Heavy 12 gauges
 

I recently rescued a 1903 GH 3 frame 12 gauge with Damascus barrels. The gun is 9.5 pounds and is going to be my new favorite after some much needed maintenance. I am very curious about these heavy 12 bore Parkers and how many were made. I can only assume that they were made to meet the weight requirements of a custom ordered 12 gauge gun with a specified weight. So, for those of you who have them please share your thoughts/info about them. Does anyone have one that is a lesser grade than a "G" or a higher grade than a "D"? Are there any fluid steel 3 frame 12's?

Ten years ago I avoided Damascus Parkers like the plague and then in a weak moment in Vegas a few years ago I purchased a DH Damascus gun solely because I could not walk away from the straight grip stock with 2" DOH and someone had hot blued them ugly 32" Damascus barrels. It was the first step down a very slippery slope......:rolleyes:

Patrick

nice gun...i do not have a heavy 12 ga but my thoughts on themare this...i figure they were ordered in heavy weight for a duck or goose gun...the extra weight was to tame recoil...some of them old black powder shells wererough on the shoulder and them old duck hunters shot a lot more than we do today...when shooting almost straight up a heavy gun can be a blessing...these are my thoughts.... charlie

Patrick, the majority of the orders for #3 frame guns only specify the desired weight with no mention of frame size. However, more than a few orders that resulted in #3 frame guns actually specify "2 1/2 frame". The #3 frame was known as the 2 1/2 frame by Parker Brothers insiders. I'm not sure the customer had anything to do with the request, although some customers may have been pretty savvy about Parker terminology. Yes there are fluid steel #3 frame 12 gauge guns. A poster here owns a Del Grego #3 frame VH and a local friend has a CH #3 frame Acme steel gun which was ordered at 10 pounds. I have a nice little #3 frame Vulcan barrelled 16 that was ordered at 8 3/4 pounds, lightly choked.

I recently came across a 3 frame 12 gauge DH with 30" Titanic barrels which I foolishly did not buy. I have a 2 frame GH with heavy D2 32" barrels that is a great shooter. Ivory Beads has had a 3 frame VH for some time now with an after market BT forend.

An 8 3/4# 16 gauge sounds like the answer to a question nobody asked

Parker Bros. did all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff to meet customer's wishes. I have an 1889 vintage, 2-frame, GH-Grade, Damascus barrel 12-gauge that weighs a fraction of an ounce over nine pounds. The barrels are very straight and thick with a weight stamp of 5 8. My Grandfather's 1890-vintage, 3-frame, PH-Grade, Twist barrel, 30-inch, cylinder bore, 12-gauge, has barrels that swamp in very fast, and it only weighs 8 pounds 8 ounces?!? While my gun is rather muzzle heavy, Grandpa's is muzzle light with much of the weight between your hands. I kind of suspect the original purchaser of Grandpa's gun got it to shoot pumpkin balls.

Of course our all time favorite "heavy twelve" is the 6-frame, VH-Grade, the late Jack Puglisi had for sale some years ago --

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...rame12-ga6.jpg

2 1/2 Frame
 

Bill; Several years ago Ron Kirby and I examined and discussed some 2 1/2 frame entries.
We concluded that the shop terminology was due to the number 3 frame being 2 1/2 inches wide, and it was probably machined in 2 1/2 jigs.
I have a 3 frame 12ga 32 inch lifter that weighs 9 1/2 pounds plus. The weight is between the hands and it is very nimble. I found it a joy to shoot at both skeet and 5 stand.

Best, Austin

The owner of the unique #6 frame 12 gauge that Jack Puglisi sold has not come forward on this site. We would like to hear from him. My fluid steel #6 frame ten gauge is well known by readers on this site and the Puglisi 12 gauge should be "outed" also.

My main duck gun is a fluid steel DHE 12 gauge on a #3 frame with 34 inch barrels, I think it weighs about 9 1/2 pounds. A friend just picked up a similar gun that has factory long chambers and weighs a pound more than mine.

Destry

Destry, I can't wait to see that one.