Parker 12A Brass Shell

[Researcher]

Primer styles and technology was evolving in the 1880s.

In the 1880 Union Metallic Cartridge Co. catalog, their brass shotgun shells were offered in three primer versions -- for Berdan or Orcutt in most common sizes 12 cents each, Sturtevant in most common sizes 15 cents each, and Buffington in most common sizes 16 1/2 cents each.

By the 1882 catalog Buffington is gone and there are shells made for the Wesson #2 primer for 10 cents each in most common sizes.

In the 1884 UMC catalog there were four styles of brass shells -- for UMC (Wesson) No. 2; Berdan No. 1 1/2; Sturtevant using breech-loading shell cap and Sturtevant-Berdan using No. 1 1/2 Berdan primer.

From the best I can tell your shell is the Sturtevant style for use with the Breech-Loading Shell Cap.

Perhaps the correct answer is in those notebooks Bill Jolliff is giving away!!