Missing sight
 

I recently purchased an Antique Parker 12 ga. It’s an F grade. The bead sight is missing. My local gunsmith cannot find a replacement. Any advice?

I’m new to this forum. Thanks for the help

Jordan

Welcome Jordan - I’m sure someone will come on with good advice.





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Jordan if you know the size and thread count, or if it is a press fit I’m sure someone here can help you out. I picked up a large number of Ivory beads awhile back. I’m sure others can also direct you to a replacement bead.

OK, what is an F grade Parker? Couldnt find it listed in the Parker grades

yes, pictures please

A Quality F should be a Grade 2 10-gauge with a straight grip.

Sights have been threaded on all the Parker barrels I have dealt with. I thought I had the thread size written down in my notes, but can't find it. Parker sights have a mushroom shape, I lack for a better term. I too would like to find a source for a few.

I’ve seen them callet a sight or sighting nail.





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Thanks for the clarification Dave, had never heard of an f grade

There are a lot of obscure Parker letter grades on page 215 (Fig. 8.1 – Overview of gun grades in numerical order) in THE PARKER STORY, by L. Parker; C. Price; W. Mullins; R. Gunther; D. Cote; (edited by F. Childrey).

I have seen P grades called F grades many times by thise not in the know due to light stamping on the P.

I purchased the gun from Rock Island. Serial No. 69903. Manufacture date May 7 - October 8, 1888. My gunsmith told me it was a tapered sight. Does that help? I’ll learn how to add pictures. Thanks everyone.

Is the grade stamped on the gun?

If it is a tapered sight, then it likely was not original.
The standard parker sight was a threaded nickel silver bead. With a numner 2 threaded post. Other sights such as irory could have been special ordered.

Your gunsmith may just have to fire up his lathe and turn something for it.

In the hammer gun days for the Grade 0, 1 and 2 the list price of the 10-gauges was $5 more and a pistol grip was $5 more and hence the listed four Qualities for each Grade. The only catalog I have that breaks this out is the Ed Muderlak reproduced "Blue Ink" 1900 --

Attachment 86369

Attachment 86370

The Quality E, F, G and H were the Grade 2 guns. The Quality R, S, T and U were the Grade 0 guns. According to The Parker Story, in the 1880s and 1890s there were Quality I, K L, M, N, O, P and Q which were all Grade 1 guns.

Hope picture helps

I saw your photo on the other thread.
That hole is not from an original sight. So just put whatever you want in there. But the hole is pretty big. Even a factory installed ivory sight would not have a hole that big. A bushing may have to be used to get something in there.

It is hard to tell, but the barrels look like they could have been cut.

I believe the correct thread size on original Parkers german silver sights is 2-64.

Thank you very much. Where would you look to find a suitable replacement?

Jordan

If a sight has to be made & considering your location I would take it to Kirk Merrington in Kerrville Tx

William

I’ve emailed Kirk regarding the missing bead sight. Thanks for your help. I’ll keep you posted.

Jordan

I don’t know if I’ve posted this picture.