Parker Black and White

[Rick Riddell]

Would these be the Parker Black and White Damascus color or are these more faded to white like a set of fluid steel does over time?
I know the blacks are faded, they are 114 yrs young, but was curious if this was the color Parker Damascus barrels were.

[Parker Bachelder (Brad's Profile)]

Rick

Definately Parker colors, correct as can be. Typical of many barrels at the start of our process.

Brad

[Harry Collins]

Rick,

I have a very well taken care of GH with Damascus barrels. The checkering is nearly gone from use as is the finish on the barrels where ones hands would have been. The owned must have shot with gloves on as the receiver is polished from use as well. I mention this old GH because most of the barrels have a beautiful black white finish that is almost as good as under the forend. From the picture your Parkers barrels look to original to refinish.

Harry

[Dean Romig]

Far be it for me to disparage anyone's gun...
I raise this question only after enlarging and closely examining each picture and pose the possibility of the barrels having been re-blacked a long time ago. I raise this question only after comparing the loss of finish to the frame as compared to zero loss of finish to the barrels, and the damage or deterioration of the wood at the tip of the forend.

No offense intended.





.

[Rick Riddell]

No offense taken! It's not a beauty queen, its like a first girlfriend, not the greatest, but plenty of potential and education! Actually this being my first set of Damascus tubes!! Yes the barrels went back to the Parker factory to be reblued and action work done. I was just curious the color of the barrels, they had that brown color to them before I cleaned it up, I was afraid I had put them in the white, not knowing Damascus Parkers that well.

[Dean Romig]

Aha! I thought I had seen some light abrasion marks and that explains it.

I too have a Parker that went back to have the "barrels reblacked" and, though my barrels are Laminated, they have the same black.





.

[Dean Romig]

Simply as a comparison of the similarity of the blacking of both sets of barrels.

This is mine.


.

[Harry Collins]

Dean,

What a cracker jack of a Parker. The barrels look like chain damascus in a way. I've not seen any like them that I can remember.

Harry

[Dean Romig]

Thanks Harry. The barrels are believed to be some of the barrels that were made by Parker Bros. in the three years between 1877 - 1879. This gun was made in 1880 and most likely used a set of 27" sixteen gauge barrels remaining in stock.

.Parker shotgun, serial number 18719, was ordered by the Simmons Hardware Co. of St. Louis MO on April 21, 1880 and shipped on August 31, 1880. According to Parker Bros. Order Book No. 8, it was a $140 Dollar Grade, Lifter Action Hammer Gun, 16 gauge. It featured Damascus steel barrels with a length of 27 inches.

According to Parker Bros. Stock Book No. 7, the barrel steel was Laminated 3. The stock configuration was a pistol grip and its specifications were: Length of Pull: 14 ¼”, Drop at Heel: 3 ½”, Weight: 6 pounds and 4 ounces. The chokes were patterned RH modified and LH full.

According to Parker Bros. Order Book No. 8, the gun was returned on October 20, 1880 by the Simmons Hardware Co. to put on a rubber butt. The gun was to be returned to D.W. Williams of Clarksville, TN. The price was $5.00. According to Parker Bros. Order Book No. 9, the gun was returned on August 2, 1881 by D.W. Williams to take out dents and rebrown, make perfectly clean inside, and tighten up hammers. The price was $5.00.





.

[Hammer Gun]

Nice gun Dean! Gary