Just Got It
 

5392 Lifter, uncut 28” damascus, at least $100 grade. Super tight, some case on action externally, bright case under forearm. Deep pellet ding, and smaller pellet ding in left barrel. Checkering pretty flat, tight as a drum, and locks function perfectly. Dog head on bottom, dog flushing bird on trigger bow, snipe on one side, prarie chicken on other. Barrels pretty brown, with damascus pattern visible but not bright. Bores are really decent. 1875 gun with 1875 patent. Letter ordered.

Candidate for total refresh? Or should i get dents raised, redinish barrels and leave the rest alone?

Fourth Parker, but first Parker hammer! Very happy with gun, but want to make good decisions!

Additional photos
 

More pics...the hammers are very plain, but the patina is similar to the rest of the external metal

More pics
 

A few more

That's a really nice one!

Another case where the Serialization Book is wrong... It is listed there as a PS which is a "lower grade with Plain Steel barrels."

This gun is obviously the Dollar Quality equivalent or predecessor to the Grade 3 or D-Grade gun. Everything about it is Grade 3. I would bet the hammers are replacements. They should be somewhat elaborately engraved judging by hammers we have seen on other Parker D's of that vintage.

I would enjoy it and shoot it for at least a year or two while deciding what to do with it. You may decide on the minimalist approach and decide to just correct the things that are necessary... like that barrel dent.

It's a nice gun as it is.





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Thanks Dean, been a while since around here. In the meantime, got to go turkey hunting with and meet David Boyles...,great guy! what is your favorite way to "clean" an old double?

Effective, but not so draconian as to affect what finish is remaining? The gun is super straight, and much better than the sellers pics. There is a little surface rust on the action, thing ballistol and 0000 steel wool on action and barrels? As it is an 1875 gun, would a D grade equate to a $200 grade? Hopefully the letter will let us know. The barrels ring nicely. Is it a detractor to apply ink to the action and wipe down to make engraving stand out?

Glad to be back! Waiting to find something as cool as the GH 12 bore "3" frame I found a few months ago.

Personally I wouldn't use an abrasive on a nice gun and 0000 steel wool is an abrasive.

I use and recommend Big .45 Frontier Pads with a solvent. And I would first remove the stock from the action. Go slowly and be careful. Use the Frontier Pads on all metal parts - you'll be amazed.





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Sounds like good advice to me. Im a Vizsla man these days, but spent most of my life hunting in the exhaust of a long string of orange and white setters, Polo, Belle, Freckles, Rambo, Daisy, Peaches, T-Bone, Angus and Bugs all shaped my life from junior high to my forties. Drought, fire ants, and change of hunting grounds, encouraged me to go to a utility breed, the lovely brick red Vizsla. As addictive as all my setters were, these insane red dogs will insert themselves so deeply into the fabric of your family!!

Will post "post cleanup" pics of the lifter when done!

Here's my 5949 Grade 3 and this is the style of hammers your gun should have had.


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I think so too, the puzzler is that the hammer screw match, and are engraved, although difficult to see in the sellers pics, and the screws definitely match. As easy as hammers are to lose, makes me wonder if the buyer ordered a set of plain hammers for "while afield", so as not to lose a pretty on. Who knows, maybe the letter will shed light.

I am guessing sourcing graded hammers is going to be a daunting task!

You're absolutely right Mark, I've been looking for some for well over a year.
David Fjelline makes hammers at a very reasonable price and can have them engraved to your specifications.

You could be right about the possibility of extra 'field' hammers.






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There should be serial numbers stamped on the reverse side of the hammers. That will satisfy your curiosity as to whether they are original to the gun.

Okay my Parker mentors, i removed the hammers this evening, and they each are stamped with the numeral 2,which is the last digit of the serial number, also the frame size, or I suppose could indicate a 2nd set of hammers. The style and size of the stamp is identical to the stamps on the forend iron, watertable and barrels. Thoughts?

I haven't seen hammers stamped with only one digit before. I have seen hammers with an X. I have no idea what the 2 might signify and I believe any suggestions would be nothing more than pure speculation as there is no documented answer to the question.

It is my firm belief that the gun would not have been originally fitted with the plain hammers it now wears but possibly, as has been suggested, may have been supplied as a spare or 'field' set. (Though I don't believe we have ever seen such a request in the stock books or order books. Of course, if a research letter doesn't support this hypothesis it too is no more than speculation.

If the gun were to be placed on consignment with a reputable auction house, such as James D. Julia's they could only describe them as "replacement hammers."






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I agree entirely. I will say that the fit of the hammers on the current posts is PERFECT. It took quite a bit of cajoling and tapping to get them off the posts. I guess i will begin the search fir a set that more closely matches the grade. I have never removed the stock from a parker hammer, is it just the one action bolt, the one top tang screw and the two trigger tang screws? Have ordered my frontier 45 pads, and have loads of ballistol and kroil on hand. Let the elbow grease begin!

