CYLINDER AND CYLINDER IN A LOT OF UNCUT LIFTERS

[Bill Murphy]

The records will tell us how guns were chokes originally. If you have a big frame cylinder and cylinder gun, request a letter to see how it was originally bored. Rich's .729 1880 gun is not the norm in my experience.

[Researcher]

Normally, Parker Bros. guns up to about 1893 were made considerably overbore, for use with black powder loaded brass shells with one gauge larger wads. My 1889 vintage 12-gauge GH-Grade is .757". If one attempts to measure (?) the chokes of these earlier guns with a plug type choke gauge they will look cylinder at least. On the other hand, my Grandfather's 1890 vintage heavy 30-inch barrel PH-Grade, when I got a letter on it from Ron Kirby, was ordered cylinder and cylinder, I suspect for shooting pumpkin balls.

Once smokeless powders for and paper shotshells began taking hold in the early 1890s, Parker Bros. began to bore true to gauge.

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Dave Noreen

Normally, Parker Bros. guns up to about 1893 were made considerably overbore, for use with black powder loaded brass shells with one gauge larger wads. My 1889 vintage 12-gauge GH-Grade is .757". If one attempts to measure (?) the chokes of these earlier guns with a plug type choke gauge they will look cylinder at least. On the other hand, my Grandfather's 1890 vintage heavy 30-inch barrel PH-Grade, when I got a letter on it from Ron Kirby, was ordered cylinder and cylinder, I suspect for shooting pumpkin balls.

Once smokeless powders for and paper shotshells began taking hold in the early 1890s, Parker Bros. began to bore true to gauge.

Thanks Dave,

That is what I am suspecting as well; the gun shops or individuals, very few of which have tools to measure the bores, are sticking a brass gauge down the ends and saying cylinder and cylinder, when there is really choke there due to the larger inside bore diameter.