1883 Grade 2 Hammer Gun ?

[Mark Conrad]

Michael, welcome to the forum. I do the research letters.

I have not researched your gun but in all likelyhood it was ordered by a large dealer either in CA or MO and sold directly to the first owner or to a hardware store. If the gun was returned for repairs, there is a better chance of your grandfathers name showing up in the records. Most of the grade 3 guns or lower do not have names of the owners in the order but it does happen. I any event, it would be interesting to see where the gun was shipped and if it came back for repairs.

Have the gun checked out by a gunsmith. If the barrels are sound, you can safely shoot low pressure loads that are either reloads or made by RST.

Mark Conrad

BTW, we need more hammer gun shooters at the Challenge!!!!!!!!

[Bill Murphy]

Who is this well known gunsmith who couldn't extract your hammer screw? Watch out for those "well known gunsmiths" who can't do common machinist's chores.

[Jim Kucaba]

Michael ... If you've got your heart set on shooting your grandfather's Parker, you can have the barrels sleeved by a barrel specialist like Kirk Merrington, but be forewarned, having barrels sleeved isn't cheap ... Another thing you can do is buy a set of Briley tubes that slip into the barrels ... That's a little less expensive, but it's still not cheap.

Jim Kucaba ... AriZOOna Cactus Patch ... Email: JimKucaba@aol.com

[Michael Collins]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Who is this well known gunsmith who couldn't extract your hammer screw? Watch out for those "well known gunsmiths" who can't do common machinist's chores.

The gun went to him with the screw missing. It came back with the hammer properly mounted but the head of that screw sheared from the threads. I just noticed it when I pulled the gun from its case recently.

[Michael Collins]

Originally Posted by Mark Conrad

Michael, welcome to the forum. I do the research letters.

I have not researched your gun but in all likelyhood it was ordered by a large dealer either in CA or MO and sold directly to the first owner or to a hardware store. If the gun was returned for repairs, there is a better chance of your grandfathers name showing up in the records. Most of the grade 3 guns or lower do not have names of the owners in the order but it does happen. I any event, it would be interesting to see where the gun was shipped and if it came back for repairs.

Have the gun checked out by a gunsmith. If the barrels are sound, you can safely shoot low pressure loads that are either reloads or made by RST.

Mark Conrad

BTW, we need more hammer gun shooters at the Challenge!!!!!!!!

Thank you, Mark. I will get the letter request off with a check and work on getting some photos posted as well. If your instincts are correct, the gun was likely purchased in Los Angeles where my great grandfather lived from his emigration in 1873 until his death in 1933.