Would Parker have done it?

[John Truitt]

Just stirring up some thoughts.

Would Parker have made or have been willing to make a 28 gauge hammer gun or a 410 bore hammer gun had the request been made.

I understand hammer guns were falling out of favor at the time the 28 and 410 were introduced.

But would Parker have been willing to make one or more?

[OH Osthaus]

I doubt the tooling for a one of would have been practical

[Mills]

Probably, if the price were right and for the right customer. Colt made only one 8 gauge (so I understand) and it was for Grover Cleveland. This was an era where companies aimed to serve the customer

[edgarspencer]

20 gauge hammer guns were made up into the 160,000 SN range, so since there already existed tooling for 0 framed 16 and 20 gauged guns, it wouldn't have required much work to build one in 28 gauge. It may have turned out a little heavy, but certainly no more than an 0 framed hammerless 28 when compared to the typical 0 framed 20.
As there were several American gun makers,and plenty of British and continental makers turning them out, it does make one wonder why Parker never did.

[B. Dudley]

I am sure they would have if a customer wanted one. But i doubt it would be on anything smaller than an 0 frame since that is the smallest hammer gun frame that was built up till then.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Brian Dudley

I am sure they would have if a customer wanted one. But i doubt it would be on anything smaller than an 0 frame since that is the smallest hammer gun frame that was built up till then.

The serial number on this 20-gauge Lifter is 10165 and the pin separation is 18MM which translates to less than 13/16" which is the 0000-frame size. In fact, it is more than 1/16" smaller - which would make it slightly smaller than a 00000-frame size... if Parker had ever even made such a frame size. The frame sizes were determined by firing pin separation at the breech face and are incremental by sixteenths of an inch. The 0-frame has a pin separation of 1" exactly. The 00-frame has a separation of 15/16" exactly... and so on.

My point is that Parker Bros. could have easily made a .410, even in a lifter, if they so desired. That bore size was certainly being made in the British Isles at that time.


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[Mills]

I wonder if one is hiding in the missing records?

[George M. Purtill Member #28]

If the right Connecticut Governor had asked, they would have made it.

[Bill Murphy]

Edgar is right. No tooling neccesary for a 28 gauge hammer gun on the 0 frame. If Dr. Truitt had been around, it would have been a 34" gun.

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Mills Morrison

I wonder if one is hiding in the missing records?

......or under Gary Carmichael's bed