You now have a TRUTHFUL answer to your question. Thank you Brian.

The way I look at it is that there maybe some metal removed from the frame as part of process to create the scroll work but I think it is obviously on sides and is in an area that does not receive a lot of stress. Meaning even if you removed 5% of the metal there, betting there is more than enough metal there to do the job for life of gun and then some. Its simply cosmetic and the structure is probably very sound. The real issue is the strength of the metal at the face and tangs as it integrates into the the stock. I would be more concerned with a bad casting then the scrollwork weakening the action. I think they knew if they had a flawed casting or would not attempt to put so much work into it. Besides I have never heard of Parker failing there if gun was reasonably cared for, but I do think its a reasonable question. Would not want an old gun blowing up in my face just because it was pretty.

The real business happens inside the barrels. The only thing I could think of removing that little amount of metal would be to overall weight of gun and maybe balance point. I think they took in this into account when they made these guns.

I would guess that there not too much of a material or weight difference between low grade guns and guns with single beads. But if you look at double or triple beaded guns, the balled areas of the bolsters are actually smaller since the 2nd and 3rd beads are cut from what would be a solid bolster on a lower grade gun, so, on those highest grades, i would suppose that there would be a weight difference.

Like maybe 1/4 oz.





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All I know is the beads are very classy. Kind of like the frame rebate filing on Fox XE. The frame filing on grade 3 top lever hammer guns is very classy, a modified two bead treatment.

I believe that is a forging not a casting.

Reseacher, you beat me to it. All frames were hammer forged using a very large, motor driven, drop forge hammer.

My upgrade being done now has the beads. A weld line was added around the breach balls and the side bead was made by filing the profile lower. A lot of time and a true craftsman.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but the frames were done on a steam forge, at Billings Forge (Billings & Spencer) on Broad Street, in Hartford. Only a few hundred yards from the Capitol building.

Was that your great grandfather's forge Edgar?


Were the frame forgings "bulldozed" to shape while being forged?





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