PARKER BROS. SN 0229

[George Lander]

Today I reacquired Parker Bros. SN 0229 lifter action hammergun. It is a 12 gauge w/ 28 " barrels marked: "Parker Bros. Makers Meridan Conn. Decarbonized Steel" on the top rib. The lifter pin comes thru the top of the action

I originally acquired this gun from the James Parker Collection auction at James Julia's several years ago. Any info that anyone might have on this gun would be appreciated, especially why the zero before the rest of the serial number.

Best Regards, George

[Fishtail]

I don't know but I have 0219 in similar configuration. Rough shape but not yet recyclable shape.

[charlie cleveland]

them are some early guns fellas lowest number i ve run across is the 11 ga i got from brian it s no. is 1500..my gun also has that pin that sticks up when lifter latch is raised.. charlie

[David Noble]

George, I once owned # 229. It was a twelve guage gun that had a gouge on the outside of one of the barrels and the front lug that contacts the pivot pin had a chip off the end. The stock had several spliced in pieces around the top tang.
Is this the gun you have?

[Dean Romig]

A significant number of the two and three digit serial numbered Parkers have the 0 (zero) prefix. It was probably put there so as to avoid any confusion that the serial number might be two-thousand, two-hundred, ninety-something, in the case of your gun. Prefixing the serial number with the 0 should dispel any such question.

[George Lander]

Thanks Dean. David, what you describe sounds like my gun but the SN is definitely 0229 and it came out of the James Parker collection.

Best Regards, George

[David Noble]

George, I believe the serial of the gun that I previously owned was 0229. In my records I recorded it as 229 but that was just a hurried list I made before leaving on a trip.
I don't have any ancient history on your gun, only the time period of about a quarter century ago, but I do remember the gun well. I acquired it from a good friend and shooting companion named Lawton Williams somewhere around the mid 1980's. Lawton was an avid Parker collector and was my mentor in that area. We bought, sold and traded guns between us on a regular basis. Lawton had much deeper pockets than I then, but he always treated me fairly on the lower end guns from his collection that I could afford.
Lawton was a country western songwriter and music publisher and was partner in a recording studio in Nashville.
Lawton wrote several top hits for other artists starting in the 1950's including "Fraulein" recorded by Bobby Helms, "Farewell Party" by Gene Watson, "Senor Santa Clause" by Jim Reeves, "Geisha Girl" by Hank Locklin, "Shame On Me" by Bobby Bare, and several other songs of note. Lawton recorded an album of his songs called "Mending Fences" about 4 years or so before his death in 2007. I sold # 229 sometime around 2002 to a friend named Roger Parker who was a PGCA member. (I was not at that time). I do not know if he is any relation to James Parker. Roger bought a couple of other Parker guns from me including a "T-Latch" number 70 I believe, and a Try-gun complete with tools and pouch. I lost touch with Roger around 2005 when he moved from the area.
Again, I don't know what information you were looking for but you said "any info" so I've given you what I know. Best regards, David

[George Lander]

David: Thank you so much for the history of what we believe to be the same gun. I also bought two "T-Latch" guns from the same auction. I will have to look at my records to see if one was No. 70. I remember selling one of them to a PGCA Member who is now deceased. I will keep your message here with the gun.

Best Regards, George