11-Gauge Parkers

Richard B. Hoover · 03-20-2012, 08:57 PM

It is great to get back into the World of Parkers and to renew old friendships. I am still trying to learn more about the early Parker Underlifter Hammer Guns, particularly the 11-Ga. Parkers. I am glad to see that the PGCA has grown so much in the past several years since I drifted away to Antarctica. (I fell under an ice sheet and had trouble getting back up.) I am hoping that now that many more underlifter Parkers have come to light maybe the members of PGCA can help in solving many of the 11-Ga. mysteries.

With the sole exception of the almost mythical 13-Ga., the 11-Ga is possibly the rarest and most mis-understood of all the Parker gauges. Only 114 of them are listed in the Parker Story and so designated in the serialization. However it is clear that many than this number were made. Several 11 Ga. Parkers that we have identified have very low (2 or 3-digit) Serial Numbers. These are of course not included in the records. Most of the 11 Ga. Parkers that are in the records that were made before 1874 were very low grade guns. Many were Back Action and had Decarbonized Steel or Plain Twist barrels. Most of these early 11-Ga Parkers were probably just discarded when it became difficult to get shells for them and have been lost forever. The late Bill Furnish and I found that several of his guns were 11-Ga. Parkers. Several had cylindrical 0.751” diameter bores (and some were full-length tapered bores like the Poker Parker #3561 and measured approx. 0.751” as measured 9 inches from the breech). Many of these guns were listed in Stock Books as either 12-Ga or 10-Ga guns---even though they had chambers that were 0.825” to 0.830” diameter and were clearly made to use with the 11 Ga. paper (11A Brass) shotshells. For some as yet undiscovered reason, many of these 11 Ga. guns were listed as either 10 or 12 Ga. guns in the stock records. Why was this done??

I would very much like to hear from any PGCA members who have (or think you may have) an 11-Ga. Parkers. Even if you do not have a bore gauge, you should check the chambers of your Underlifter Parkers. If a modern 12-Ga. shell just rattles around in the chamber the gun should be examined more carefully. It may be an 11-Ga., unless of course already you know it is 10-Ga. I only know of fewer than 20 of the 11-Ga. Parkers. Most are from the Furnish Collection and are now in the Cody Museum. I would love to hear about any other 11-Ga Parkers that have been discovered. Also any information about the early Parkers with full length tapered bores is of great interest. It would be very nice to get pattern information on these guns for comparison with other types of chokes.

Richard B. Hoover
256-337-4082 (Cell)

Autumn Daze · 03-20-2012, 09:18 PM

Richard, Glad to see you found your way back to the world of Parkers. We spoke several times years ago and I often wondered where you had ventured of to.

Richard Flanders · 03-20-2012, 09:20 PM

Glad to have you back Richard. Art Mortvedt and I were talking about you a couple of days ago.

SunnyIdaho · 03-20-2012, 10:01 PM

glad I'm not the only curious one on the 11 gauge. Was reading in my Cartridge collectors book and it mentions only 2 ,11 gauge shotguns to exist and that there was only about 240 rounds produced. So if there are that many documented shotguns then the writers are way off. Glad the frozen waters thru you back to the living. Ray

Hammer Gun · 03-20-2012, 10:25 PM

Richard, after our conversation this AM, could not help but check the Parker Story Vol 2, pg 1004 of the appendix, Show's 161 11ga guns and 131 14ga guns, again as you say on 11ga no numbers below 2000 and the same with the 14ga no numbers below 4702. Knowing that several of both gauges were made in the low ser# range, I feel that these numbers could be challenged. My 11ga is 3000 number range and my 14 is 1147 with dam brls.

Autumn Daze · 03-20-2012, 10:45 PM

I owned Rons lifter in the 3000 range and sold it to a gent in Atlanta years ago. I wonder if he still has it. This was the gun mentioned in Richards Parker Pages article on 11 gauge guns back in the early days of the PGCA.

Hammer Gun · 03-21-2012, 05:53 AM

Dave, if I remember correctly the elusive 13ga was in that ser # range too!

Richard B. Hoover · 03-21-2012, 10:23 AM

Richard,

Tell Art I am fine. I retired from NASA in January and now have more time for Parkers and Brittany pups.

Thanks for your post. I enjoyed seeing your beautiful Parkers while I was in Alaska a few years ago.

Richard

Richard B. Hoover · 03-21-2012, 10:34 AM

Ray,

There were clearly at least 200 11-Ga. Parkers produced, but many of them were chambered for 12A or 10A shotshells. Some were chambered for 11A brass shells or 11 paper shells. I have seen one of the 11A brass shells but it had no headstamp. I have never seen an 11 paper shell and would love to know if you have ever seen one or knows anyone who has one? Since there are a number of guns chambered for them, they had to have existed, but the paper shells had little chance of surviving. I suspect the 12A paper shells from the early 1870's are also rare as hens teeth.

Richard

Richard B. Hoover · 03-21-2012, 10:41 AM

Gary,

Thanks. I looked at the pics of your beautiful Grade 6 20 Ga. It is wonderful. I am still trying to learn how to use the system here and still do not know how to include photos. When I find out I will attach some images of the interesting for end of 3561 for you to see.

Richard