A very good friend and knowledgable collector called me from the Louisville gun show last weekend about a BH Parker he saw because he knows I love the B grades. He started describing the gun and after the parts about cyanide coloring and 29 3/16" Titanic barrels I told him I "probably wasn't interested. Then I asked him what the serial number was. He mistakenly told me it was 85,331. That number struck me immediately as a very early gun for Titanic barrels. I checked the Serialization book but there was no entry for the gun. I searched this site for information re: the introduction of Titanic Steel barrels and dicovered that "about" 1897 was when they were introduced. The gun, being a 1896 gun now had my interest. I asked my friend to verify the serial number only to find it was actually 84,331. I assumed it had be re-barreled and asked him to send some pictures of the barrels. To my novice eye they appeared a little unusual with limited markings and I told him if the gun seemed sound and he could buy it right, I'd take it. It was, he could and now I own it and couldn't be happier. Cyanide color, poorly recheckered and all. Here she is, the earliest documented Titanium Parker of any grade.
About the barrels, they measure 29 3/16 but don't appear to be cut. In the right barrel my Skeets gauge needle started moving at 4 1/2 inches from the muzzle, restriction was .010 at 1 5/8", .020 at 5/8' and .030 at the muzzle. The left barrel started moving at 4 3/4", .010 at 1 1/8", .020 at 5/8' and .030 at the muzzle.
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Never say never with Parkers
Threaded Mode