I don't usually do this but this will show how difficult it is to interpret these early stock book entries. Here is Mark's gun entry in the stock book. I believe it was Gunther who edited these entries in red ink. He must have though the "D" was a "P" and elongated the stem of the "P" with red ink. Just to the right of the "D", he wrote in red ink what looks like a "5". If you zoom in, you can see what looks like a "2" and just below it what looks like a "5" in black ink. If it's a "2" it's equivalent to a "G" grade hammer gun, if it's a "5", it's equivalent to a "B" grade hammer gun. To my eyes, and others, it sure looks like a "D" grade hammer gun so where is the "3"? We all know that the engraving in this time frame varies a lot. Would a grade "2" have this much engraving and would a grade "5" have so little?

I was hoping that the barrel flat would have the number grade stamped in but I guess the gun is just to early for that. The only other way that would indicate it's a grade "4" or above would be to count the crolles in each band but with the condition of the barrels he may not be able to tell.

Let me know what you think.

Judging by the shape of the bolsters (sp?) I am sure it's above a grade 2. It's missing the small tip found on the bolsters found only grade 4 guns.

It looks like a solid grade 3 to me.

Chuck, looking at it enlarged and from a distance, it reads, to me at least, "D= 3.

To me it looks like it was originally written as a cursive D followed by a dash, then a 3- which would most likely have indicated a Damascus barreled Grade 3





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Thanks everyone for the input....interested to see the rest of the history of the gun. Will get a jewelers loupe out tonight and count crolles...

I have seen 3-iron crolle on Grades 2-4 and 4-iron crolle on Parkers ranging from Grades 3-5. The crolle number of Damascus barrels is not an indicator of the grade of the gun. It may at one time during the manufacture of Parker Bros. guns have been intended to be an indicator of grade but it certainly wasn't adhered to in the factory.





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I believe the bolsters shapes were consistent over the years and these are shaped as a grade 3.:corn:

In the pictures of my own D-grade shown on page 1 of this thread, notice the level of engraving of the two guns are very similar, 5949 has no vignette engraved on the rear of the lock plates as does the OP gun but again, the level of engraving would be very similar in terms of hours spent engraving the two guns.

Another point I will make is that Grade-3 guns saw the beginning (was the lowest grade of) the four-pin lock plates... so it is definitely not a Grade-2.





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In terms of "exceptions to every rule" please see the bolster sculpting on the 20 gauge lifter featured in "Little Blossoms" from the Fall 2017 Issue of Parker Pages.

I have also seen one other lower grade Parker with this same bolster sculpting.





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I would love to see a few more pictures of that gun. Especially of the pistol grip.
I love the checkering layout.

Will try to get some out tomorrow. Starting to think having this old girl refreshed, if the dents will lift, I think that will be the path. Now, how to decide who to get for the work? Want to get the letter first, to see if any light is shed in the plain hammers!

The only realistic explanation for the hammers is that they are not original. They are not the correct style, not engraved and they dont have the gun’s serial number on them.

Now, your hammers can be reworked to be made to look correct. A little filing, and little engraving, done.

I agree with Brian, but you will find many examples which are also incorrect. If you look at the first and second picture, on the main page under Parker Grades, Grade 3 Lifter, the will see that the right and left hammers do not match, and both are incorrect for the grade.
The grade three lifter hammer should have a small bead at the top of the shank where it joins the hammer section, and a cock spur on the rear of the hub, facing inward.

Your wish is my command....


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Skeleton butt plate.


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I love that pistol grip treatment on guns of that era!

she would make a mighty nice rabbit gun...just jokeing a lovely gun....charlie

I was thinking the same as Brian. Why not just get someone to engrave the hammers ?

I have decided to restore the gun. Soooo....now i need to figure that part out....is the best idea to entrust it to one gunsmith to do his part, and coordinate the project with other specialists,thru completion?

Brad Bachelder can do all the work necessary for a total restoration. I've used him for a couple of guns and have always been happy. It's also nice he's only a two hour drive away. His phone number is 1-616-459-3636. Here's his web site http://www.mastergunmakers.com/

I have guns built by one person, and I have guns built by seven or eight people. I am very happy with all of them. I don't know many stockmakers who are acceptable engravers.

Don't own a hammer shotgun. But I think it wouldn't take long to get use to.
They just look right. :-)

I enjoy shooting and hunting with a hammer gun more than I like using a hammerless.





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Shot about 220 doves this early season, 80% with various hammer guns from 28 to 10 bore, the balance with my little DeHaan .410. Been gravitating that way the last 5 years or so.

Parker hammers
 

Mark thanks for compliment. I am just about to join the ranks of a Parker Hammer owner. Made the deal should be here next week. It's a D grade 1884 with 2 sets of original Damascus barrels 28" and 32". Case and all tools can't wait. Will share with you. Let's plan a trip and go exercise our 2 Parker puppies on doves. Season still in front of us. Maybe trip over few snipe. Have Expedtion will travel!! Already have my case or RST 7 1/2 shells.

You got it David...ill start looking at the calendar!