That was a good one JB. Very funny.

My first parker had been blued and the wood black as coal. This was the wood hiding underneath. It was a DH that lettered with a Silvers pad, and originally did not have a safety but was sent back to have on installed. S/N 82226 One of the few D grades to have originally installed Vulcan Barrels.


http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/s...arkerDH002.jpg

Mine was/is a VH 12ga. with 30" barrels. I was up at the Kittery trading post with my Dad, he found it on the rack behind the counter and knew I had been lusting after a Parker for some time, so he paid for it and called me over to fill out the paper work.

Found the letter on my gun. It was ordered by Charles S. Burkhardt on March 7, 1896 and shipped April 18, 1896 to Buffalo NY. It states 30" Vulcan Barrels, choked F and F 2 3/4" chambers No Safety, 14 1/4 length of pull and 2 1/2 drop. Weighed 7 lbs. 10 oz. Went back twice once 6 months later to restock, ( Take off safety ????) Reblue the frame ( Never remember it stating reblue the frame until now) Sent back again 6 months later to redress the stock and install new top lever spring, also ordered a spare. Was sent back again by MR F Cook at the colt armory in June of 1900 to clean, rebrown barrels and install Silvers pad.
I believe this was the 2nd of 16 guns made originally with Vulcan barrels.

My first was handed down from my father. A NE 10ga 32" Damascus believed to be his fathers. But my Dad's first cousin who is ninety-five and I see every morning, says the hammerless Parker was my Great-Uncle, Fleet's. He said his Father and my Grandfather's Parkers were hammer guns. "Uncle" Walter's memory and mind is amazing and if he says it was Fleet Mason's then it was.