Barrel Measurements
In response to the original question and that just posted by Ray; I am posting my opinion, which is for all practical purposes, Parker Pages opinion, but not that of PGCA or the directors.
About 15 years ago there was a question; and several opinions; relative to the weight numbers stamped on Parker barrel flats. We obtained actual weight of about 40 barrels, and plotted the actual weight vs the stamped weight. The plot indicated that the actual weight lay along a line about 10 - 15% less than the stamped weight, and concluded that the stamped numbers were the unfinished weight of the barrels.
About 10 years ago, we measured the choke profiles of about 20 fluid steel 12 ga Parker barrel sets and made up a table showing mean choke tapers.
About 5 years ago, we compiled the stock dimensions of about 60 Parkers and presented a frequency distribution of drop and pull. We completed that study recently with a similar analysis of pitch.
During the last year we remeasured the bore diameters and muzzle diameters of about 60 Parker 12 ga guns. Dave Suponski, Dean Romig and Larry Frey measured the bores of unfinished barrels and defined the type of tooling used to form those bores. Charlie Price had noted that there was a change in bore and choke that occurred around s/n 70000. We plotted bore diameter and full choke muzzle diameter of those 60 guns against s/n. We found that typical bore diameter decreased from .750 - .760 to .730 - .735 and that full choke increased from .032 to .040 around s/n 70000. We concluded that a single contoured reamer was used to form bore and choke after 70000.
We will publish a similar analysis of barrel wall thickness when we recieve 50 to 100 profiles (ie thichness vs distance from muzzle) to analyze. We hope each contributor will give a rough indication of the number of shots fired through those barrels in recent years, and note if the barrels have dents or bulges.
Best, Austin
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