1883 Grade 2 Hammer Gun ?

[Michael Collins]

I am a new member to this great forum. I have not yet sent for a Research Letter, which I just learned can be acquired; that will be my next task. Until then, I was hoping to get straightened out on the identification/valuation of this gun, as the markings have me confused. I believe it to be an 1883 Grade 2, G, top action hammer gun.

Serial numbers are all consistent, and the #36858 makes it a model produced in 1883. The barrels are Damascus Steel, 30", and the stamped weight on the flats is 4 6. To the left of the barrel weight stamp are the Initials D and J (the latter appearing to the top and right of the D, right up against the locks).

I surmise the frame size to be 1, the number stamped on the barrel lug. However, to the left of the 1 are what appear to be two other numbers, curiously stamped. The first stamp on the lug looks like an upside down 4, while the second looks like a 6 or 9 stamped sideways. These are, of course, the same numbers as the barrel weight numbers, but the manner in which they are stamped is odd.

I believe the gun to be 12 gauge, as the bore appears to be right at .750, and 12ga. snap caps fit comfortably in the chambers. (More on the snap caps follows.) Everything is right and tight, the stock tightly to the frame, and the barrels fitting tight and secure. However, it appears the head of the left hammer screw sheared off, leaving the threads/body within the hammer mount. Fortunately, the hammer survives.

The gun has the typical embellishments, I believe, of the G grade, including the white metal shield and dog's head butt plate. Engraving of the left frame side depicts two quail in tall grass, while the right frame side is engraved with two ducks in flight (aka "the flying turnips"?)

Hoping it might again be fired, I took it to a well-known,local gunsmith who was highly regarded. He did a very nice job of cleaning it up, but found what appears to be a faint, but distinct line on the right inside of the left barrel. It is likely a crack, he believes. Both barrels have suffered some pitting. Since I found the gun wrapped in towels in the rafters of my grandfather's garage many years after he had died, I was not too taken aback by this sad news. The gunsmith told me not to fire it, and smiled as he told me I had a wonderful display gun I could dry fire with the snap caps he provided!

Anybody able to offer some thoughts on this gun? Since I believe it belonged to my great grandfather (I need the letter for verification, of course) I do not intend to part with it. Indeed, I paid good money to have it totally stripped down, cleaned up and put back together again with the hope of firing it. I have wonderful pictures of the gun parts nicely laid out and photographed during the "restoration". But do I now have only a wall hangar? Or is this gun worthy of being fitted with another set of barrels, and at what cost, if they are available? Of lesser worry for now,are the hammer screws available, and how to extract the threaded screw shaft?

Your valuable insights would be greatly appreciated.
Regards:
Michael Collins (also the name of my great grandfather, who likely purchased this gun here in California 127 years ago)

[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

[Richard Flanders]

Don't give up on it yet Michael. Can you post some pictures here for us to see? Where are you? Someone here can likely recommend a gunsmith who knows guns like that if your location is known. The broken hammer screw is no problem and can be easily removed. Getting a new one is problematic but not impossible.

[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 Richard Flanders

Don't give up on it yet Michael. Can you post some pictures here for us to see? Where are you? Someone here can likely recommend a gunsmith who knows guns like that if your location is known. The broken hammer screw is no problem and can be easily removed. Getting a new one is problematic but not impossible.

I'm a fourth generation California, my great grandfather having emigrated to Los Angeles in 1873. He was a stage and "hack" driver in those early days, and owned a feed and livery store. Wear marks on the stock suggest to me he might have carried the gun on his stage trips.

[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.