the silent auction 8 ga
 

as most of us know there was a 8 ga parker in the silent auction ...well MILLS won that auction...as most know this gun was in the worst shape a parker could get in...it hadmore wiggle in it than a red worm trying to be threaded on a hook...seriosly there was a 3/16 gap between the barrel and breech face...there was a bent loop made out of 1/2 wide steel band that slipped on the barrels and down to the britch to keep the gun from opening...the gun would open and closed but there was very much play side to side...the barrels were so rusty you could not force a shell into the barrels...i would safely say this gun had not been fired in90years or better...you just cant imagine how this old gun was treated and abused...the stock has lots of breaks in it...a sheet of copper was used with nails and srews to strenthen the stock then they took copper wire and wrapped it around the copper patch and stock. then they silver soilder that wire all over.. it made for a very unusal patch but a strong one...surprizingly the hammers and firing pins worked pretty good... the barrels were 34 inch when they left the factory but are now 27 inches...the top rib has been replaced with a half inch tall piece of iron bar stock and has at least 2 lbs of silver soilder on the top rib and bottom of barrels.. the bottom of the barrels were the barrel latch is located had 1/4 inch of slack in it the weld had broke loose... MILLSwas really happy with this gun and was going to try and get it in shooting shape so he carried it down to DARLINGTON GUN WORKS AND THEY TOLD HIM IT WAS NOT WORTH FIXING...ANDi guess they were right money wise...so i had asked MILLS about the gun and he let me have the gun...... so i m gonna try to fix it.... charlie

way to go Charlie

pictures as you go please

well after breakfast i grabbed the old 8 ga fishtail and went to the shop...i first broke the gun down...the barrel latch and the ejectors would move 1/4 inch they just slid back and forth on the barrels...i lined them up and center punched them then i welded them in place...then after about 2hours of filing and fitting they were back in good shape...next i worked on getting shells to go into the barrels okthis was another hour....i then cleaned out the barrels with a 10 ga copper brush...30 minutes doing this i then fitted paper shims to the barrel lugs and the forearm musta took an hour doing this...i know metal shims will soon be put there...i then loaded the hulls and fired them 3 times each in the barrels...i had a problem with the ls fireing pin sticking in the primer but soon had that fixed...well i deemed the barrels plenth thick and safe to try and shoot...i used tripple 7 a black powder substitute...first i started out with 30 grains shgot ok but like shooting a 22 no recoil..i then upped it to forty grains and a 1 1/4 ounce of bb shot...set up can at 35 steps the old gun really rolled that can...next i upped the powder to 50 grains and 1 1/4 ounce of bbs.... had a old mailbox so uesd it as a target at 35 steps...manif that had a been a turkey it woulda been all over for him....put those bbs thru and thru that mailbox... still got a lot of work to do to it but hay ive brught back another old parker from the grave... and its a 8 ga to boot... more as progress lets me... charlie

I've seen the gun and Charlie's description was benign. It is much worse. However, if someone would be interested in a Test Fire with the replacement breeching mechanism in place, I would be willing to conduct the test fire and get a video to prove that such a gun could be safely fired. Let me know. I have the ammunition for a Sherman Bell type test but not to the level of destruction. My opinion is that this gun, if brought up to a level of fairly close headspace, would survive testing. What a video to show at a PGCA annual meeting.

Charlie reports that the gun is back on face and has been fired without the loss of any bodily parts. In fact, it is on schedule for another test fire.

Is this the 8 gauge wreck that was on Gunbroker a couple years ago?

it is the same gun.got given to the pga some way...they put it in the silent auction and MILLS won it and let me have it...sure wish i hada kept up with who first had this gun woulda liked to know some of its life history... charlie

I bid $600 on the gun and was high bidder. Never could get a reply from the seller about buying it. I might have some info from that auction. If I can find it I'll pass it on if you like.

I am sure the turkeys and deer are less excited about this than we are.

Charlie, you da man!!!!!

Bill Murphy said: "What a video to show at a PGCA annual meeting." This is just the kind of video that would be great to show at various sporting show events where the PGCA has a booth. And videos depicting the restoration of this Parker or any Parker fo that mater would underscore the very reason for PGCA's existence and would help to communicate the message to the visitors at these events that these old double guns are a national treasure and worth the saving. Just my 2 cents

mike i would like to have this info if you still have it... i also bid on this gun too 500...dont remember the final bid but i remember it did not reach the untold reserve...wonder how the PGA got it....lots of questions on this old gun it sure has seen a lot more hard action than any old clunker ive ever had... charlie

I have a video of the gun in its "before" state that I would be happy to contribute. It is not too pretty and makes it all that more amazing that Charlie has it working.

