Drew, thank you for your caution. However, as I mentioned in my first post my Parker was sent to Griff8in & Howe for inspection and service as required. It was returned as ok for shooting. The bores, as earlier mentioned, are shiny without pitting or scuffs. The barrels have no imperfections.
I have full confidence in G&H.
You may not be familiar with G&H which was founded in 1923 and is considered one of the most preeminent gunsmiths in America, if not the world. For, instance G&H makes custom sporting rifles from scratch!
Paul Chapman is head gunsmith at Griffin & Howe, leading a team of seven. He is, according to the company historian, the “personification of Griffin & Howe.” Recently he made a series of six guns for the Safari Club anniversary in calibers ranging from .22 Hornet to .416 Rigby, the set worth around $350,000. “Today in the high-end market, you’ll see a lot more engraving, a lot more bling,” says Chapman. “The old Purdeys and Holland & Hollands were understated and subtle guns. But since the mid 1950s, you’re seeing more ornate guns with bright finishes instead of case-color hardening.”

The store is still slammed with work—more so now that they are producing a high-tech line of long-distance rifles on Griffin & Howe chassis-style stocks. The rifles are designed with the close involvement of marksmanship instructor Eli Stulmacher, a former Navy SEAL sniper.

“There’s still a clientele for a hand-built gun,” says Chapman, “even though a lot of this generation doesn’t want well-made, hand-me-down furniture. They want new. They want IKEA. But we can work on and repair anything that we’ve sold, and we can fabricate parts like hammers, springs, pins, and screws. That’s what made us famous.”

Oliver

I apologize for my confusion, but if Griffin & Howe indicated the gun was "safe to shoot", did they not indicate with what load?
Shiny barrels in a 136 year old gun with that degree of use almost always indicate previous honing. To give advice regarding a load, it is necessary to know the chamber length, and wall thickness at the end of the chamber and every inch of the first 12" of barrel, and MWT (and where). Were those numbers provided by G&H?
No criticism of G&H, or your gun, but things like this happen with vintage doubles

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../413569865.jpg

Fair enough. They said to use light black powder loads. Short of a pressure test there isn't any totally accurate way to determine what the barrels can sustain. G&H stated that the barrels were not pitted and cleaned them as part of the servicing.
Oliver

Drew not to hijack Olivers thread but what was the reason of that barrel failure ?

Barrel failure? I don't know of any barrel failure. Where does that come from? In fact the barrel shows no dents bulges repairs or whatever. Which was confirmed by the G&H inspection report. The right hammer was replaced sometime before my great uncle inherited the gun in the 1930's.
Please let's not start destroying the gun with unfounded speculation.
Oliver

Oliver - Look about 4 posts above your last to see an example of a barrel failure. No one is trying to talk down your gun

I misread the post and thought it was about my gun. I agree that barrel failures can be catastrophic for the shooter as well as the gun.
Oliver

I'm not sure when paper shells arrived on the scene, but 12 gauge extruded brass shells used 11 gauge wads and thats about .750. I'm one of crazy ones that play Damascus and Twist Steel roulette. RST Shells make unequaled fodder for older guns. Their 2 1/2" loads of 1oz at a 1125 fps and 7/8oz at 1125 fps are a wonderful place to start. I shoot 10 and 12 gauge 1881 Parkers with Twist barrels with hand loads that keep the pressure at 7,000 psi and below. My 12 gauge Damascus Parkers are fed any 1oz factory load with velocities at 1180 fps and below. That said, Drew has a very valid point and his picture of the Parker who's chamber gave way proves it. Many old guns steel has crystallized and you can almost see it in Drews photo.

Harry

That's good information, thank you. Hand loading makes sense but I confess that I do not have the patience. The only time I tried it was many years ago in Va. long range ground hog hunting. 22/250, 20 lb barrel and with match Sierra bullets, Mannlicher double triggers with 20x Scope. Friend using the rifle got one at 1,100 yards. He had been on the 1st Army rifle team!

Oliver

Good to see you kicking around with all your fingers.:)

A while back I posed a question about steel crystallization in these old guns and our resident metallurgist Edgar talked about it. I think I was refering to maybe fluid steel guns that can have thin barrels, but he put that thought to rest. Obvioulsy the forging process in these twist and damascus is different and there some instances of failures from innerstructure corrosion from years of early abuse and pitting.