]

Thanks so much for your post, Dean. I do have some pictures in an album, but can't figure out how to upload them to this thread!--guess I was in such a hurry to get answers I forgot to read the directions properly! Thanks again, Jack.

[Jack Hamner]

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=4626

[Jack Hamner]

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=4626

[Jack Hamner]

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=4629

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

According to the Parker Story Vol II There were 161 11g a and 131 14g a made but I would suspect more than that since the first entry for 14g a is 4702, Yours is o968, mine is 1147 shown on page 233 of Vol I of the Parker story, so I would guess another 25 of each gauge? purely speculation of course, and the 14 ga is not an offering in these early catalogues.Nice find! Gary

[Jack Hamner]

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=4628http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=426&pictureid=4629

[Jack Hamner]

According to the Parker Story Vol II There were 161 11g a and 131 14g a made but I would suspect more than that since the first entry for 14g a is 4702, Yours is o968, mine is 1147 shown on page 233 of Vol I of the Parker story, so I would guess another 25 of each gauge? purely speculation of course, and the 14 ga is not an offering in these early catalogues.Nice find! Gary

Thank you so much, Gary. I traded some items I no longer wanted for this gun--probably in the $600-$800 range. Am I O.K. with this much in the gun, or did I get burned?
P.S. I was also wondering what the letter "N" above the serial number means.
I really appreciate you taking the time to educate a novice like me!

[E Robert Fabian]

I would say you made out well Jack, wish all my gun purchases where similar to yours.
Cheers Bob

[Jack Hamner]

I would say you made out well Jack, wish all my gun purchases where similar to yours.
Cheers Bob

Thanks, Bob--I guess even a blind hog finds an acorn every once in a while! Maybe this will make up (in part) for all the "mistakes" that clutter our basement!

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Jack, You did well!, can you post a photo of the water table with the ser# and the "N" you are talking about, I am sure some of us would like to see this . Gary

[Jack Hamner]

http://1010033

Here's a picture of what I HOPE you wanted.

[Jack Hamner]

serial numbers (I Hope!)http://parkerguns.org/forums/albums/thumbs/4/75288e1a5e404643b042bc5a6f80c936_4637.jpg?dl=13616 71856

[Jack Hamner]

Another try!http://parkerguns.org/forums/albums/thumbs/4/ca00ede1dda35d625d4328a6cb1dd9ad_4638.jpg?dl=13616 74030

[Jack Hamner]

I was reading another thread on this forum today, and unbeknown to me, apparently there was someone else interested in this same gun that I acquired last week.
My sincere apologies to that person--I didn't realize that someone else was considering buying it!

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

Jack: I would say you found a Nugget not a acorn. It has some great case coloring for its age and looks like someone took some care with this 14 Ga. Thomas

[Rick Losey]

I was reading another thread on this forum today, and unbeknown to me, apparently there was someone else interested in this same gun that I acquired last week.
My sincere apologies to that person--I didn't realize that someone else was considering buying it!

that is the way the market works- first to step up and make the decision gets it -if there was no deposit, it was still available. congrats on making a good deal.

we have probably all lost out on a deal or two and will again.

[Jack Hamner]

Jack: I would say you found a Nugget not a acorn. It has some great case coloring for its age and looks like someone took some care with this 14 Ga. Thomas

Thank you, Thomas! I'm glad I didn't mess up this time.....

[Jack Hamner]

that is the way the market works- first to step up and make the decision gets it -if there was no deposit, it was still available. congrats on making a good deal.

we have probably all lost out on a deal or two and will again.


I guess you're right, Rick. I know from experience that often times I've seen something I liked but failed to "pull the trigger" on the deal. When I went back later to buy, it was GONE!!!

[Jack Hamner]

a couple more questions--what does the "N" stand for above the serial number? I think I read somewhere that it might stand for a 12b bore. Would a 12 ga. shell fit into the chamber? Short of having special gauge tools, how DO you determine the bore? I have tried the millimeter ruler and a chart, but without much luck. All I know is a 12ga. standard shell will not go into the chamber, and a 20 ga. falls completely through. I don't have a 16 ga. to try. but will get one soon. P.S.--Is a 12b the same as a 13 ga?

[charlie cleveland]

i was told the n stood for number the serial no...i asked the same question what did the n stand for and that the answer they gave me....i think you got a good buy myself... charlie

[Jack Hamner]

i was told the n stood for number the serial no...i asked the same question what did the n stand for and that the answer they gave me....i think you got a good buy myself... charlie

Thanks, Charlie! Jack.

[Mark Landskov]

Great shotgun, Jack! Brass hulls are available, but I think the general concensus is not to shoot decarbonized barreled guns, even if they are in choice condition. :cheers:

[Jack Hamner]

Great shotgun, Jack! Brass hulls are available, but I think the general concensus is not to shoot decarbonized barreled guns, even if they are in choice condition. :cheers:

Thanks so much, Mark...I would have guessed just the opposite, i.e. the steel barrels would be much stronger, but I guess not-learned something new today!


By the way, I was looking at your impressive credentials on your post, and I would just like to THANK YOU and all the veterans who have fought so hard to keep America free! Don't know WHERE we would be as a country if it weren't for you! Jack.