New Member/Inherited Early 10ga.

[Jeffrey H. Smith]

Though I'm a new member, I've recently been taking the time to learn as much about my Parker as I can. This gun I inherited from my father 3 yrs. ago, it's been sitting in the back of my gun safe waiting for me to have the time to research it thoroughly. I just retired this past November, now that time has come.

How my family came about this Parker is as follows: My Grandmother was an independent antique dealer working out of her home in upstate New York. My father had always told her if she came across any old guns in her travels to call him and describe what she'd found. Well sometime in the late 60's or early 70's she called and explained an old rusty double barrel Shotgun with the words "Parker Brothers " engraved on the side. My Dad immediately told her buy that gun. I don't know what she paid but I don't think very much, like probably no more than $100 bucks. Turns out that's likely what this gun sold for in 1874!!

So my Dad cleaned it up, tuned up the wood with hand-rubbed LinSpeed oil and put it over the mantle of our fireplace for near forty years. Damascus barrels so he never believed he could safely shoot it.

[]Here are the specifics: 10 ga. Lifter (2.5" chambers) likely early Grade D or 3 or $100 grade. Gun Dog engravings, sculptured barrel bolsters, skeleton butt plate. The sidelocks are in great shape, can see some wear on hammer faces due to shooting at some time, the right hammer being worn more due to right-handed shooter? Left side considerably less so whoever it was, was likely a good shot. There are two barrel sets with this gun, the original seemingly cut down to 23". The second barrel is 30".

Everything bears the same serial number, even the extra barrel & forearm, that SR# being 4084. So I think the gun was manufactured in 1874 according to the references on this site.

There may be more talking points to this gun, but for now let's get some pictures uploaded for you to see......

Please feel free to post comments and questions, share any knowledge or familiarity you might have of guns of this grade and vintage. I have more pics, watertables, forearms, barrel ends, ribs etc... and can post more at your request. I'm just really excited about this gun and really would like to take it out with the 23" barrels for grouse and that 30" barrel to smoke a Spring Gobbler with this Spring! (If it is deemed shoot-able by DelGrego's here in Ilion, NY and if I can find ammo for it. I plan to take a run to Ilion and have the DelGrego's evaluate it in the near future. Ilion is only a touch over 100 miles from my home.)

Thank you in advance for any help that can be provided.

Regards,
Jeffrey Smith

[Dean Romig]

A very nice grade 3. You should order a research letter on it.






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[Pa SxS]

Very nice D grade gun with a ball grip. Has anybody seen this engraving pattern before?

[B. Dudley]

Very nice graded lifter! And it looks to be in very good condition too.

The oddly short length of the one barrel set suggests cutting. I woild not think a 10g to be ordered in 23" length. But, it could be. The 30" set with additional forend could likely have been added by the factory. Either at original manufscture or later on. If you can get a letter for the gun, you should, it would likely have a lot of interesting info in it.

Before you go trecking to DelGregos with it, you may want to at least check with them on it first as i do not believe that they work on any Damascus barreled guns.

Are you in NY? what area?

[Dean Romig]

Chuck, I have not. The shape of the game scene vignette reminds me of a late Ithaca hammerless.






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[Pa SxS]

Unfortunately there is no order book for this gun, only the stock book and the information is limited to the basic build specs and targeting info.

[edgarspencer]

I love those hammers.

[Bindlestiff]

One word of caution about the gun. The early guns Parker made have a sharp 90 degree corner where the breach meets the frame and that was a serious design flaw. It didn't take them long to change the sharp corner into a small radius to stop the possibility of the frame cracking at the sharp corner. Your gun has a sharp corner.

I have similar Parker's and shoot them but I take care not to put to much of a load on them; I hunt with them but I don't shoot clays with them; just to keep the odds low that the metal might fail. I strongly recommend you use low pressure loads, I shoot RST shells in mine and have yet to have a problem.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by edgarspencer

I love those hammers.

Yes, me too! Especially the right one - it is exactly the style I'm current looking for.





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[Jeffrey H. Smith]

Thank you all that have replied so far. I'll respond to your inquiries and work on getting more pics uploaded.

-I live in Virgil, NY about 10 miles South of Cortland

-I think the dog engravings are superior in anatomical accuracy to others I've seen. Some almost look "cartoonish" to me. This gun the dogs have proper posture, body conformation, head size proportion, expression and accurate settings. The Setter is very nice especially the black patch over the eye, signature marking and reminiscent of the dog I grew up with and hunted pheasant over as a kid with my Dad. The Golden retriever scene on bottom of trigger guard is one of the best scenes I've seen, looks almost like a
pintail in the dog's mouth, the marsh scene ,with the ducks overhead is very nice.

-I would be interested to see more engravings from this vintage and era that might be the same engraver if anyone might have something.

- As for DelGrego's I plan to call before going up. I thought maybe they could help me sort out and evaluate the gun and barrels for shoot ability at least. There is also some hairline cracks in the stock for them to look at. I can post pics of those eventually.

-I'm confused on the research letter, this website indicated there were factory records surviving on my gun, yet the Research Chairman posted that there was no order book information. So.... will it be worth requesting the research letter still?? I'm a little confused here.

- As for the ammo, my gun chamber measures 2 1/2" and the only ammo on theRST site is 2 7/8" length and $13/box. Can this be used in my gun? Otherwise, I did find 2 1/2" ammo on Buffalo Ammo Co. except these are $33/box. That's almost 3x's as much as the RST ammo. Any advise here??

Again, thank you for your posts and comments, I look forward to more dialogue with more pictures.

What a great forum of friendly knowledgeable people with a common interest willing to help . Thanks Again.

Jeffrey Smith