I invite you to join the PGCA.

Some do , some don't. I ordered a new Parker hammer gun some years back , sent in the order form, and lately received word that the gun is about complete and will ship soon. So I have essentially a new hammer gun coming.

You see some of these guns and they have been rode pretty hard. Others , even well over 100 years old, are scarcely used. They are not correctly lumped all together. Even some that look worn are mostly carry wear with not all that many rounds through the barrels.

Yes now is a good time to join.

As far as use mine would be in the well used category, when I got it the action was pretty loose and well off face. I spent the weekend re welding the hook and dressing it down to a pretty much perfect fit, also smoked the barrels and now it feels like a new action.

I just never shot one of these and wasn't sure what load to start with.
I'm pretty excited going to shoot it this afternoon .

Thanks, Tom

Just shoot it ! All of these questions will never be answered

Last question
I didn't shoot it today because I'm thinking this gun was made in the black powder days and maybe that is what you guys are referring to.
My intention is to shoot modern smokeless powder in it.
Are we on the same page with this ?? Just making sure.

Thanks, Tom

Tom, your thinking too much:banghead:

Just shoot it with light modern shells!

Yes yes yes. DRE means drams equivalent to black powder. You can use RST shells or just go to the hardware store and buy Winchester AA 1 oz 2 3/4 dre loads for easy shooting besides the AAs are about 2 1/2 inch shells By 1893 parker had changed over to smokeless powder. Black powder era guns are often thicker walled thAn smokeless powder guns because of the sharper pressure curve of black powder. That's why smokeless was often called progressive burning.