Got my letter on 59683--let's talk!!
I received my letter the other day on PH # 59683. It's an early 12 ga. PH shipped in Feb of 1890. It has the early unslotted one piece hinge pin. It meets all the letter specs except the barrels and ejectors--and that is what prompted me to purchase the gun. It's got 30 inch Vulcan steel barrels that are correctly serial numbered. It was also converted to ejectors, I assume when it was re-barreled. The forend latch has the patent date of March 26. 1876. The ejector forend iron--also numbered 59683--has the patent date of May 7, 1901--which I understand from the Parker Story is the correct date for the ejectors. The gun has a number 1 frame and weighs 7lbs with the 30" Vulcan barrels. I was hoping that the Parker records might have shown the gun coming in for these modifications. It seems pretty evident that these are factory changes to the gun. Everything else seems as it was when it left Meriden in 1890. The grip cap looks correct and original to the gun, but is not marker Parker Brothers and is brownish in color! I'd love to hear from others who have updated/factory altered guns. Are there any earlier guns with ejectors out there? I plan on chasing birds with it come this fall and have a nice supply of Gamebore shells to put through her! I hope to see many of you at the Southern SxS. Thanks for any comments you deem appropriate.
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