Talk about a lightweight!
 

I recently purchased a1893 GH one frame 12 gauge weighing a scant 6 pounds 4 ounces with 28" 3 iron Crolle damascus barrels that have been refinished. Overall condition is excellent and shows little use and lots of case color--even the trigger guard has nearly 100% bright original nitre finish. The unstruck weight of the barrels is a mere 3 pounds even and they currently weigh 2 1/2 pounds. Has anyone seen one this light? I have two other DH one frames, each weighing 6 pounds 8 ounces. And I thought they were light!

Attachment 48662

How long are your barrels?

Oh, forgot. They are twenty eight inches. I've added that to the original post. Thanks.

That is light. My 26" damascus GHE12 weighs 6#10oz and I thought that was light.

Joe
What a find!! Great Parker
David

Wow! My PH 1 frame weighs 6-10 with 26" factory length barrels. The stamped barrel weight is 3-8.

So, that begs the question with barrels that are two inches longer but an unstruck weight 8 ounces lighter, where does the weight come off? It almost seems impossible to shave that much weight without making the barrel walls extremely thin. Do you know what they measure?

Modern guns seem to adhere closely to a standard weight for a model/configuration with slight variations likely due to wood density. However, I have been watching Parker weights and they are all over the map and significantly so. I have trouble understanding how there could be so much variability within a frame/gauge size. Anyone care to enlighten me?

Joe, I think you have the record. When you measure the wall thickness, let us know what you find.

The usual 7 1/2 lb 12 ga Parker barrel wall thickness for fluid or composite steel runs around .033-.035. 7 3/4lbs around .038 to .040, 8 lbs over .040, all 2 frame. I have measured a 1 frame 6 1/2 lb 12 and it was .028.

This 12 is the lightest Parker I have heard of and I suspect the wall thickness will be around .025, and I am curious about the real measurement. It sounds like it would make a great upland gun for light loads of 2 3/4 dram, 1 or 1 1/8 oz. I don't think I would want to shoot 100 sporting clays rounds with it.

Nice find, Joe.

My PH barrels measure .031 & .032 as measured by John Hosford. At 6-10 it is pleasant to shoot with 7/8 oz. loads. The stock wrist is quite thin in cross section and the comb sharp but I have had no problem shooting a 100 round clays course with it. It is, in my opinion a 12 that handles like a properly weighted 20.

Here's the data for both of the barrels on the GH, serial #78,649. Indeed, they are struck light!

RIGHT BARREL

Bore .740

Wall thickness from breech (minimum and maximum)

3" .069-.079
6" .029-.039
9" .022-.033
12" .021-.031
15" .022-.031
18" .023-.030
21" .023-.024
24" .024-.028
27" Inside choke

LEFT BARREL

Bore .738

Wall thickness from breech (minimum and maximum)

3" .072-.073
6" .033-.037
9" .028-.029
12" .026-.029
15" .023-.032
18" .026-.027
21" .026-.028
24" .026-.028
27" Inside choke

The thinnest areas on both barrels are on the lower sides.

The gun has original 2 5/8" chokes and forcing comes. Also, the chokes are original at .038 and .042. I do not believe the bores have been honed but certainly may have been polished. My other two one frames from 1900 and 1905 measure .736 and .737 and I am certain they are as made. This gun is from 1893. Currently the barrels are finished in a glossy brown that almost completely hides the damascus pattern. I'm going to have them properly finished, very gently.