Parker 3 inch guns

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Craig Larter

I believe Parker was ahead of the curve with respect to barrel boring. I have a 1917 12ga #3 frame 12ga that was patterned with #1 shot and 2 7/8" chambers. The bores measure .740/.742 with chokes of .037/.040. I believe the barrel men in Meridan knew large shot patterned better in a over-bored barrel.

Craig, I'm just curious what grade this gun is. Not that it makes a difference -- but I continue to be in awe of what the craftsmen at Parker did in ALL grades of guns they produced. I have a 30" Damascus barreled GH with .040 chokes in both barrels. The gun letters to weigh 7 lbs. and it still does. The barrel strikers took 7 oz. off the barrels to produce this grade 2 gun. For a production shotgun, I cannot imagine similar individual care like this in too many other "lower grade" products.

Your example is yet another of many I'm aware of that agree with your belief about the men (and women) in Meriden.

[Craig Larter]

Garry It's a CHE. I know overbored Parker 12ga guns are known, I believe Austin Hogan wrote about the the existence of overbored Parkers when he did a DGJ article about the Buckingham Super Fox 30069. Obviously I can't prove the gun was overbored from the factory but it is common knowledge larger shot sizes pattern better in overbored barrels. The wall thickness is .030/.033. So who knows.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Craig Larter

Garry It's a CHE. I know overbored Parker 12ga guns are known, I believe Austin Hogan wrote about the the existence of overbored Parkers when he did a DGJ article about the Buckingham Super Fox 30069. Obviously I can't prove the gun was overbored from the factory but it is common knowledge larger shot sizes pattern better in overbored barrels. The wall thickness is .030/.033. So who knows.

Beautiful gun(!), Craig. I don't doubt that the craftsmen at Parker overbored to get better patterns. For "mass produced" guns, there was an amazing amount of time spent on each gun that came from Meriden.

Thanks for answering my question...and for posting that great photo.

[Researcher]

Over boring seems to have been tried by many different gun makers over time.

Uncle Bob Edwards, Field & Stream, July 1907.jpeg

Most of the Ithaca Guns made before 1934 that I've run a bore mic in were over bored. Seems from my limited observations that about the time Ithaca dropped the cocking indicators, their bores fell into spec.

Every trap shooter knows you can't get that Nth target without a Stan Baker "Big Bore" barrel on your Ljutic!!

[Jim McKee]

Drew,
Thanks for posting the adds for these shotguns.
At one time I searched for a 10 bore W.J. Jeffrey for the"Perfect" cartridge with no luck.
The 10 bore "perfect" was nearly an 8 bore which could be legal here for waterfowl, maybe.
This thread is interesting. Keep testing those shotguns and reporting the results.
Thanks to all.
Jim

More 3" "Long Range" guns

3" "Perfect" cartridge; 1904-1914 W.J. Jeffery & Co. catalogs

[charlie cleveland]

i donot have a factory 3 inch parker but i do have a 3 1/2 inch chambered p grade gun three frame ...i figure somebody made them selves a goose gun it has modified chokes....i used it on a duck and goose hunt my grandson took me on to arkansaw....used steel shot to got one big goose and2 duck with it....the barrel weighs 5 lb 14 ounce so the chamber end still has plenty of side walls....looks like they put a new stock on it so i dont worry about a cracked stock.....love these old big frame 3 inch chambered guns longer the chamber better i like them....charlie

[LtCol Henderson Marriott]

Charlie:

That sounds like just the shotgun I need for testing. Bet it will handle #4s
and BBs just fine. The long barreled Parkers, Smiths and Foxes will
reach out.
My Super Fox HE 3 inch straight stock got its share of Canada geese this year. Used super BBs.

[todd allen]

Originally Posted by Craig Larter

Garry It's a CHE. I know overbored Parker 12ga guns are known, I believe Austin Hogan wrote about the the existence of overbored Parkers when he did a DGJ article about the Buckingham Super Fox 30069. Obviously I can't prove the gun was overbored from the factory but it is common knowledge larger shot sizes pattern better in overbored barrels. The wall thickness is .030/.033. So who knows.

That is a beautiful gun!

[Bob Brown]

I think my Ithaca grade 2 NID 12 gauge 3"magnum was made in 1937. I haven't measured the bores before, but this thread has me wondering. It's at my brother's place right now, but I'll pick it up next time I'm in the city and take some measurements.

[Bill Murphy]

I have in the past questioned the Fox memo to Super Fox owners posted by Researcher. They counsel owners of Super Foxes to obtain and shoot the heavy 3" shells, knowing that many Super Foxes are chambered for 2 3/4" shells. Is this the PR people sitting at desks writing advice to shooters of their guns?