A Composite Barrel Dilemma
 

I don't know who was more confused - Me as I examined these barrels.... or the barrel-makers at Parker Bros. on that Friday afternoon in 1899 when they needed to get just one more set of barrels done to meet their weekly quota :shock:

This very nice set of twenty-eight inch barrels is on a 1-Frame PH (Grade 1) twelve-gauge.
The gun could use some cleaning up but the only thing that needs refinishing is the barrels to bring out their true beauty... You see, the rib is stamped Damascus Steel which is normally found on Parker hammerless guns of grade 2 or higher - that's dilemma no. 1

But in keeping with the barrel steel for the Grade 1 of that era the barrel flat is stamped with the appropriate T for Twist Steel - that's dilemma no. 2

The kicker here, and in my mind the most significant dilemma ( no. 3) is the fact that this set of barrels are, without question, made of Laminated Steel :cool:

Does anyone else know of such a set of barrels with three obviously conflicting identifiers?

There is absolutely no indication that these barrels have ever been altered in any way.

Them darn Parker parts guns !!!

What does the order book say?

I won't know until Chuck has recovered.

Would that have maybe been the Friday of the company picnic?

second shift after the picnic :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Chuck is taking single letter requests, says he has found that he can type with his arm in a sling. What a guy.

But he still can't heft those 15 lb. books so it looks like Margaret will be doing the heavy lifting in the Bishop Household for a while yet.

Pictures? please.

As requested - the pictures.

Top Rib Inscription is Damascus Steel.

T Stamp on barrel flat for grade appropriate Twist Steel.

The pattern of the composite barrels is definitely that of Laminated Steel.



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Could it be a lunch box gun? One piece at a time lol.

Nope. It's a bit confusing but Chuck will put it all into a research letter to clarify the events.

For now it should suffice to say that the barrels were supplied by the person who ordered the gun and the letter tells us that the barrels specified were Damascus. It would have been easy enough to hand deliver the barrels to Meriden as the buyer lived about sixty miles north in Northampton, MA. And the buyer specified a LOP of 13 inches and the gun should weigh under 6 1/2 lbs.

Dean, what an interesting find. You may be researching this one for a while. The more info you find, or confirm, the more rewarding the project. Good luck with that one:corn:

Dean
It looks from the pics as if the top and bottom ribs are fluid steel. Is that correct ?

Brad

Brad, the top rib looks to be fluid steel but the jury's out on the bottom rib. There appears to be some sort of pattern beneath the 'patina' but I can't say for certain.