What do the records say...

[Bill Murphy]

Do you have a hammer gun or a hammerless gun. I assume the "flutes" are lightening cuts in the water table of the action, indicating a hammer gun. If you have an original 20 gauge hammer gun with Parker Steel barrels, you have a rare and unusual gun. However, we would need pictures to determine its originality.

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

You're right Edgar. A T in the Action column indicates a Top lever.
The PT indicates the Grade 0 with Plain Twist barrels.... according to the Serialization book.

So, we know it is a hammer gun. If it was hammerless there would be a H in the action column.

Except for the fact that certain guns, based upon their cost, not the extent of engraving, made them a Grade 1. (Such as a certain 16 gauge, 0 frame lifter, someone foolishly parted with) It would be exciting to think we're talking about a 20 gauge top lever hammer gun, based upon what the book says about the SN referenced in the first post, but the added comments re Parker Steel barrel legend, the owner reffering to P, and the knowledge the book has been 'off' in the past, I'm not sure what it really is.

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Do you have a hammer gun or a hammerless gun. I assume the "flutes" are lightening cuts in the water table of the action, indicating a hammer gun. If you have an original 20 gauge hammer gun with Parker Steel barrels, you have a rare and unusual gun. However, we would need pictures to determine its originality.

Good point, Bill. I never thought of the lightening cuts as 'flutes' but I guess they are.

[Bill Murphy]

Late Grade 1 hammer guns, unlike earlier Grade 1 hammer guns, which were very scarce and referred to as only "Grade 1" and only marked as such, were stamped P, just like a hammerless Grade 1. Guns marked such are scarce. The original poster says the owner of this gun refers to it as a P Grade, probably because of its rare marking on the water table.

[edgarspencer]

This has to be the highest SN 20ga. Hammer Gun. There were a few 10ga guns and a series of 12ga guns up in the 179K range. I think I was only able to find one 16ga Grade 2 with a higher Sn than my GFH(Gun From Hell), but there were a few 0 and 1 Grades above my 76544.