Is it possible that Parker didn,t have a roll stamp for Bernard guns? Does anyone have one?[/QUOTE]

Sure. A 1905 CHE Bernard with roll stamped rib and arrows.

I'm putting my money on they didn't have one in 1896. There really isn't a valid explanation other than what Dave has suggested, unless it was ordered "engrave rib".

What is the serial number of the earliest hammerless Parker with Bernard barrels that had the rib roll stamped? This may help to determine if Dave's suggestion is the answer.

They had a roll stamp for Bernard Steel in 1903.(119760)

My 1897 two barrel set seems to be roll stamped with quadruple fletched arrows. However, the owners name seems to be engraved in a backhand style and in a different font to the left of the Parker roll. Do I win the "earliest roll stamp award"?

Larry, are both barrel sets roll stamped?

All contestants will be notified at the end of the competition. In the case of a tie there will be a shoot-off . . . winner take all. Good luck Bill :corn:

Yes Dean, both sets are marked identically. I was thinking about bringing the gun to Pintail for the banquet display of 16 gages.

That would be very fitting.

It is my opinion that the very first Parker sixteen gauge should be the centerpiece of the PGCA Banquet theme but it might be a "no show" through no fault of it's conservator.

Yes and if the earliest roll stamp is later than 1896 I win and the gun should be immediatly sent to me! :rolleyes:

I've read TPS about rib legends and how they were applied but there is nothing definitive written there. TPS states that the roll stamping started in 1879 and that engraved rib legends ended about that time but that doesn't take into account the fact that comparatively few Parkers were made with Bernard barrels - hence the lack of necessity of a roll die for these barrels until it became apparent that they would continue to produce Bernard barreled guns for about another twenty years after 86088 was produced. And why would they make a roll die for the equally uncommon Whitworth barrels or rarer still, Peerless barrels?

Anyone have other ideas or thoughts?

My CH two barrel set is #86,988 with a roll stamp on both sets, in addition to the engraved names. The assumption would be that the roll stamp was made some time between Dean's #84,088 and my 86,988. Does anyone have a Bernard barrel gun between those two numbers? How about in TPS?

Or, does anyone have a Bernard barreled Parker earlier than 84,088 with a roll stamped rib?

Sn 56,557. You tell me. Its some sort of stamping.

Sn 136,503

56,557 is engraved.

And 136,503 is definitely roll stamped.

Are all roll stamped Bernard barrels equipped with quadruple fletched arrows? By the way, the arrows are discussed at length in a Parker Pages issue. Just check in the Parker Pages index to locate the article.

Excuse my ignorance, where can I find the "Parker Pages index"?

Dean...I got my index from Ron when I ordered all the back issues years ago. Index's where published periodically in the"first generation" Parker Pages.

Wouldn't it be nice to have them all on DVD with an index and a search function?

dam bbls
 

A buddy was in GR today and picked up a certain set of bbls from the Bachelder shop that have an uncanning resemblence to the ones that Brad posted up a couple of weeks ago. Sorry guys, you are going to have to find a 5 frame 10 ga lifter to get barrels this nice...LOL

Some before and after photos. I was loosing outdoor light so I didn't get nearly the pics that Brad got...My pictures do not do them justice.

What really surprised me about these bbls is that there is several slightly different variations in pattern between the barrels and even in the same barrel.

Thanks Brad and I will probably have to bring in the action for final fitting of the extractor.

Kurt