3" magnum load

[MarketHunter]

Andrew,

Good to see another duck hunter on the forum.

A Smith Long Range or Wildfowl usually isn't too hard to find, a Fox HE on the other hand is a rare bird.

Destry

[Don Kaas]

I actually handled a late Remington Parker 12g VHE (238,???) factory marked for 3" shells yesterday at the Vintagers. It was a straight grip, slim factory beavertail, single trigger with a Hawkins pad. It was built on a 1 1/2 frame with 30" mod and full barrels. This is a very rare gun and you would not get much change from $11k if you purchased it. I almost bought it but came away with a 36" #6 frame DH 8 gauge with unique waterfowl factory engraving for about the same money instead. DH grade 8 bores aren't the most common of Parkers but I am pretty sure I am correct in saying a fully option 3" Magnum 12 gauge is the rarer bird.

[J.B. Books]

What is the earliest known production of a factory Parker 3" Magnum 12 ga ie. specifically built for the 3" magnum, no swamp in the barrels at the breech and stamped for 3" shells?

[Don Kaas]

I do not know but I doubt it was before 1934 unless a special order and after 1919 information on special orders is scarce. I have examined two "12 ga for 3" shells" guns and both actually had slight swamping in the breech area forward of the chambers but without measuring wall thicknesses it was just a visual observation. The few "10ga for 3 1/2" shells" guns I have seen including Destry's GH which I see often are pretty "straight sided".

[J.B. Books]

I was once able to observe "Babe" DelGrego as he evaluated/determined the originality of a magnum 12ga. According to Babe the barrels for a magnum 12 would have no swamp at the breach. I believe this is also mentioned in Parker Story. I asked Babe directly if such barrels were marked and stamped in the late 20's and he said yes. I am curious to know if anyone has or knows of a gun that is so stamped, original, and earliest year built.

I wonder if guns stamped for 3" that swamp at the breech have been legthened and stamped after they were built?

[Don Kaas]

I have had a number of early heavy 12 gauge (and one 20) Parkers on 2 and 3 frames mostly "pigeon guns" that lettered with either 3" or 2 7/8" chambers. Not one of them had any external markings indicating chamber length...not one... I always found Babe Delgrego to be a helpful and delightful fellow but occasionally a bit dogmatic. The marked 12 gauge for 3" shell gun I viewed yesterday along with professionally trained gunsmith, Russ Bickel caused us both to remark how even on a 1 1/2 frame the barrel breeches could not be said to be "straight sided". I even put a straight edge against the breeches and it appeared to be very slightly swamped but perhaps somewhat more forward of the breech than a normal 1 1/2 frame gun. I wish we could have measure the BWT at the chamber ends.

[Jack Johnson]

I believe there is a Fox model H Super Fox on Guns America . Is has just been priced reduced to $5400. I purchased my LC Smith Long Range for quite a bit less than this but I would love to own the Super Fox one day.

[King Brown]

Seventy years of gunning tells me there may be places for a 3-inch magnum but I haven't found one where I was at a disadvantage with 2 3/4 12 gauge shells. Magnums are noisy, expensive, punishing and, in a sense, abusive of fine guns. Parkers are fine guns.