Research Letter validation
 

Hello all, a while back I purchased this Parker listed as a P-Grade 10 Gauge with 26" barrels. I ordered a research letter, along with several others, and glanced at it and put it in the safe. I'm prepping for a gun show this weekend and realizing the research letter differs quite a bit from what I'm holding in my hand. I have reached out to letters@pg and asked politely if they'd double check the research. In the meantime, I'm hoping to get some confirmation based on the attached pictures before this weekend


Thanks everyone

the weight of the barrels at 3 lb. 10 ounce is awful light for a 10 ga..probably a 12 ga...looks like it has lots of case colors...good luck if your saleing it...charlie

Have you tried to insert a 10 gauge shell in the chamber? We would also like to see the letter you say is different from your "other" letters. Thanks. Lovely gun.

Thanks. wish I could find a 10 gauge shell somewhere. having a hard time getting a good read with calipers since it's such a small margin between the two. any ideas how to check if it's 10 gauge without a shell handy?

Thanks, finding a 10gauge shell is challenging. stores are still struggling to keep ammo on the shelves around here. I attached the letter. I withheld initially because I wasn't sure if it was permissible to post the research letters. There are some obvious discrepancies right off. T Grade when the gun is Marked P and obviously, it's not a Hammer gun either. I'd really like to know if the 26" barrels are the original or if they were modified.

Also, while we are talking about it, can someone tell me the significance of the T inside a partial circle, and the "C" both on the underside of the barrel?

Looks like a 1 Frame? I don't think there were many 10's made on a 1 frame, that would be pretty rare.

Ryan

Your barrels are probably cut, to me it looks like your tape measure is reading 26 3/8.

T is not a grade, it is a quality. The P is stamped on the water tables. The hats top and bottom on the T indicate a plain twist barrel if I remember correctly. I too believe the barrel weight is much too light for a 10 gauge, as is the overall gun length. A 26" 10 would be a real oddity. Since this is obviously not a hammer gun, my best guess is that there was an error in the work orders and the gun was a hammerless 12 ga. Just my guess. I would also tell you that 26" barrels would be not common in a 12 and even less common in 10. If I were buying the gun, I would presume that it was a 28" or 30" 12 ga with light barrels that was cut off to 26".

Also, try the obvious. If any place has a shell, it will have a 12 g. Buy or borrow one and see if the 12 ga fits tigntly in the chamber. I would bet it will.

It is a pretty nice example. However, if the barrels are cut, it's value is greatly diminished, from both a collector or user point. Post a picture of the top of the rib around the bead and the front of the muzzles.Many people here will be able to make a judgement from that.

I didn't mention the 1 frame because it looked so odd. I looked again and it looks like a ! stamp the was cocked when struck so it looks tapered without a top.