Be sure to show us scans of the letters when you get them.

Will do!

Finally figured out how to work the scanner. Both guns retain original dimensions but not original chokes. No idea how one ended up in California and the other in Maine, both now reside in Colorado.

I find it interesting that they are both 16g. 0 frames, but only the one has the milled out water table. What are the barrel lengths of each of them? Maybe the order for the one specified a lighter weight.

Maybe Eric can give us the weights of both guns. I suspect the grade 2 weighs about 1/2 lb. more. Those are nice guns. Dave

The research letters are attached to my last post. The grade 2 was ordered by what looks to be a hardware company and the order didn't specify weight. The 0 grade was ordered by an individual with a specified weight of 6 1/2 lbs. Both guns have 28" barrels and if you look at the 4th photo you can see the unstruck weights as 3lb 7oz for the 0 grade and 3lb 12oz for the grade 2. Interestingly I have a 1 frame 0 grade 12ga with 28" barrels that fall right between these two at 3lbs 10oz. 5oz lighter barrels, lightened frame and 1/2" shorter stock, probably about a half pound lighter. I'll try to get them on the scale and verify this weekend.

I have 55348 which was ordered the last day of 1888....maybe it was a New Year's Eve present... ..so your guns came along quite a bit later. Of course mine has invisible hammers.

The Parker serialization book shows all these guns probably started production in 1888. Its my understanding that they were assigned serial numbers when they started production. I find it curious that 55427 remained in stock until 1893. The stock book for these guns is missing but it appears that 16 ga hammer guns were made in production runs from just a few to as many as twenty at a time. Guess they were just added to inventory until an order came in. Or maybe they started a production run when they received enough orders. Your hammers aren't invisible, just concealed. Although I prefer visible hammers they're all nice. I also have two 16 ga 0 frame GHs, one with straight toplever one with fishtail. Both damascus.

Well, if they're concealed I can't see them, and that makes them invisible!

Ha Ha Ha flawless reasoning Greg. But......if I close my eyes I can't see the hammers on my hammer guns but that don't make em invisible!! Just for the sake of elevating this cerebral discussion to the next level. If we accept that the Bros. Parker and their designers and marketing folks were the authorities on the subject then using their terminology "Hammerless" the real question is not if the hammers are invisible or merely concealed but whether or not they in fact actually exist........?