Grade 6 Lifter

[Dean Weber]

This is a new gun to me. I have not yet gotten a letter. Some issues are present and the book is not clear...listing this gun as a 10 gauge when it is a 12. Listing it as damascus when it is laminated. However, it does show it was a 2 barrel set so maybe that explains the damascus. Thought I would share a neat gun show find.

[Breck Gorman]

Love the Parker made in the USA laminated barrels and the gold ball grip. Gorgeous! Great find.

[edgarspencer]

That must be one of the first guns with the radius at water table/standing breach face. Beautiful.

[ArtS]

Originally Posted by Breck Gorman

Love the Parker made in the USA laminated barrels and the gold ball grip. Gorgeous! Great find.

Dean
You have another example of a Damascus graded gun with a set of Parker Laminated barrels. They all seem to be on graded lifters. Mr. Gorman is redoing mine right now (from a D3 grade 10 Gauge). Searching through the posts from the last several yearsI have located a surprising number marked that way, given the relatively few number reported as L grade guns. No way to prove it, but I have personally become convinced that Parker during this period, due either to corporate pride or marketing to try and establish the new barrels, considered them as Damascus barrels unique to them. The fact that all of them I have found posts about are higher grade lifters would fit into this scenario.

Does the grade stamp on the frame agree with the D grading? If so, the other set of barrels may well have been P Laminate too. I have never heard of that. If so, it would have likely been unique with both sets of barrels. It may well be anyway as the only grade 6 with those barrels.

[Pa SxS]

Dean, get a letter! Your questions will be answered. BTW, great gun!

[Dean Weber]

Originally Posted by Arthur Shaffer

Dean
You have another example of a Damascus graded gun with a set of Parker Laminated barrels. They all seem to be on graded lifters. Mr. Gorman is redoing mine right now (from a D3 grade 10 Gauge). Searching through the posts from the last several yearsI have located a surprising number marked that way, given the relatively few number reported as L grade guns. No way to prove it, but I have personally become convinced that Parker during this period, due either to corporate pride or marketing to try and establish the new barrels, considered them as Damascus barrels unique to them. The fact that all of them I have found posts about are higher grade lifters would fit into this scenario.

Does the grade stamp on the frame agree with the D grading? If so, the other set of barrels may well have been P Laminate too. I have never heard of that. If so, it would have likely been unique with both sets of barrels. It may well be anyway as the only grade 6 with those barrels.

I think this gun is too early to show the quality or grade on the water table. TPS page 110.

[ArtS]

Originally Posted by Dean Weber

I think this gun is too early to show the quality or grade on the water table. TPS page 110.

Dean

I wasn't questioning the grade. It is obviously a grade 6. However, the Serialization book shows it as a D6, which I suspect is correct as to the official records. I own 18479 which is a 10 gauge listed as a D3 (and lettered as such). However it has Parker Laminate barrels like yours, also not marked D on the action. It was sold as a Damascus gun, not a Laminated gun. I have seen this reported on a number of higher graded Parkers. For whatever reason, I believe that during this period around 1878 to 1880, Parker was selling their made in house laminate barrels on higher grade Damascus guns with no differentiation between the two. My guess was that it was due to corporate pride or marketing. Given the very few higher grade lifters made, I have seen too many references to this situation to make it seem like an anomoly. I had never really tried to find out, but does anyone know of an actual factory L graded gun in this period that has Parker laminated barrels?

[David Noble]

Dean, I imagine you know, but wanted to bring it to your attention just in case.
Your Grade 6 hammer gun is featured on the back cover of the
Parker Gun Identification and Serialization book and mentioned by serial number on the Credits page of that book.


Here you go.

[Harold Pickens]

Outstanding Dean, what are your plans for it? What are the other specs--barrel length, chokes, weight, etc. Wouldnt it be great to take a limit of big, old SD roosters with it.

[Dean Weber]

Originally Posted by Harold Lee Pickens

Outstanding Dean, what are your plans for it? What are the other specs--barrel length, chokes, weight, etc. Wouldnt it be great to take a limit of big, old SD roosters with it.

Harold, plans? I went to a gun show, fell in love, probably paid too much for it and came home with it. Unsure if anybody has done the same……all kidding aside, I hope to do just as you suggested!

30 inch bbls, about M/M for choke. Bores measures where I would expect it. Weighs 7/8. Stock has a 2 7/8 drop and a 14 lop to a SSBP.