Shooting a damascus double barrel question
 

I am new here, having just purchased an 1875 model double barrel, frame size 1, grade 2 barrel weight D 4 (6) the six was a super script, damascus steel, external hammer parker 12 ga. If and when I get around to trying to shoot it (will be awhile, at least will want to clean, oil, have inspected by a gunsmith, etc) are there shells available that would be safe to shoot in this gun? That is, barring any obvious issues identified during the inspection.

thanks,

Charles

Charles,

Welcome. It has been recommended on this board RST low pressure shells are great for these classic doubles.

http://www.rstshells.com/

Sounds like a nice gun. Do you have pictures?

Frank

Frank,

Thanks for the quick response. I'll check them out. Currently no pictures as I am on a temporary duty up at Rock Island Arsenal from home in KS. I am going home for the long Veteran's Day weekend (thanks to all vets, past and present for the sacrifices that were and continue to be made.) I'm taking the gun with me and will be posting the pics soon. It has some issues, broken stock with an OLD repair with brass plates on both sides now, and the release lever was broken and repaired sometime in the past.

By the way, I go by Randy, but the board required my "real name."

Randy aka Charles

Randy: We are neighbors! I will be leaving to go west Friday A.M. but if you want to get in touch sometime I keep RST's in 2 1/2" 12 gage and I have the equipment to measure the barrel wall thickness and bore /choke I.D. if you need a handfull of shells and want to know what the bores are up to. Happy Parkering!!! Lee.

Lee,

Definitely not far down the road at all. Amazing that we consider 30 or so miles to be neighbors when city folks think that if someone lives 2 houses away they are strangers. I'll be looking forward to getting together with you sometime. I am home this weekend but come Sunday will be heading back to Illinois. I only have a couple more months there then I'll be home and have a lot more time available. Today in addition to some bow hunting I plan on cleaning the Parker and taking some photos to try to post here. Hopefully they'll come out good.

Thanks for the invite. We'll definitely need to get together.

Randy

Randy,

It sounds as if Lee may be better set up to inspect the "safety" of your Parker than most gunsmiths. Besides he shoots one and knows what to look for. Good luck with your old Parker. I have several from 1881 that I shoot regularly.

Harry

I'm hoping it will be ok to shoot, but I will wait until someone more knowledgeable than I (like Lee.) I'm thinking I'll have to get with him to coordinate schedules and head over his way to get it checked out.

Randy,

FYI, it's not a model 1875 Parker nor was it made in 1875. Your grade 2 hammergun was made in 1887.

By the looks of the pictures in your album, it's quite a bit off face along with other issues. Please be very cautious and carefull if you plan on shooting this Parker.

Thanks for the information. I was using the initial patent date as the "model" number. I definitely plan on having it thoroughly checked out before I consider shooting, even the light loads. I believe the date is the same one I got when I checked the serial number here. By off face do you mean condition issues, fit of barrels to the gun or what? I'm not familiar with that term.

Off face is when the barrel breech ends do not fit tightly against the standing face of the action frame. The more the gap, the more the barrels will pound against the frame and wear on the hinge pin roll and the locking bite connections. Off face results from wear and can be corrected by spray welding metal to the barrel lug hinge section and recontouring. It is not an amateur repair. Some have inserted a shim as an expedient temporary fix.

I am about 30m east of you guys and shoot regularly at Powder Creek(Lenexa) and Cedar Hill ( Baldwin). Out in Ford County this weekend.