[Bruce Day]

[QUOTE=I think the Parker VH was proofed for around 9300 -9600 psi loads. The so called low brass
Ammo today is usually 10000-13000 psi. RST or Polywad both make very good quality ammunition that is suited for the vintage SXS.and the are not that expensive unless you order the ITX.[/QUOTE]


As with most matters Parker, The Parker Story provides the answer and is an invaluable resource for those wanting to know about their Parkers.

TPS, p. 515. Table A is the table of pressures that Parker used. You can see that for a 16ga with 2 9/16 " chambers, the Service Working Limit is 10,100 with a maximum individual load of 11,700psi. These are service load pressures, the proof load is far higher, at 14,200psi mean with a max of 15,600. This does not mean the barrel will rupture if shot greater than 14,200, only that it withstood that level as a test. Actual tests to rupture were far higher, around 29,000 for a 12ga , a 16ga would be theoretically higher.

If in fact, a 16ga was proofed at 9300psi, the service load would be approximately one third lower, or 6100psi. That would be a piffling load indeed for any gun, and just not so for a Parker.

We are also fortunate in that Parker told us what to shoot. Parker identified in its patterning tags and the tables in the its publication the Small Bore Shot Gun, reproduced here previously, that a 16 ga should use 2 1/2 drams with either 7/8 oz or 1 oz. That powder load moves 1oz of shoot at about 1150fps. That is approximately the same as a Federal (or Herters) load available today and slightly less than a Winchester or Remington load. These present factory loads are below Parker service pressure loads at around 8500 to 10,000psi.

Some Parker owners shoot the 1 1/8oz loads backed by 2 3/4drams. These are slightly greater than Parker service loads, but below Parker proof loads, and are consistent with SAAMI standards at around 10,500psi. Recoil can be harsh and a person might consider the typically thin stock wrist of many Parker guns.

In short, RST shells are great, and are the only 7/8 shot loads I know in 16ga. But Federals, Winchesters, Herters, Remington and others 1 oz loads are also within the Parker service loads.

Its always a good idea to match the load to the game for a humane kill. For dove, quail and small birds, 7/8 oz is always sufficient. For larger, tougher birds such as pheasant, 1oz is the smallest recommended load unless a person restricts to close birds. These recommendations are from Parker and from ammunition manufacturers. For clays, even a smaller load is sufficient to break the target.

I shoot 16s in Parker grades A, C, D, G and P ( fluid and Damascus) and a Lefever EE( Kruppstahl) , hammerless and hammer, and regularly use RST, Federal, etc. 1 oz loads on game, or handload for clays at 7/8 oz. I'd guess about 80,000 rounds of mostly Remington and Winchester 1 oz and greater factory loads have been put through my old family PHE 16, with no visible stock cracks, bulges, etc.