Reading TPS suggests that Chuck is correct and they did not count pellets, but rather bored to a choke percentage and verified at the patterning plate.

I'm sure sorry that we don't have all of the records, but I'm also very grateful for the work done by those who copied and produced what we have. It must have been a tremendous task.

Dave, the brochure that I cited was from 1921 according to TPS (it's number 64 in figure 17.10 on page 760). Any ideas how this reference reconciles with the 1931 Western introduction of the heavier load you mention? Could another maker have loaded the 3/4 oz. loads? Or maybe Parker reprinted the brochure with updates later?

They couldn’t?





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I suspect Parker Bros. knew what gun cranks were loading on their own. As what I mentioned about Chas. Askins. I've seen Parker Bros. paper mentioning 1 ounce 20-gauge loads well before any of our major ammunition companies were loading 1 ounce 20-gauge loads.

I have access to the catalogs of Western Cartridge Co., Peters Cartridge Co., Union Metallic Cartridge Co./Remington, Winchester and U.S. Cartridge Co. and I don't see it. Our major ammunition companies pretty much marched in lock step as to the loads they offered. They were essentially a trust.

Interesting! It would be nice to have access to the "backroom" goings on at both Parker Brothers and the cartridge manufacturers.

The order for my old #2 frame 20 specified 3 dram, 1 ounce loads. So Parker Brothers apparently approved of the use of such loads, even though they were not commercially available. The Small Bore booklet also mentions the testing of load heavier than were commercially available. Some of the Stock Book entries mentioned by Chuck may be shown in The Parker Story. I agree that the pattern (pellet) counts posted in the Stock Books were not actually counted, but eyeballed.

Of the hang-tags I've saved pictures of up into the 211xxx range they give pellet counts on the tag. The next one I have is in the 232xxx range and is stamped MOD and FULL. Similarly, early A.H. Fox Gun Co. hang-tags gave pellet counts and later ones were just marked with the choke designation.