fishtail lever
 

Would anyone happen to know what grade of hammerless claims to wear the most fishtail levers? I searched other threads for similar question to no avail.

John, the application of the fishtail top lever was never attributed to a particular grade or combination of grades. We know of examples of the fistail top lever from grade 0 guns all the way up to grade 6 and there may even be some grade 7 Parkers with that feature. We know that it was developed in order to allow an exposed hammer gun to be opened with the right hammer in the fully cocked position and it appears that the leftover stock of fishtail levers was applied to hammerless guns with no apparent preference to grade. Some buyers may even have prefered the fishtail top lever but there may be no evidence of such an order from the surviving records. Personally, I kinda prefer a fishtail top lever on a hammerless Parker.

Thanks Dean, for some reason they really grab my attention also.

I think the fishtail lever adds some level of ergonomics to the operation. And you can't beat the style of it. Here is a question... Has anyone ever observed a V grade with a fishtail lever?

One more thought. What is the smallest bore gun known with the fishtail lever?

John, the smaller bore Parkers are the ones we see the vast majority of fishtail levers on. Many of the larger bore guns could be opened with a cocked right hammer and a straight lever simply because of the width of the frame.

I have an NH 10 gauge hammerless with one and a 12 gauge toplever 0 or 1 grade with one. I really like them as well. The silent auction 8 gauge had one and I have seen another 8 gauge for sale with one

I don't recall ever having seen one on a V grade and it seems they appear on earlier hammerless Parkers.

The fishtail top levers used on hammerless guns had ceased by the time the Vulcan grade gun was introduced.

I have one on a D grade #2 frame gun made in 1893.

My hammer V equivalent (border engraved just like a V)8 gauge made in 1892 has one and I really like it..