Barrels Cut?
 

Very new to Parkers, so I really don’t know what is right and what is not.

Just inherited a 1890, grade 2 on a number 1 frame, 12 Gage. I had assumed that the barrels were cut outside the factory at some point, but, with what I have read on this site…. I’m not so sure, so need a bit of expert help.

The barrels measure 26 5/8 inches, I know with Winchesters, especially the early ones, would deviate + 5/16 from stated length.

The wedge between the barrels seem intact and tight, and the matting extends to the front sight bead, but not forward of it.

Please help educate a new guy

Thanks
Mike

A pic of the matting and the end of the barrels would help a lot before rendering an opinion.

as would the serial number

The matting should go beyond the sight bead. But not run off the end of the rib.

At that length, they are likely cut.

SN 60452

leading edge of bead to muzzle is .1730

Matting ends at leading edge of bead.

60452 is D2, hammerless, 0 extras, pistol grip, 12 ga., 26"

Some pictures would certainly help as well as a research letter. I have a lifter with 29 1/2" barrels that is listed as 29" in the serialization book, but shows up as 29 1/2" in the research letter.

I’ve never seen barrels that measure 5/8” or even 1/2” longer than their recorded length.

I learn something new every day here.





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Jay if I would have bought your gun ,I would have guessed it were cut down from a 30" or 32" barrels , I bet you were pleasantly surprised when your Letter showed up ,I know I would have been ! Does your Lifter have Matting with the blank space or is it too early to have had Barrel Matting ?

It is not uncommon for vary early guns like that to have odd barrel lengths.

Gentlemen,

Thank you very much, you made week.

I had picked the Parker up as part of a larger bundle, I has assumed, due to the odd barrel length that the barrels had been cut. Had it on my table at Tulsa for a couple of shows, each time a prospective buyer measure the barrels, they were declared cut.

Nose went up and they walked away.

After the last week’s Tulsa show I made the decision that I was going to keep the Parker, I’m glad I did

I figured I was safe if they were longer not shorter as listed in the serialization book. Mine was an earlier gun from 1877. Here are some pics, and it is more like 29 5/8". Hopefully, Mike you'll find out the same with your gun.

I had always assumed that Parker had some left over odd length barrels that they wanted/needed to use. Or barrels were damaged in the production process and ended up being shorter than expected.

Very nice !

Mike, I am curious. The book had a "P" in the stock column. Is yours a round knob stock?

Your serial number DOES book as a 26" gun.

A Research letter accompanying the gun would make a sale a LOT easier.

Photos of the muzzle end would still be appreciated .

Well this one is no longer for sale, it’s going into my collection. My first Parker…whooo, hooo.

Well, unless you count the Chas Parker vise sitting on my workbench

Pistol grip with round knob.

I like it, 26 inch barrels make for a nice handling shotgun… my others are 28 or 30.

Typical silver/brown gun with no major issue that I can see. I’ll put together a wall thickness gage tonight.

Another question on chambers, it has a lip between chambers and bore, not the typical taper found on later shotguns…. I’m assuming it was chambered for brass shells?

I shoot RST 2 ½ in my other 12 gage doubles, I’m assuming 2 inch shells for this, room for the plastic case to unfold?

Photo’s coming…soon

Mike,
You should be fine with 2 1/2 inch RST's. All the brass shells I have are longer than that, and the shell length is measured after firing.

Someone obviously lengthened the barrels.
; )

It's strange that a potential Parker buyer would travel all the way to Tulsa and not have a Serialization Book in his kit bag. That would be like showing up without a bore micrometer.