Are Remington game loads safe to shoot in my Parker?

[Bill Murphy]

The original poster asked about Remington 16 gauge game loads. Remington 16 gauge game loads are very acceptable in Parker shotguns. I last bought these shells at Dick's, where Pete shops. I paid about $5.00 a box plus tax. They are probably a bit higher now. Dick's also has a rebate program if we choose to participate. Yesterday, I bought Federal 20 gauge four packs at Walmart for $19.94 plus tax. These are also very acceptable 1200 fps loads. The Federal Top Gun 12 gauge 7/8 ounce, 1200 fps loads are delevered to our gun club for $5.65 a box. These three bargain loads cover all 12, 16, and 20 gauge shooting for my Parkers.

[Bruce Day]

If a person looks at what Parker recommended they will find that it is a 1 oz 2 1/2 dr load or a 7/8 oz 2 1/2 dr load but most Damascus and fluid 1 and. 0 frAme were designed for the 1 oz load. A 1 oz 2 3/4 dr load is still within the Parker service load charts but I have seen that few people check those and instead offer up their own ideas

[Leighton Stallones]

I shoot Fiocchi 1 oz ammo in my 16 ga and it is great for short chambers. The fired case is only 2 5/8 inches and the pressures are mild.

[Bruce Day]

If a person takes the effort to read what Parker said they will find that Parkers stated that " a good bird load " is a 1 oz 2 3/4 dr for the 12 ga.

These are available today from many sources. I have cases of rems like that.


Source : Parker small bore shot gun brochure.

[Bruce Day]

WHAT!!! And your gun did not blow up, the stock did not fall apart? How can that be??

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

WHAT!!! And your gun did not blow up, the stock did not fall apart? How can that be??

That is kind of funny. I think I recall seeing a picture of some guy in a crash helmet and padded clothing shooting a damascus gun for the first time, he kind of looked like you Bruce. I guess we are long way from that day.

[King Cobb]

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

WHAT!!! And your gun did not blow up, the stock did not fall apart? How can that be??

While I understand the barrels and actions and gun were originally built to handle such loads, Bruce are you saying that a 100+ year old stock is in as good of condition to handle recoil as it was when it was new?

I am not arguing you on this, I am merely inquiring as you have much more knowledge and experience of this then I do, however, I would think that just as with 100-200 year old wood furniture my family has, it doesn't hurt to treat the wood a little more gently then when it was first made.

If I am mistaken in this belief I welcome the education. However, I imagine there isn't really any way to tell if a stock head will split prior to shooting it and I would just as well shoot a lower recoil shell then have to go to the trouble of getting a parker glass bedded or repairing a split head.

Again, 99% of this is from reading this forum, very little of it is from experience shooting parkers, but I am eager to learn.

[William Davis]

Smiths are not Parker's but,

Fellow was at the gun club with a real high grade LC Smith, family gun, shooting Rios from Dicks. Never give unsolicited advice but suggested B&P 7/8 oz loads.

Two weeks ago saw him again guys were looking at the cracked stock. What's the point of trying to save a few bucks on shells. 1 1/8 oz 3 dram Promo shells are objectionable to me in a modern gun much more so in a nice double.

William

[Kensal Rise]

Originally Posted by William Davis

Smiths are not Parker's but... What's the point of trying to save a few bucks on shells. 1 1/8 oz 3 dram Promo shells are objectionable to me in a modern gun much more so in a nice double.

William

Somehow, I can't understand people who own and shoot nice guns like L C. Smiths and Parkers, then put overloaded "on sale" cartridges through them to save a few dollars. The cracked stock William mentions is the price they often pay.

"Let me be perfectly clear" on my point (sounds familiar): Most of the Parkers and L. C. Smiths still extant are close to or well over a century old. Many were stocked with American Black Walnut that has been drying out and/or oil soaking for the same length of time. The stock heads are thus weakened from when they were new.

In addition, these guns do not have a lot of recoil absorbing surface area in their designs. Combine this flaw, with dry weakened wood, hot loaded "cheap" ammunition and repeated shooting and viola -- you crack stock heads.

This has nothing to do with what the guns could safely digest when they were six weeks old.

But heck... these guys saved the price of a KFC bucket of extra crispy on a flat of shells in the process....

[William Davis]

Cost to travel to a shoot like the Southern rooms gas meals entry fees, and a nice old shotgun worth thousands, false economy looking to save a dollar a box on shells.

Not to mention you are probably going to shoot higher scores with light loads. I am told Cabellas has a cheap shipping deal on B&P Competion Ones 7/8 oz they land about 8 bucks a box, dollar more than Dicks Rio's.

William