Parker Made Barrels

Autumn Daze · 09-23-2010, 03:08 PM

We know that Parker experimented in making their own laminated and damascus barrel's in this time period but proved to costly.Also during this period Parker employees were "contractors" and to get paid for their labors they probably had to stamp their work as finished. So that would account for the numerous"inspectors" marks.

Parker Bachelder (Brad's Profile) · 09-23-2010, 07:53 PM

Dave I totally agree with you about the inspectors or acceptance marks. I am sure ther were many more that were removed during striking and final machining. We have restored several sets of barrels both twist and laminated, that do not come close to any other patterns that we have seen.
I believe that Parker produced laminate and twist barrels for a short period of time. These barrels seem to carry partially obilterated numbers, two and three digit, on the tubes ahead of the flats. Given the consistency of the various types of Dam. patterns that Parker used, I tend to think that they never successfully made Dam. Barrels.
We are trying to tie the unknown marks to specific contractors by date, Hopefully we can create a timeline for the barrel contractors. As for rib materials, we can not establish any logical pattern, but we will keep trying.

Brad

Autumn Daze · 09-23-2010, 07:59 PM

Thanks Brad. If we can come up with a timeline for these various inspectors stamp's we might be able to match them with known Parker employees. But I'm sure some will be lost to time. Thanks for all you do.

Roundsworth · 09-23-2010, 08:12 PM

What do you think of this '13'? Is it the size of the bore prior to boring? There is a reference in TPS about that. It is a 12 gauge 'Plain Twist' Lifter, 10250.

Autumn Daze · 09-23-2010, 08:19 PM

Mark, Have you measured the bore's?

Roundsworth · 09-24-2010, 06:12 AM

Dave, I do not have the proper equipment for measuring bores. In fact, UPS should be dropping the barrels off today or Monday. They were restored by Brad Bachelder. He may have included a set of 'before and after' measurements. The barrels were literally sewer pipes and required a bit of reaming to clean them up.

Roundsworth · 09-29-2010, 01:36 PM

The Parker Story states that the 'diamond P' is unknown. My 1877 Twist barrels have a 'diamond P' on one barrel, ahead of the flats. My 1879 Laminated barrels have 'diamond Ps' on both barrels, AND a 'plain P' on the right flat next to the weight. Is the 'plain P' supposed to indicate Parker made barrels, or is it the 'diamond P'?