Requesting any info on Parker # 90875
 

I am new here and wondered if there's a way to get the information about my Parker without ordering a letter. I am mainly wanting to know the factory barrel length. They are currently 26 inches. I know it's a 12-gauge, size 1 frame grade 2, GH with Damascus barrels with a hard dog's head butt plate.

From the Serialization book D2 H 0 C 12 28

Damascus grade 2 hammerless w/no extras, capped pistol grip, 12ga. 28" barrels, 1899 manufacture date

While it's "generally" considered less desirable when barrels are cut, The gun may have originally had chokes akin to Mod & Full, and, as Parker choke tapers are often quite long, there may still be sufficient choke to make it closer to Improved cylinder and Modified, making it still useful as an upland gun. It would be a good idea to pattern the gun.

Thanks so very much for the info. I had thought the barrels were shortened.

To further Edgar's point I have a 10 bore that has been cut back from 34 to 32 in. It still has .032 in the right barrel and .040 of constriction in the left barrel with two and a half inches of taper in each. One never knows...

With today's ammo and components, a gun with no choke or "cylinder" is probably more useful for upland than a full choked gun. Shot is rounder, harder, wads are better designed, and the ammo just doesnt need alot of choke to make great patterns out to 30 or 40 yards like it did 50 years ago. Past 40 or 50 yards, any gun basically has a cylinder choke anyhow.