Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew Hause (Post 150701)

Thank you Dave.

Sample of Parker barrels analyzed by Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) and published in the Summer 2014 Parker Pages by Dave Suponski

Titanic Steel (likely pre-WWI)
Carbon .32%
Manganese .70%
Phosphorus .033%
Sulphur .077%
Nickel .078%
Chromium .031%
Molybdenum .003%

Trojan Steel (likely pre-WWI)
Carbon .35%
Manganese .84%
Phosphorus .03%
Sulphur .025%
Nickel .04%
Chromium .02%
Molybdenum .004%

Vulcan Steel
Carbon .27%
Manganese .68%
Phosphorus .062%
Sulphur .052%
Nickel .01%
Chromium .008%
Molybdenum .002%

Parker Steel (1926)
Carbon .09%
Manganese .83%
Phosphorus .094%
Sulphur .074%
Nickel .007%
Chromium .014%
Molybdenum .003%

So while there are the same components to all the Parker fluid steel barrels, they differ in amounts, they likely differ in heat treat values, and I have seen differences in grain structure which results in finishing differences. These steels were sourced from different suppliers.

We have posters who contend that all Parker fluid steels were the same and differ in name only, as a marketing ploy. I'm missing the reasoning.