Family Parker Owner
 

Hello All my name is Mark I'm in Atlanta and I recently was given a family treasure my Great Grandfathers Parker. I'm still doing research so far I feel I have a stock s/n 77515 Frame size 1 Grade F or P hammerless with Twist Barrells. I think it's a 12GA but I could be worng. My goal is to get it fireable which willl be easy a good check from a gunsmith and the proper shells.

Hi Mark & welcome!!

Congratulations on getting your great grandfathers Parker. I looked in the serialization book and your gun should be a 12ga with 28" barrels.

Please find a good gunsmith that knows Parkers and have him look it over before you shoot it. Have a great time with it and then hand it down to the next generation in your family.

All the best,
Paul

Congrats. We all like pictures. Family guns have a special place in our hearts and minds. Multi-generational family provenance is becoming rarer, especially if the original purchaser was family. Take good care of this gun and you will enjoy it and it will last for many generations yet to come.
Cheers,
Jack

Thanks for the warm welcome pictures will be up later today

I often wonder with all the fine Parkers (Foxes, Smiths, LeFevers, Ithacas, etc.) coming through the auctions, where are the families that should be holding on to these treasures? Provenace, to me, is equally important as condition and rareity. When these gems are sold and resold so much of their history is lost forever. If any old gun could talk, no matter fow plain and ordinary it be, what stories it could tell.

Best Regards on your family's heirloom..............George

You are a lucky fellow Mark #1 frame 12 nice little easier to carry. Good to have you. I'm wating pictures. best ch

Mark,

Many gunsmiths will tell you to play with a hand grenade rather than shoot a gun with Twist or Damascus barrels. They may be correct, however many here including me shoot their Twist and Damascus Parkers, LC Smiths, Remingtons etc. all the time. In fact my favorite sporting clays gun is an 1881 lifter Parker with Twist barrels. I've included a picture of it with a mess of dove. I doubt very seriously that your great grandfathers Parker has been messed with ie: the bores honed out to remove pitts. It should be good to go with the proper ammo. There are several manufacurers of shotgun shells appropriate for your Parker. I like www.rstshells.com because they are easy on the shoulder and gun and preform so wonderfully. I have several #1 frame Parkers and I shoot 7/8 & 1 oz loads as they are very easy on the gun and me.

Good Shooting, Harry