Phil, i sent you the rest of the pics of the 8, tried to get the best shots with the time i had. Thanks to all members for your time and info on this big guy. I didnt have time to take one of the bore but it has some mod. Pitting toward breech end thats it. I also measured the chambers they're 3.25 in. long. And LOP is 14.25 from toe to trigger. Well gotta hit the machine shop bye all.

More Pictures.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...609_153146.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...609_152914.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...609_153556.jpg
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http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...609_153412.jpg

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...302_205055.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...609_154023.jpg

Oops now i realized i shouldnt of used a flash. Im just not used to these fandageled gadgets eh! When i have more time to kill i'll take some outside in natural light with closer views of waterline and so forth. :)

Well it just keeps getting better. Aaron sent me two more pictures to post. Included was a picture of the other family gun a Winchester Model 1873 in the 44-40 caliber also made in 1884. Aaron also shared a little bit on his Grandfather. I asked if it was OK to share and he said it was. Here it is.
It belonged to my great grandpa Seanger a German immigrant who started a flour milling business around 1880 in Hanover, MN. All we have is a box full of Bridgeport loading tools and about 10 8 ga high brass paper leader shells but there missing the primers. He died in 1945 and its been locked in a parlor closet ever since. I picked it up when my grandpa Hackenmueller died in 1994.


http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...609_152948.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...601_132048.jpg

boy oh boy..two very desireable guns youre grandpa sure knew his guns... charlie

arron with all that reloading equipment you can be able to load up some new loads for your 8 ga.. i have some hulls in my collection like yours but do not have any reloading equipment like yours.the old reloading equipment in 8 ga is very scarse stuff... charlie

Two wonderful guns to have as family heirlooms. The Parker is really something but the Winchester is icing on the cake. One day Charlie you will find a parker 8 with 4'' chambers.

I only cleaned up those tools with a little oil, hopefully someday I'll have the time to reload and shoot that puppy. Does anyone know how many 8 gauges that have been found and documented?

Of the approximate 400 eights made by Parker (mostly composite barreled), I have seen about 60. Yours is the first one I have seen with the reloading tools. As Charlie said, those are extremely scarce--scarcer than the guns, in my opinion.