Parker Lifter 3081
 

I bought a nice 1874 Vintage at the Tulsa Show Serial 3081.It is a 10ga
and nice condition. Serial#on the action flat of B3081. It appears some moron
cut the bbls to 29 1/4. The book shows it to be a 12 ga so maybe numbers
in the book are switched. Is a B grade a precursor to the G ?
The lug has only the letters TB,the barrel has B3081,10 and AL, and on the barrel flat F9R.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/DSC_00061.JPG

Leighton - Will you refinish those barrels? Are they twist or damascus?

They are three bar Damascus and I plan to refinish to the black-brown as original

Leighton, the checkering on the forend is the early "G" style referred to as "three-point".

Leighton,

That old girl looks great for her age. I don't know about the barrels, I would leave the patina that has taken 130 years. Have I missed something from the picture? Anyway a wonderful find.

Kindest, Harry

B3081
 

Very interesting Leighton. I bought 3083 as part of an all or nothing estate sale of three Parker lifters about 15 years ago. It is listed as a ten gauge, but measures as a 12 ga. It has a three point fore end checking pattern and the same lock engraving pattern as 3291, which I am quite sure is a $135 grade. The fore end is not the bow tie of 3291, and 3083 has a latch fore end release. I would assume that the later checking pattern and latch change were done at the same time.

Best, Austin

I decided to try some 10 ga 2 7/8 in it yesterday that I had cut and they will not go!?
I now find that the chambers are close to 2 1/2 inches . Even 2 5/8 seems tight . Is this normal for an 1874 era gun to have about 2 5/8 chambers?

They are probably square cornered chambers which require shells very close to the exact length of the chamber, whatever that length may be.

Well, it looks like I am gonna have to trim my 2 3/4 shells to 2 1/2 now. :(

Davis has a top lever 10 gauge like that, chambers measure in at 2 1/2. And, believe it or not, I have a factory loaded PAPER Selby 10 gauge shell of that length in my collection.

Destry

Destry, thank you, that answers the question. I will cut em to 2 1/2 and not be confuzzzed.

I went into my bunker and found a lot of short 10 ga Brass shells that I had set aside.
I find that most are 2 1/2 and some Marked 10A are even 2 3/8. So, evidently there were a lot of short 10 gauge ammo used early.

That must be why the 2 7/8" is called the Super 10

That gun was likely chambered for and supplied with brass shells of the correct length. Those short 10's are probably just the ticket for that Parker.

I am loading some of them tonight! 3 1/2dr, FF and 1 1/4 # 5's

Leighton, How do you know that the barrels were cut? I have a 10 ga lifter from 1875 which has 28 3/16" barrels which were not cut. Sr # 6461. Apparently the early guns did not necessarly have inch even lengths, and short barreled 10 ga guns were popular. My gun has 2 5/8" chambers and I had Rocky Mountain Brass make me a couple of boxes of brass shells. They fit beautifully. They will make the shells to fit, so measure everything, give them a call. Looks like a nice gun!!! There are a few collectors including Austin, who have guns close to yours in serial numbers. David

I just assumed they were cut. The book has even bbl lengths but the barrels touch well at the end. I have plenty of short brass cases and loaded some this morning

Brass Shot Shells
 

According to the 1885 Winchester catalog, No 10 shells less than 2 5/8 length were available at customer specified length, in case lots, at no extra charge.
One ounce of shot in a ten was an upland load in that time; the short shells may have been for that purpose. The "standard" 2 5/8 inch No10 case would just hold 1 1/4 ounce with a thin wad; black and bulk smokeless required a lot of case volume.

Best, Austin

I found another box of 2 5/8 unfired emptys as pictured below. The primer pocket is so large that a regular 209will not stay in. The headstamp is TEI.It must be some type of European with a large primer that I am not famialiar with?Any ideas what primer this is?
[IMG]http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/DSC_00062.JPG[/IMG]

Leighton, The Parker Pages; Winter 2007, Volume 14-issue 4 has several articles which bear on your gun. Austin Hogan's "My Favorite Parker" is about his appreciation of the 3000 serial numbered Parkers and is well worth reading. I was a Forum member who became a regular member because I was missing out on the Parker Pages and official events. I don't know anything about TEI shells but someone here may. David

Fabulous, I just found it, Thanks,

Leighton.Could those hull require the #57 primer?

No, they are even smaller than the 209. The mystery continues

I have experimented with some loads for the 2 1/2- 2 5/8 plastic cases and have arrived at 28 gr 7625 with 1 1/8 oz shot. Nice pleasant low pressure load that is plenty for upland and clays.