Dean,

This was a great buy. Many of these older Parker's had very shoot able dimensions. Those from the 1890's that I've owned had about 3" of drop at the heel where those I've owned before and after were in the 2 1/2 to 2 3/4". I shoot any modest velocity shell off the shelf (1150 to 1180 fps) through an 1881 with Twist Steel barrels and again this is my go to 12 gauge. It has taken 20 plus years of trepidation to screw up the nerve to do this. As a confidence builder in Parker barrels I would recommend shooting RST shells. 2 1/2" or 2 3/4" shells will work well and the pressures and velocities are correct for killing clay or fowel.

Kindest,
Harry

Thanks Harry,

I'm currently shooting RST shells and like their products though I am seriously thinking about reloading in order to customize my own loads. It would certainly be nice to be able to use cheap Wal-Mart target loads for fun, but i'm a little too nervous to do this without the assistance of a qualified pro. It's a tad more expensive to run through flats of RST ammo, but until I have a comparable alternative, I'll stick with them. I've often wondered how to calculate PRESSURES based on the info given on shotshell boxes. Do lower velocities translate into lower pressures? I'm guessing no, but would like to know more.

By the way, In case you're looking for gun porn, there's a huge spread on page 7;)

Dean,

The quick answer is no. SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturing Institute) allows working pressures in shotgun shells to be about 11,500 psi. Though a shotgun shell may have a modest velocity and payload it could have a higher pressure. I believe it was John Brindle that wrote some articles in Double Gun Journal early on about smokeless powder for black powder. What he deduced was that pressures at 8,000 psi and below would be safe for Damascus guns in good order. Sherman Bell also wrote a number of articles in DGJ titled Finding Out For Myself and produced pressure curves from certain smokeless loads that were the same as black powder loads. He also blew up two Parkers, one Damascus and the other Vulcan steel, of the same frame size same year of production and about the same grade. THey both blew at the same place and at the same pressure which was about 31,400 psi. My thought is if the barrels have not been messed with they are safe to shoot. I still have all my fingers, but i'm not finished shooting. I do have to give credit to Ross Seyfried for getting me started shooting my Damascus Parkers. He did an article in Guns and Ammo in the 1980's about low pressure loads for Damascus guns. My father was not happy about it. We would shoot sporting clays and about half way around the course he would ask to shoot my Parker (I have the Parker he found under the Christmas Tree as a child). He would break both targets and I would offer him two more shells. He would shake his head no and give the gun back.

Harry

You'd probably understand all too well when I say that practically everyone i've discussed shooting my parkers with has gasped in horror at my mention of shooting guns with damascus barrels. I've always been the stubborn type of ass that has to "find out for myself". This is why I simply did some research to see if it was safe to shoot these old guns on my own and did not depend on rumor or popular myth. If only folks could apply that same approach to politics we'd have fewer politicians and more public servants (but I digress). I'm so glad i'm able to enjoy my guns safely. I'm too much a novice to "experiment", but I have learned enough about my guns and their barrels so as not to be scared. RST gives me quite a bit of confidence and their lighter pressures have the added benefit of lower recoil (a feature that has allowed my tiny wife to finally enjoy shooting with me. Perhaps I'll turn her into a Parker collector too. On second thought, we can hardly afford one collector let alone two!

If you decide to roll your own I'm sure you can get a starting point from members here. I load 12,16 & 20 all 2.5 inch low pressure and I shoot a lot of damascuss guns, in fact every shotgun I bought this year was damascuss:)