Bruce, David Yale told me he had never seen a gun so gummed up that still worked. He was very surprised it did. Seems to me the only thing squirting cleaner into a gun would do is soak the stock with crud 'n oil. Just MHO.

I blew up a 1889 Remington with twist barrels. By mistake I was useing 92grs of PB instead of Pyrodex. Got to station 2 on the skeet field and on the second pair the left barrel let go with the shell sticking out of the chamber. So it took 4 shots to destory it. I was lucky, it only took 24 stiches to put the flap of skin hanging down back in place. Sent the shells to be tested and was told they were at 25,000psi. Now I have ONE press ONLY for black powder. A week latter I bought my first Parker - a hammer gun with laminate barrels and a week after that another Remington just like the deceased one. And yes I thought about the blown one the first time I shot the "new" Remington. But knowing it was me and not the gun I continue to shoot damascus barrel SxS's. Out of the 10 guns only two have regular steel barrels, the other eight have damascus. Paul

92gr of PB? You are a lucky fellow Paul. I blew the cylinder of a very nice Colt SAA .45 clean in half once from accidentally double charging some cases. Impressive. The middle round cooked the adjacent two off and the top of the cylinder just disappeared into the woods somewhere. The top strap was humped up pretty good but not broken. The frame was repairable in my book but Colt refused to touch it so I traded it off in return for gunsmithing services on a replacement SAA but kept the cylinder and to this day I put it on the bench next to me as a reminder EVERY time I reload pistol.... and I did that in about 1981.

Sounds like the glove that's ripped in half sitting on top of my mill as a reminder NOT to wear gloves around a mill. I was skaking so bad I just sat there looking at the mill and glove for about a half hour. Paul

I think I'd have that blown Parker mounted on the wall right above the reloading press...

If I had that big a flap of skin to be stitched, I don't think I would have it put on my hand. Paul, we have heard the PB story before and feel for you. Referring to the mill story, have you seen the video of the guy with the concrete drill?

While we're on the subject of Damascus . . .
 

My wife and I both have DHE's; her's is a 1905 with #2 frame and 32" barrels that were cut down by Pachmayer (1930's) to 27" - so no chokes! My gun is a 1910, #2 frame and 32" barrels (full & full) that are not cut down; both have english stocks (factory originals), and both have PGCA letters. We have a GHE #2 frame damascus barrel set (Mod & Full), which I would like to let my dear Cyndee use on her DHE for hunting. Would someone(s) with knowledge let us know the wisdom of my desire (don't know the s/n on the barrel set, but I could dig it out, if need be). Thanks for your reply(s), Robert Nikkel, PGCA member #3186.

Do They fit ? Bet not. If they do your a day late you should of played the lottery last night .

Robert, The first thing I would do is to have the barrel wall thickness checked by a proven Parker familiar gunsmith. Are the barrels the same frame size as the gun you want to fit them to? Where are you located? We can help you locate a good gunsmith. Not every barrel set can be fitted even if it is the same frame size....just rambling here....:rolleyes:

Autumn, GHE damascus barrels are #2 frame size. Haven't measured them for wall thickness, nor have I tried to put them on the DHE #2 receiver. I'm in the Denver area, and member of the Rocky Mountain Vintagers. Thanks for your reply, Robert

Robert, a word of caution. Before attempting to fit a set of barrels from one gun to another, remove the cocking hook from the barrel lug. These are the words of experience.

Can I hear the rest of the story Dean.

Calvin, I've done it twice. ou would think I would have learned the first time but not me!!
Couldn't get the barrels off without removing the buttstock and the floorplate and very tediously reaching in with a dentist's pick to unhook the cocking hook from the cocking crank.

I will NEVER do it again without first removing the cocking hook from the barrel lug.

An ounce of prevention is worth a TON of cure.

"Damn good advice":)

" I will NEVER do it again without first removing the cocking hook from the barrel lug.

An ounce of prevention is worth a TON of cure. "

Yeap Dean, been there, done that, too. Eric

I had a set of #1 frame 16 gauge damascus barrels that fit right on a PH #1 framed 12 gauge with beat up Twist barrels. Having screwed this operation up on another Parker, I did remove the cocking hook and the barrels dropped right in. I was amazed. I swapped the cocking hooks with the Twist barrels and put the forend on and the gun cocked and I was able to remove the barrels. I was double barrel amazed. I had a set of #2 frame Damascus barrels that looked like they might work (after removing the cocking hook) on the frame of the sacrificed barrels for "Finding Out for Myself". I sent them to Brad Bachelder and what a job he did of fitting. Brad redid the Damascus as well. Can't wait to get it back from the stocker.

Harry

Done that too; but, managed to remove the hook with the breech open and the barrels on the gun.

Colts, doublers and Bridgeport mills, LeBlond lathes
 

:)Wow- Harry are lucky. I am an occasional BP shooter- have used some 2.5" red paper English BP factory loads in my 12 PH with 30" Twist barrels- love the acrid smell afterwards. I have a 1861 Colt Navy .36- cal. wheelgun- and I always use Crisco to cover the balls after ramming them home in the cylinder-- A friend has a similar Colt, but a Army series in .44 cal- he forgot that once and had a "chain fire occur"- like me, he always wears safety glasses, a heavy glove and ear muffs when shooting our handguns. Just picked up a nice Colt 1911-A-1 .45ACP Officer's Model- 3.5" barrel, shorter 6 rd. std. magazine, so 7 with one
uppa da pipe"-- tuned by CA pistolsmith Bob Chow years ago-- it will now be my carry weapon instead of Dad's old .38 cal Det. Special "snubbie"- flatter, less bulk from the cyliner, and a tad more stopping power for the druggies that might want to mug me--

Mills and neckties, gloves, radial arm drill presses, lathes, etc- The first day I apprenticed at my grandfather's machine shop, back in the day when Starrett, Brown and Sharpe, Lufkin, Stanley, Parker & Snow, Nicholson, etc. were "King"- he showed me a heavy rafter beam-- the shop was built in 1995 near Canal St. in The Queen City--and a lathe chuck key was embedded into the splintered wood- some "rookie" left the chuck key in the jaw and hit the "go button" on a LeBlond compound lathe-The rookie was lucky, had it been in forward instead of reverse, that key would have drilled right through his head and most likely- ruined his day--Never ever get too comfortable or relaxed around machine tools or firearms--:nono::nono::nono::nono::nono:

Blind Dog, you are a lucky guy. Some screws can be removed from the hook while the barrels are on the gun. Some screws just don't quite give us enough room to remove them. I have tried dozens of barrels on Parkers without removing the hook, finally got caught with a stuck set about three years ago. I had to remove the floor plate and the sear pin and springs to get access. In the process, I took a chip off the corner of the stock below the sear pin while the stock was not supported by my too few hands. After fifty years of playing the odds, I finally got stung.