Parker Leads...Others Follow
 

Sir Joseph Whitworth's adaptation of Bessemer's principle of hydraulic pressure casting was patented in 1874. The first Purdey Pair Nos. 10614 & 10615 were delivered January 1, 1880 with the "New Whitworth Fluid Pressed Steel". Lefever Arms Co. offered Whitworth steel for the Optimus in 1887, but Hunter Arms did not for the Smith Monogram, A2, and A3 until 1895.

Harry posted that fluid steel was not offered on DH Parkers until 1897. Could someone please tell me the composition of Titanic and Acme barrel steel, and their source? Thank you.

Drew,Titanic preceded Vulcan by about two years. I believe Acme steel came into the picture about 1910..I think..As far as their source...let me do some looking.

And regarding the barrel tube source:

Field & Stream May, 1909 "The Parker Gun" by Harry Palmer
http://books.google.com/books?id=6B5...age&q=&f=false
In the first place, the material that goes into the Parker is the best that the market supplies, the steel that is used in the frame and forend being a special stock made to conform to a physical test, which every bar received from the steel mill must stand, or be rejected. The gun is made entirely in the well-equipped factory, with the exception of the rubber butt-plates, and the tubes for the barrels, which are imported.

Thomas Hunter and W.A King 'fessed up before Congress in 1912 that all their barrels came from Belgium.

Report on Duties on Metals and Manufactures of MetalsBy United States Congress. Senate. Committee on Finance, 1912
Testimony regarding the Payne-Aldrich and Dingley Tariff Bills
http://books.google.com/books?id=QDkvAAAAMAAJ
http://books.google.com/books?id=QDk...&lr=#PPA879,M1
STATEMENT OF MR. THOMAS HUNTER, OF FULTON, N. Y., REPRESENTING THE HUNTER ARMS CO. AND OTHERS
The Chairman - Will you state the companies you represent, Mr. Hunter.?
Mr. Hunter - The Hunter Arms Co., the Baker Gun & Forging Co., Parker Bros. Gun Co., Hopkins & Allen Arms Co., A. H. Fox Gun Co., Lefever Arms Co., H. & D. Folsom Arms Co., Ithaca Gun Co., N. R. Davis & Sons, and Harrington & Richardson Arms Co.
Senator McCumber - Does the American manufacturer use the unfinished importation?
Mr. Hunter - He uses what are designated in the present bill as "gun barrels rough-bored." That is what we import.
Senator McCumber - To what extent do you use those?
Mr. Hunter - Entirely.
Senator McCumber - You do not manufacture any of them?
Mr. Hunter - No, sir. We have no facilities for making shotgun barrels... they never have been able to make a figured barrel in this country. Years ago they tried to make what they call a figured barrel, Damascus and twist; but the effort was never successful, and it has been discontinued.

The testimony of W.A. King representing the Parker Gun Co.
http://books.google.com/books?id=QDk...&lr=#PPA893,M1
Mr. King - I can speak only for our own company in so far as wages go. For instance, on the question of barrels, Mr. Hunter informed your committee that some years ago some of the manufacturers of this country attempted to make barrels. We made some barrels: we built an addition to the factory, put in some up-to-date machinery, and brought some men from Belgium to show our blacksmiths how to do it. Wo had to pay our blacksmiths not less than 32 cents an hour, up to 40 cents, and we gave it up, because the highest wages paid the Belgian blacksmiths for exactly the same grade of barrel are 11 cents per hour. That is what is paid to the highest-priced man employed.
Senator Smoot - In Belgium?
Mr. King - In Belgium: yes, sir. That is where all of our barrels are imported from, with the exception of our very high-grade Whipple (probably a typo for Whitworth) steel barrels.

Now I'm REALLY confundido - no steel barrels listed on this 1890s Price List

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../336889631.jpg

Drew, I think the 1877 price list was probably misdated or modified at a later date and the date was not changed to reflect the modification. 1897 is correct for Titanic Steel barrels and Dave is correct about Acme Steel barrels being introduced around 1910. Another discrepancy I find with that price list is the omission of any kind of "Damascus Steel" barrels being one of the 'standards' of the C grade guns aside from Bernard Steel.

How's this look?

Whitworth Compressed Fluid Steel barrels were first used on the Grade 7 AAH Pigeon Gun in 1894, Titanic Steel barrels were introduced for the Grade 3 in 1897, and Acme Steel for Grades 4, 5 & 6 about 1910. The Grade 8 A1 Special introduced in 1912 also had Whitworth barrels until after WWI, then Peerless Steel.

That looks to be correct Drew.

I would, however, add a note that Titanic Steel barrels were the standard for fluid pressed steel barrels on grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 from 1897 until the introduction of Acme Steel on grades 4, 5, and 6 around 1910.

In EDM's Parker Old Reliable I think it mentioned a rumor of Whitworth barrels to be offerd on AAH guns in 1894, however in The Parker Story it list 1895 in one table. I'm so confused......

Harry

Check the bottom of p. 29 Harry http://asoac.org/bulletins/90_parker_parker.pdf