CYLINDER AND CYLINDER IN A LOT OF UNCUT LIFTERS

[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.