I have had a number of early heavy 12 gauge (and one 20) Parkers on 2 and 3 frames mostly "pigeon guns" that lettered with either 3" or 2 7/8" chambers. Not one of them had any external markings indicating chamber length...not one... I always found Babe Delgrego to be a helpful and delightful fellow but occasionally a bit dogmatic. The marked 12 gauge for 3" shell gun I viewed yesterday along with professionally trained gunsmith, Russ Bickel caused us both to remark how even on a 1 1/2 frame the barrel breeches could not be said to be "straight sided". I even put a straight edge against the breeches and it appeared to be very slightly swamped but perhaps somewhat more forward of the breech than a normal 1 1/2 frame gun. I wish we could have measure the BWT at the chamber ends.
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