Sideplates for the Experts
 

From the river front collection comes an early gun with sidelocks removed to show detail. Parker collectors will notice the JS initials. As with most Parker matters, reference to The Parker Story provides the answers. JS was John Stokes, Parker lockfitter from about 1875 to 1893.



Bruce Day, Parker know-nothing and apprentice third class.

Functionally it wasn't necessary to file and fit the various parts of the lock in such artistic and visually appealing design... but they did it antway :clap:

I hear ya. When I got into my S/N 4216. I could not beleive the appearance of the locks for how old it was. Everything was surprisingly clean and looked like new manufacture. Nothing like many of the other manufacturers.

Attachment 11593

Interesting that they are both lifter action locks from a relatively close period in time, but different bridge plate designs, with an extra screw in the one Bruce shows.

Edgar, The 4 pin lock Bruce shows is for a higher grade gun. The three pin lock that Brian shows is for lower grade guns up to a grade 3 gun. Both these guns are early so they are referred to as "Dollar Grade" guns.

There were differences in the locks early on but I haven't seen enough of the later hammer guns to know if those differences continued. I assume, but don't know, that the four pin configuration was smoother operating than the three pin.

It would be interesting to know if hammer lockplate design differed between grades by the time the design was fully perfected in about 1883-85. I assume it did not, but I'm no expert.

Bruce Day
Parker Lifetime Member since 2 o'clock

This is the hallmark of true craftsmen. Perfectly executed products in every dimension regardless of whether or not it is visible to the eye. Harder and harder to find in our modern designed obsolescence world.

The 3 pin and 4 pin lock grade difference continued until the end of hammergun production.

I can accept that early on, a higher 'Dollar Grade' gun would have had a 'higher grade' lock. This practice is still in use by European makers. However, I would be inclined to think that at some stage, Parker thinking would have standardized on a single lock plate for all guns. This might not have been true prior to the top lever, but I'm not sure there was sufficient argument that the 4th bridgeplate screw made for a smoother lock.

Side Lock Plates
 

The 3 pin lock used on grade G and below has some axis wiggle. The 4 pin used on D and above does not.

Many guns with s/n less than 4000 - 5000? carry 1878 patents on the inside of the lock, although the gun was made at an earlier date. Some of these also have fore end latches.
These guns may have been display/salesman's samples that were updated before being sold to a customer.

Best, Austin