Parker identification help
 

I have had this one for awhile. The gun is marked T. J. Parker. I know Parker was making guns in this time period. Does anyone recognize this one? Is it from the famous Parker or might it be some other Parker? Any help would be appreciated

Sorry, not a Parker Bros. gun.

Not a Parker Bros. gun, but still a very cool rifle! I think I would have to shoot it.

What it is, is a Vincent style rifle. Looks to be in decent condition. Suggest you try to find a local shop that specializes in traditional muzzleloading. There are some online resources wheee you can lean more about black powder. Have fun.

Col. Gardner's book, American Gunmakers, doesn't list a T.J. Parker, but does list a Thomas Parker in Oberlin, Lorain County, Ohio, in the 1850s.

1850's sounds about right for that rifle.





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Handsome gun.

Interesting place to mark it on the muzzle. I am not at all up to snuff on muzzleloading guns. Did other makers mark the muzzles like this?

I'm not a muzzle loading rifle expert but I been around them for a long time and I've never seen the maker's mark on the muzzle like that.

My sentiments as well .

Maybe it was the owner of the gun that just put his own name on the muzzle. ?

My little knowledge is that a lot of the early muzzleloaders were not even marked with the maker of the whole gun at all. If they were, they maybe on one of the barrel flats or on the lock. But a name on the lock could just be the maker of the lock. Not the maker of the rifle as a whole.

Saw a picture of a Purdey breech loader which had "Kill it stupid!" engraved on the rims of the breech

Pretty sick. Who would do that?





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That would make sense. Vincent style rifles were very common in Ohio at that time. I have one in .32 cal that will shoot dime size groups at 25-yards.

JDG