Having barrels done
 

I contacted Breck Gorman today and he has agreed to refurbish the barrels on my recent acquisition, the 1888 Parker fish tail Hammer Gun. It’s a long, time consuming process but it will be worth the wait. His work is simply remarkable.
I vigorously cleaned the bores by hand today with 0000 steel wool on a brush, Hoppe’s and rubbing compound. It was a messy job but the bores are clean now. I’m sure they hadn’t been this clean in a long time. The bores are “Gun Metal” gray now, no signs of rust. Some pitting but not having been honed is a good thing in my book.
Breck will measure the wall thickness to ensure the safe use of the shotgun, though I’m confident they will okay.
I haven’t weighed the gun but for a #1 frame it’s a very hefty one.

Nice wood on that one Bruce, will be a beauty when you get it back

More photos
 

The other side view. It’s really nice to be able to enjoy these historical, functional works of art for minimal investment. I just can’t convey how much enjoyment I have collecting and learning about the Parker Brothers shotguns and also shooting them.
The letter has been requested and I’m looking forward to the details. This one is going to be a special one when Breck performs his magic touch on the barrels.

What a beautiful shotgun!

As everyone here is learning Breck does outstanding work. He refinished the barrels on an 1877 lifter for me and I could not be more pleased.

Letter Received
 

Here is the letter for the Parker Top Lever Hammer Gun. It was ordered by Roger Q. Mills of Corsicana, Tx. On Sept. 16, 1888.
Weight: 8 pounds and 2 ounces.
Roger Q. Mills was a true Patriot.

Biography of Mr. Mills:


https://txnavarr.genealogyvillage.co...er_quarrls.htm

The following passage is from an 1887 speech by Roger Q. Mills of Texas. It was quoted more than once during the December, 1914 debate in Congress:

"Prohibition was introduced as a fraud; it has been nursed as a fraud. It is wrapped in the livery of Heaven, but it comes to serve the devil. It comes to regulate by law our appetites and our daily lives. It comes to tear down liberty and build up fanaticism, hypocrisy, and intolerance. It comes to confiscate by legislative decree the property of many of our fellow citizens. It comes to send spies, detectives, and informers into our homes; to have us arrested and carried before courts and condemned to fines and imprisonments. It comes to dissipate the sunlight of happiness, peace, and prosperity in which we are now living and to fill our land with alienations, estrangements, and bitterness. It comes to bring us evil-- only evil-- and that continually. Let us rise in our might as one and overwhelm it with such indignation that we shall never hear of it again as long as grass grows and water runs."

Enjoy it its going to be a looker ! My kind of gun .

A wonderful and highly relevant speech even, and maybe especially, in these times.





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Some member might recall the VHE 16/32" barrels that Breck did for me..and arrived at my home with a dent..that was FEDEX doing. They refused to pay..even though we had insurance...and Breck raised the dent to where it can't be found..He is truly a master..