Incorrect hammers?
 

Hi everybody,

I recently acquired my first Parker, an 1883 grade 1 top-action 12ga hammer gun, and I'm starting to think that the hammers on it might be incorrect. In any case, they don't seem to look like the hammers on the other pictures I've seen.

The hammers do seem otherwise functional.

Can you experts give me an opinion about whether or not these hammers are correct for this gun? Thanks!

Picture:

http://i.imgur.com/UM1IkBN.jpg

They look right to me.

With the correct screwdriver with a nice sharp blade. remove a hammer screw and pull the hammer.... the serial number of the gun should be stamped into the back side of the hammers.



.

Ah, that makes sense. I pulled them off, and sure enough, the serial numbers matched the gun.

Rather nice of Parker to have put the serial number on seemingly every part :)

Thanks!

http://i.imgur.com/a1kds99.jpg

Make sure you get them back on the correct sides.... :rotf:

Dean, did you learn that from experience. . . . :)

Yes, long ago.

"Opposite Hand" hammers?
 

In the tool and die trade, we sometimes use the term "opposite hand"_ aren't the right barrel and left barrel side hammers also so oriented? If so, how could you re-install them on the squared off axle stub and get them on "bass-ackwards" I wonder???:shock:

Me too..... :corn:

Dean what is the number 2 mean above the serial No.

I don't know... can't even hazard a guess. The gun is in the ID & Ser# book as a Grade 0. If the gun had been a Grade 2 then I would have said most likely the 2 is a reference to the grade.... I have no idea.

All of mine only have the serial no. That's interesting.

Most of the hammers I've seen only have the serial numbers too.

Here is another set with a 2 stamp. This was a set that Patrick Lein sold a while back.

Interesting... 19595 and 21597 are 1880 and 1881 guns. I wonder if the additional stamp, in the case of these two serial numbers a "2", was something Parker Bros did particular to a small range of years or serial numbers.

Does anyone else have hammers with additional stamps besides the serial number?

That's a possibility Dean, but here here's another set from 1881 without the "2".

So much for that theory.......

The 2 on the hammer appears to be stamped with the same punch used in the serial no. I thought it may have put on when they were cast for some reason. But apparently not.

Maybe Parker Bros. Had some intellectually challenged assemblers and needed them to know that there should be two (2) hammers.

I could not help myself.......

One part curiosity, one part boredom,and one part post Addieville blues, I decided to have a look at the back of my hammers.
One 12, and three sixteens, and no stamped number 2. However, I found something that sort of surprised me; no SN on one of the two one my grade 2 16ga. All appearances are they are original, and match each other. Huh!

Egger, Have a piece of that wonderful carrot cake. That should cheer you up....I just did...:whistle:

I trust you're washing it down with one of those Heinekens you were hiding over there.

Maybe the original installer at Parker Bros. was asleep at the switch when he assembled your gun Edgar. Everyone makes mistakes every now and then and it would not have been any different at Parker Bros. Good to see you at Addieville.

Wow, I never thought of that. :bowdown:You might be onto something.Do you suppose there was a lack of sleep, or morale problem at Parker? I have a hammerless 16 with no serial number in the tang groove of the butt stock. I wonder if that was someone else asleep at some switch too, and if they were related to the lock maker who was sleeping at that switch when he assembled my gun. I wonder what that switch controlled.

Carrot cake en beer humm? thinks I'll stick to milk.

Edgar's carrot cake is best straight up.

With a glass of Grade A whole milk to chase it down... nothin' better.

We'd be hearing from Dave about now, except he can't type with his mouth full.

Yuuummmmm Almost gone...Do ya think Julie can make us some more?.....:corn:

Dave, know what I took home? chocolate chip cookies !! A big bag of them :eek: boy they were good!! :bowdown: thanks Kathy :)

There she goes... giving away my cookies again... sheesh :rolleyes:

I thought I spied, with my little eye, some oatmeal-raisin cookies, and when I turned around the whole damn plate was gone.