D2 10 Gauge Lifter:
 

Won the GB LS&B auction yesterday. The price went up considerably, bidding against the “Plaid Cloth” dealer in Olathe. He stopped $25 below my last bid. Bless his soul. The 1880 Lifter isn’t a “show stopper” other than having gorgeous wood figure coupled with a skeleton butt. It’s a 30” Damascus gun built on a #3 frame with the Deeley Forend Fastener. Unstuck barrel weight of 5lbs.-14 oz. Nice barrel thickness at the muzzle. I’m looking foreword to the letter. The pistol grip cap looks like it may have been nickel plated at one time. Photos of a screenshot:

Grip cap:
 

Another:

Another:
 

Side plate and sn.

That looks Interesting Bruce,

looking forward to more pictures when you have it in hand.

That serial # is somewhat close to a few lifters that I currently enjoy shooting.

Stan

That gun is a special order for sure being a grade 2 and having a SSBP. The standard for a gun of that period would be a solid steel plate.

The steel grip cap is also very atypical for any Parker. I have only seen in on a few very high grade examples.

With some luck the research letter will shed some light on the build. Chuck B. has received my request.
The water table is not stamped for grade. It has the work order number and the barrel lug has the serial number and frame size.
I paid a bit too much, but considering my competition was keenly vested until the end, perhaps not.
There were 58 bids placed by fourteen participants.

I see in the Serialization book that it is a Grade 2 but we can’t see the composite barrel pattern in the pics. Is it actually crolle Damascus or is it Laminated of some kind?





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In the book it’s listed as a D2, Grade 2 with Damascus barrels. However, the rib roll die says? Note the “DK” by the 5-14 unstuck barrel weight and the underside barrel pattern.

OK, we see that it is crolle Damascus, thanks Bruce.

I have no idea of the meaning of the K beside the D (for Damascus) stamp. But it could be the stamp of Charles A. King, superintendent of the gun works beginning in 1874 and your gun is an 1880 gun.





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I had been bidding all along on that gun and held the bid with 30 minutes left. Then Plaid Guy came in and bid me up. I topped his bid for the lead 10 seconds before you came in and then he started bidding again. I quit at that time. He has shown a bad habit lately of bidding on less than pristine guns and then bidding up to lofty levels. Funny thing is, none that I have bid on that he won have ever turned up on his sales listings.

I was determined to get it because of the butt stock quality. The flame feather crotch wood on this one rates among the finest, reminiscent of the best graded Winchester stocks of that era.

Bruce here's a Grade 2 12 gauge from 1881 that has pretty good wood on it as well.

The wood was what I attracted me, along with the fact that I have another 10 gauge only a couple of hundred numbers below this one that is a Grade 3 and is almost a duplicate except for the barrel steel and grade.
I wasn't willing to go too hard for it since I do have an 1874 which is also almost a duplicate of it (no grade in 1874 but the dollar grade I have is the equivalent from that year). That gun also has wood that is very close in color and grain to the one you got.
They put some really attractive wood on those early upscale lifters.

Some measurements:
 

The shotgun is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I'm looking foreward to having it in my hands for evaluation and cleaning. Stout gun, over 10lbs. I'm very curious to learn the gun's origin, letter sent for. It must certainly be difficult reading those 140 year old ledger books.
Some details from the original listing:
Bore: 10 Gauge
Barrel 30"
Chamber: 2-5/8"
Weight: 10lbs. 2.5oz.
Chokes:
Left Barrel: .030" Light Full
Right Barrel: .020 Modified
Drop at Comb: 1-3/4"
Drop at Heel: 2-7/8"
LOP: 14"/13-1/8"

The "Parker Story" lists 894 Lifter Action Grade 2 Hammer Guns manufactured with 30" Damascus barrels in 10 Gauge. In comparison, 30” 12 Gauge Grade 2 Damascus guns totaled 1670.

Pardon, but how does one know who is bidding on what on gunbroker?

Log in and click on "Bid History".

It usually shows only first and last letters and a bunch of asterisks, is this a premium membership type thing?

I just went to the auction and went to “Bid History” and the bidder’s nicknames were clearly shown. Sorry, I don’t have an answer for you.

Shotgun in hand:
 

Most of the advertised descriptions were correct. The bores are better than expected, no worries about wall thickness or previous honing. Sometimes you get a gun and the only things you can do are clean the bores, oil the metal and wipe down the wood. I can’t think of any reasons to try and improve this one. Edit: I did clean up the rusty skeleton butt plate, however gently with Hoppes and oil, no buffing. When I get some 2-5/8” brass 10 gauge shells this heavy gun will get a workout. At over ten pounds, recoil will be tame with square one ounce loads.
The grip cap is definitely steel and some of the plating remains (cap screw too), nickel or silver. I will share the PGCA letter when it arrives. I’m hoping for a good one.
One aspect I haven’t mentioned, the size of the butt stock is much larger than my 1-1/2 frame 12 gauge. It’s way taller and wider, a taste of what the 8 gauge guys shoulder.

You got a beauty! Definitely a Grade 2.

And you'll definitely want Breck Gorman to refinish those barrels for you.





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That is a beauty! Killer wood too. Luv it!

Heavy gun
 

How times have changed. It’s hard to imagine purpose built shotguns weighing 10 pounds or more. Benefits? Heavy tools of that era were the accepted norm? One thing for sure, heavy gun = less felt recoil.

Serial numbers on the lug
 

Seems unusual that the serial number on the rear lug is in two places. Undoubtedly period specific. I have no idea about the reasoning here, it’s a bit redundant.

Times have indeed changed, but, still, beauty is as beauty does. What a nice gun you have there, Bruce.

Typically it is the last 3 of the serial that are there. Not the whole number.

Letter received
 

Letter states $85 Dollar Grade with mention of Skeleton Butt Plate and Cap Grip.
Ordered by B.F. Wright of Cincinnati, OH.
30” Damascus Steel Barrels
Full & Full
LOP 14”
Drop at Heel 3”
10lbs. 3oz.
The shotgun precisely matches the letter.
A big thanks to Mr. Chuck Bishop for his research work at the PGCA.
Imagine the waterfowl opportunities in 1880’s around Cincinnati.