Hinge Pin not Engraved/Finished

[Jeffrey H. Smith]

Having viewed many pictures of Parkers in the past couple years now, I'm wondering the significance of my gun's unengraved hinge pin. This 10 ga. lifter was built jn 1874, considered a $105 dollar grade gun I am told. It has also been suggested this gun has a little "extra" engraving for its grade.
So why wasn't the hinge pin pivot engraved or finished up better? I really don't think I've seen others where this has been left unfinished. Is this due to a "cobblers" replacement? In later years it seems the unique character of the hinge pin attributes was a signature aspect of Parker details. One can identify a later vintage Parker right away by the recessed hinge pin and engraving usually associated with it. So again I wonder why this gun seems left unfinished. Please offer any explanations any of you might have.
Additionally, there is another set pin that I'm unsure the name of that is right between the two hammers and bolsters on the top of the breech at the beginning of the sighting plane. There is engraving nearby this pin, but none to "cover" or blend it into the finish of the gun. Perhaps all the engraving was done before assembly and then these two pins get finished after assembly? But in the case of my gun for whatever reason neither were finished up by the engraver after assembly?
Please provide any thoughts or explanations for this, thank you.
Oh, and please tell me the proper name of that pin between the hammers.

And... in the one pic you can see the hammer faces, and tell the extent of use of each hammer/barrel. I have no idea what to speculate here but some of you may be able to quantify the amount of use each of these barrels have seen based on the strike wear. Please share any thoughts any of you might have here as well.
Some of you might recognize this gun as I've posted regarding it in the past couple years on various aspects of it. I'm just trying to learn as much as I can about my gun. Though it's been in my family over 40yrs, there is very little I know of the gun's prior history. My late Grandmother was an antiquer and came across it and bought if for my late father sometime in the late 60's early 70's about all I know. I have a stock letter on it but no order letter available.

[Dean Romig]

Serial no. 5548 began the new recessed style of hinge pin, or pintle.





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[B. Dudley]

Your guns hinge pin is considered to be typical of other guns made in that era.

[TxHuntermn]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Serial no. 5548 began the new recessed style of hinge pin, or pintle.



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Dean, my $125 grade 10 bore lifter is gun 5392, and is a “hinge pin” gun. My gun also does not show a “pin” in the false rib extension like Jeff’s!

So!! Do I own the earliest known “hinge pin” gun??.

[edgarspencer]

Whether it's the original hinge pin or not, I couldn't speculate, but someone has knocked it out somewhat.

[Jeffrey H. Smith]

Thank you all for your replies.....

I knew there was improvement to the hinge pin design and finishing at some point, just didn't know when that occurred. So thanks for that detail Dean, although maybe you'll have a different answer for that question in the future considering Mark's gun.

And thanks Brian for confirming the pin in my gun is period correct for that era of Parker's as you have examined my gun first hand.

Though I'd hoped my post would have generated some discussion on the other points in it, at least it revealed for Mark that his gun may hold some significance in the timeline of Parker redesigning the hinge pin.

[Dean Romig]

Nearly all periods of design change overllapped considerably. Some early guns were sent back to Parker Bros. in order to retrofit a a new design feature if it were possible to do so. On the early lifters with the pin that protruded from the toop of the frame between the breech balls the feature was kept even after the new design eliminated the pin lifting when the action was opened. Parker already had a significant number of frames with that hole drilled so Parker, being always cost conscious, opted to fill that hole with a permanently secured pin until the supply of those frames ran out.





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[TxHuntermn]

Wow Dean, that is interesting! I am going to look at my gun with a mag glass and see if I can make out whether or not there is a filled hole and then engraved. My gun does have the 3/23/75 patent, that I assume is the design for the hinge pin frame.

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by edgarspencer

Whether it's the original hinge pin or not, I couldn't speculate, but someone has knocked it out somewhat.

To clarify what I said above, and hope you weren't offended, the hinge pin has been pushed out, and judging from the peened over right side, some difficulty was encountered putting it (or a replacement) back in. Each end is intended to be flush.
These pictures, taken from the Grade section of the home page, illustrate what I'm trying to say. In your second picture, above, it's apparent it is recessed somewhat, meaning it was not reinstalled properly. Not a complicated fix.