3 inch chambers in a 12 ga. C grade-how many?
 

A "C" grade with 32" bbls and marked 3 IN on the bottom of the barrels and Titanic Steel on the top came home to roost today. The ser # is 112570.
How scarce are the 3 inch chambers? I have TPS and so far haven't found anything relating to the 3 inch. Can some one direct me to a page or section.

Pictures please!!

You need to get a letter on that one. There's a chance that the chambers were extended and the gunsmith marked it as such. Is it a #2or #3 frame gun? Nice find. I have a GH from 1893 with 3" chambers and I've always assumed the chambers were let out because the Parker records do not mention it.

Frame
 

It is a 2 frame. The letter form and check are completed and will go in the mail Monday. Will the letter state how the butt was finished (recoil pad)? The colors seem too good so I think they were redone some time ago. And the stock was broke and repaired (not too good). It was bought accordingly. I will see about pictures soon.

You will learn more from posting pictures here than from the letter. The letter, if it is derived from order book information, would tell you the original butt treatment and maybe the chamber length. It is extremely unlikely that the 3" markings originated at the factory.

Pictures of the C
 

Let me know what you think about this purchase from Saturday 10/3/12.

For your consideration , the following are original Parker case colors.


Sometimes owners would want the original skeleton steel butt plate changed to a recoil pad and Parker would change it to what you see in the final photo.


Enjoy your new gun.

Put the request letter in the mail!

Post a picture of the bottom of the barrels from the breech to the forend lug. The gun is a bit early for an original beavertail forend. We need to see whether the gun has a "beavertail lug". If the "beavertail lug" were present, that would lead us to suspect a possible factory conversion. The colors would lead us elsewhere. What does the face of the recoil pad say?

Lug pictures
 

Here are pictures of the lug. Are there opinions regarding the 3" chambers? The pad is a Pachmayr.

When Parker began offering the trap forend, what is now commonly called the beavertail forend, they found that forend attachment lugs extending from the barrel tended to break their brazed connections to the barrel lower rib because of the greater weight of the forend and the tendency of shooters to exert a tighter grip on the bigger forend. So, they developed a one piece lug, photo following, for use with beavertail forends, either original or later factory additions. This cures the brazing fracture problems.


Beavertail forends became popular in the 60's and some Parkers were converted to the larger, heavier forend. Generally, these were made without the long screw that Parker used that extended from the end of the forend and into the front of the forend iron in a special screw receptacle. Without that screw, the forend wood tends to loosen from the iron. The one piece barrel lug and long screw are tell tales for factory work, or at least factory parts.

That is my understanding based upon my reading and direct experience looking at guns, including seeing fractured forend lugs. Others may differ. Others may have personal experience with trap forends installed without the one piece lug; I don't.

I'd say the 3 inch chambers and mark are aftermarket. A letter might tell the tale but I'd bet a good cigar I'm right.

DLH