Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums - Another hint that Parker made their own barrels

PARKER ARCHAEOLOGY
By: John N. Davis

Did Parker Bros. ever make their own figured barrels? That is, did they ever manufacture Damascus, Laminated or Twist steel barrels? Or were these barrels always imported from across the big pond? This is a topic which pops up from time to time for discussion on the PGCA’s web-site forum and has also been addressed in more than one article.

Upon first considering the question, it is easy to assume that the house of Parker did not manufacture its own figured barrels. However, a reading of The Parker Story suggests otherwise. According to the authors of this most definitive work, "Some writers have stated that Damascus barrels were never made in America, and we cannot state with absolute certainty that Parker Brothers actually made Damascus steel barrels in Meriden, but there is a lot of evidence that they did. If Parker made its own Damascus barrels, it was for a relatively short time, as the company soon returned to importing tubes for gun barrels, probably for economic reasons". The evidence pointed to is an article from the Meriden Daily Republican, dated August 14, 1879, and an 1882 Parker Brothers catalogue.

The newspaper article states, “This company has successfully succeeded in making their own steel barrels, which together with other novel and important improvements, make their guns the finest yet introduced among lovers of field and forest sports.” The catalogue reads, “We are the first American manufacturers that have been successful in producing shot gun barrels of the finest and most superior quality.”

While on a recent “dig” of The Chicago Field, I discovered a bit more evidence that Parker Bros.’ gun-making endeavors included the manufacture of their own barrels.

In the November 16, 1878, issue of The Chicago Field, there appeared an article under the heading “American vs. English Guns.” It was written by Captain Ducaigne and was one in a series of replies comparing and contrasting the guns of English make to those of American manufacture. Captain Ducaigne’s article gives a rather lengthy history of the art of gun making in both Europe and America, with part of the discussion centering on America’s ability to compete in the “barrel-making business.” The Captain recites letters he had received from a number of gun-makers in response to his inquiries, including one from Parker Bros. The article reads in pertinent part as follows:

The Messrs. Parker, Meriden, Conn., were early in the field. About their “action” and the quantity of barrels they make, our readers must make up their own minds. They say:
“Yours at hand and noted. We import largely both laminated and Damascus, and also manufacture a very fine laminated – as fine, we think, as any we have ever seen of imported. We have made them about eighteen months. Don’t think the Syracuse makers ever made or attempted to make a gun barrel of any grade.”

Dale Highland then wrote a reply to the good Captain’s article, which appeared in The Chicago Field on March 8, 1879. Mr. Highland took a somewhat more positive view towards America’s ability to compete in the barrel making business and he, too, sought the testimony of experts in the field and quoted the Parkers on the subject of their involvement in this endeavor.

Here is the opinion of Mr. D. B. Wesson, one of America’s most skillful mechanics and enterprising business men - one of the most exacting of employers - one who, under no circumstances, will allow any work to leave his factory that is not perfect in material and workmanship. Mr. Wesson commenced making guns and gun-barrels in the year 1868. He engaged a man, John Blaze, from Birmingham, England, who was considered one of the most skillful barrel forgers of his day. Mr. Wesson made about 400 pairs of barrels of the Damascus pattern, and a figure known as the Wesson pattern. These barrels were made of the very choicest of stock, and the pattern as perfect as possible to make, and received the highest endorsements from the very best judges in this country. Here is the opinion of Mr. Wesson: “Our barrels were regarded by good judges as equal to any made in any country; and I am of the same opinion.”
Mr. Charles Green, of Rochester, N. Y., a practical and skillful gun maker, and patentee and maker of a most excellent breech-loading shot gun says: “I have seen and examined very closely many of the Wesson barrels, and in my opinion the figure is as fine and uniform from breech to muzzle and the barrels as free from any imperfections as any of the best imported barrels I ever saw.”
The Parker Bros., of Meriden, Conn., commenced making twisted barrels in the Spring of 1877. The late Wilbur F. Parker at one time business manger of this enterprising firm, was so well pleased with the barrels manufactured by Mr. Wesson, and knowing of the flattering testimony given these barrels by sportsmen and dealers throughout the country, that he contemplated manufacturing gun barrels, and even engaged the barrel welder who made Mr. Wesson’s barrels after the Wesson firm had given up making guns. But considering the then incomplete state of his gun, and imperfect condition of his machinery and tools, very wisely gave up for the time entering into that branch of the gun business. In an extended conversation with Mr. Parker previous to his departure for Europe, he informed me that one purpose in visiting Europe was to learn the system of building guns there, and that he should especially note during his visit through the barrel making districts the most approved methods of making gun barrels with the view to engage in that branch of the gun business at an early date. On his return home he told me that barrel making in this country was only a question of time, when it would be made a practical and paying investment , and as soon as circumstances would allow he intended to enter into it and thus complete the object of his ambition, to give to American sportsmen a complete American-made gun. His editorial labors on his paper, the American Sportsman (since the Road and Gun), coupled with the multitude of business cares with which he was burdened, so undermined his health that he was obliged to forsake the dream of his life and go to other clime to find that rest so essential to his broken-down system. This rest my friend at last found in the house “not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Since his death his brothers have carried into practice the contemplated idea of this master mind, and with what success let his brother Dexter tell.
“Your valued favor received. In reply would say we have made figured barrels for a year and a half. We consider them superior to the imported ones, and have frequent calls for them from our trade in preference to the imported barrels. We prefer not to give our experience in regard to this branch of our business, but can only say we have been to great expense in preparing to make our barrels, and feel rewarded in being able to manufacture barrels that give immense satisfaction.”

So, according to these two articles, based on conversations and correspondence with the brothers Parker, it would seem the Meriden gun-works did in fact produce its own “figured barrels.” It further appears that they offered their customers either barrels of their own make or those of foreign manufacture. How long Parker Bros. continued in this venture remains as yet a mystery. Perhaps the answer lies buried in an aged and yellowing paper somewhere, just waiting to be unearthed.