Interesting DH comparison. 2 3 dog d grade 12 gauges made 10 years apart

[King Cobb]

I don't expect any of this to be earth shattering or recordbreaking, but I decided to start comparing parts and features of my 2 parker 3 dog DH 12 gauges. The first was made in 1889 and the second a decade later in 1899.

The 1889 gun is to my knowledge completely original including the damascus pattern. It has 30 inch barrels, weighs in at 7lbs 10 ounces and has 14" length of pull and a DAH of 3". The barrel weight marking is 4 lbs 5 ounces and it is a 1 frame.

The 1899 gun is a pretty gun that I am fairly certain has had some refinishing/restoration work done on it. I bought it as a shooter and the price reflected such. Anyway, it has 28" barrels, weighs in at 6lbs 8 ounces has a 15" LOP and a 3.5" DAH. The barrel weight marking on it is 3lbs 7 ounces and it is a 1 frame.

Both guns are D4 damascus and have the C marking stamped on the barrels. The water tables do differ though, as the 1889 gun has the 1875 patent date as well as the 1887 and 1889 while the 1899 gun has only the 1887 and 1889 dates. While they are both 1 frames, you can also notice a distinct difference in the size of the water tables. The 1899 gun's water table is not as wide or quite as thick as the 1889 gun.

Concerning the barrels, the damascus pattern is different between both guns. I don't know if this is a different county between the two or just they were made differently, but the 1889 gun seems much tighter pattern vs. the 1899 gun. I am not as knowledgeable of damascus barrels as I would like despite my reading on this forum and Dr. Drew's site. What truly did surprise me though, and I may just not remember this from TPS or this forum, was the fact that the ribs on the 1889 gun are narrower then the ribs on the 1899 gun. In addition, the circle where the dolls head was attached is visible on the 1889 gun but not the 1899 gun, though I suspect this may be due to refinishing the 1899 barrels as there is a definite damascus pattern under the roll marks on it as opposed to being no damascus pattern under the roll marks of the 1889 gun. The barrels of the 1899 gun are much thinner at the muzzle which makes sense for a set of barrels that were almost a lb lighter. The 1889 gun has a larger silver sight and has the space at the end of the roll marks, whereas the 1899 gun has no space, but neither barrels are cut.

Engraving wise they are different, the 1889 gun has the parker name above the dogs and less scroll work whereas the 1899 gun has the name on the ribbon and is covered with scroll work. The dogs are similar, though the 1889 gun to my eye has finer detail on it. Both guns were made while Gough was at parker and he may have worked on them according to TPS, but there is no signature. The 1899 gun has more engraving overall, especially in regards to the forearm iron. The 1889 iron doesn't have a patent date on it though it does number to the gun, the 1899 gun has more engraving, but not as finely done.

Checkering is the same, though I believe the 1899 gun has definitely been refinished on its wood.

Anyway, pictures are below, first picture in each should be the 1889 gun and the 1899 gun should be the 2nd one unless it is just one picture of both guns. In a few of the pictures if having trouble telling which gun is which, the brighter redder stock is always the 1899 gun. Hopefully the posting format holds.

I just found it to be an interesting comparison so I thought I would share. Hope you enjoyed it.