Newby
 

I'm a newby when it comes to Parkers, and I'm sure this has been discussed ad nausea here on the form. I'm looking at purchasing my first Parker and I found a dandy from a great reliable source.

Here's the specs:

Parker Bros. GH
16 bore on O frame size (typically 20 bore size)
2 3/4" chambers
28" Damascus barrels
choked .008 IC and .014 Mod
6 lbs. even
original 14 1/4" LOP to original dog's head butt plate
1 5/8" drop at comb
2 5/8" drop at heel
neutral cast
circa 1902

I guess I'm a little scared of shooting the Damascus barrels...

I've used RST loads for a few years in my AYA 20 bore for quail.

Do many of you shoot Parkers with Damascus barrels?

Thanks and I look forward to learning from this forum

Sounds like the gun offered by my friend in Minnesota. I just read his ad yesterday and it looked like a neat gun to me. Yes, we shoot light loads in Damascus 16s. Reloading is easy by RST shells are easier.

welcome Shawn
as long as the barrels are sound and the loads appropriate there is no reason not to shoot damascus.

I realized a little while ago that I did not shoot a fluid steel barreled shotgun last year.

At the moment I probably shoot more damascus guns then I do fluid steel guns !

Shawn: it is likely that the chambers were extended from the original slightly less than 2 9/16", so it is critical (as with ANY vintage gun) that someone with the interest, expertise, and equipment carefully measure the wall thickness of the barrels; from breech to muzzle, with careful attention to the end of the chamber and forcing cone
http://parkerguns.org/pages/faq/BarrelThickness.htm
If you make the purchase, let us know where you are and someone may be nearby. O frame 16s are a delight!

That could be a magic wand.
 

I really like the way the 0 frame 28" barrel 16's swing to target.