Do you believe in miracles? This restoration will be one. Best of luck to you Charlie, it will be a real project!

Charlie, you crack me up. I had a pint of syrup boxed up for you, but changed my mind and am sending you a quart. I swear, you are the new Popcorn Sutton.

Okay...I give up. Who is Popcorn Sutton?

Dave
He was I believe a now deceased Moonshiner!
A

thanks edgar a quart is alkways better than a pint.... fellows i m not restoring this old gun all ive done is get it back on face and tighen it up with shims...first i dont have the money to restore this old gun...the old gun was in a sad state but it is in shooting shape now...bout any of you with a welder and a file could have fixed this old gun to the point i have it..charlie

Charlie, that's exactly what I had in mind. We would like to see a video of the test fire with "before" pictures in the introduction.

What Charlie is doing is exactly what this old gun needs - a restoration to shooting condition, but otherwise leaving the character it has acquired in its hard life.

PS: Nothing beats some good 'shine either

if mills has a viedo what it looks like before it was worked on an can show it i will get my wife or somebody to viedo the test fire... ive still got to put steel shims in some ares will also try to get this in the viedo.. bill im gl.ad you and others thought of this viedo. does gun need to show work done on the viedogive me some ideas fellas...charlie

Dave, just one of many youtube videos of Popcorn Sutton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsLRW_XqOzc If you ever have a chance to watch the entire length of "The Last One", be careful, you may find yourself wanting to sneak off to some secluded spot in the New England woods to do things your government deems unfit. Oh, that's right, many of us are already doing that...

Cheers
Marcus

Thanks Marc!

Before photos of Charlie's 8 gauge
 

Here are a few "before" photos. Note the C-clamp marks on the stock. These marks are on both sides of the stock and the theory is that the gun was clamped down on the end of a boat as a punt gun or battery gun.

Photos this time
 

Here are the photos. Computer ate them in the last post. :throw:

nice umm :rolleyes: patina :rotf:

That gun was strictly somebody's tool. It wasn't a collector piece, an heirloom or an investment. It was probably an essential component to someone's livelihood and survival. I don't think I've ever seen a gun that speaks of it's past like this one does. It is unique and if you're able to get back to shootin shape then you have restored it to it's intended purpose. I hope you never take it any farther than that. I love that gun!

Dave,
Popcorn Sutton spent most of his life in Maggie Valley. He was the self proclaimed "best moonshiner" in this area and promoted himself through his videos which really is a chamber of commerce statement for our mountains--pun intended. I think there is a TV show, possibly called "The Moonshiners" that airs in your part of the world as well as here.
Mike

I love it. If you can get pictures of the test fire that would be something to see.

More pictures of Charlie's 8



.

And a few more pics of the Big 8




.

Wow.... That is a project....:shock:

It just goes to show you how well built Parkers are.
And I am so glad Mr. Eight Bore has this gun.
Charlie- what are the chambers? 3 1/2?

thanks DEAN.... boys this old gal has lived a rough life in my book..wish she could tail us her past adventures...does anybody out there know any history at all about this old gun... we know she was sold in CALIFORNI and has been to the PGA and to visit MILLS IN GEORGIA and then to se me in MISSISSIPPI...HOPE TO FILL IN SOME GAPS... charlie

GEORGE i have not got to measure the chambers as of yet but i suspect 3 1/4 inch...hope ther longer just for the sake of it ...always wanted a 4 inch chamber gun but dont think this is it.... charlie

My new plan is to save up and get a Parker 8 gauge in original used condition. What I really want is a hammerless with uncut barrels that does not need too much work to get shooting. I say that but Charlie had this one working faster than most gunsmiths can open chokes. Have a long way to go on my fundraiser, but Charlie's check was the first step.

Clues
 

Here are two links to the first appearances of this gun on the internet.

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/i.../t-590742.html

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=4240

You will have to save more for that Guerini!

I would like to see a closeup picture of the breech after Charlie fixed the headspace issue.

That seems to be passing. It actually irritated me that the guy dumped on Julia's guns that she enjoys shooting and which fit her just fine. All he was trying to do was sell her a gun and I think she realizes that.