"Fish Tail" barrel release lever.

[Dean Romig]

Austin's ser. nos. 59569 and 159157 just exemplify that we can 'never say never' about anything Parker.
The Fishtail lever was developed specifically to facilitate opening the gun with the right hammer fully cocked.

This is really getting to be FUN!

[Dean Romig]

Gary, will you please post pictures of your find?

[Autumn Daze]

Dean and I have discussed this at the Vintager's. I would like to find the earliest hammerless gun with a fishtail top lever. I have 68805 and I think Dean has one a little earlier. Dean please post your gun's serial number. We could give this info to Josh for "Parker Found".

[Bill Zachow]

I would have to say that the fish tail levers were most likely used on all frame sizes. I have a 6 frame 8 gauge with such a lever. It is a hammer gun made in 1892.

[Austin W Hogan]

Originally Posted by Austin W Hogan

Serial Number Frame Size Lever Type Opens When Right Hammer Cocked?
I often cite the big safety factor of the Parker lifter gun is that it can be safely opened with live rounds in the chambers, and the hammers cocked. It appears that this feature
was continued through early top actions, but ceased somewhere around s/n 40000.

Serial Frame Lever Type Opens With Hammer Cocked?

26145 1 Straight Yes

31747 1 Straight Yes

39315 1 Straight Yes

46024 3 Straight No

51702 3 Fishtail Yes

55036 2 Fishtail Yes

59569 2 Fishtail No

69017 1 Fishtail No

159157 2 Fishtail No

Best, Austin

I will add two notes to the table: 59569 does not have its original hammers; it does not open with grade three hammers, but does open with the hammer from 55036.
There was a change in hammer design and profile around s/n 30,000. 26145 has the same hammers as all lifter guns; 31747 has the later t/a grade 0,1,2 hammer profile.
This table is a small sample but it seems to counter all the rules; the three one frame straight lever guns do open, but the single three frame straight lever does not; Two fishtail lever guns open; three made after the beginning of hammerless production do not. It may be that changes to the bolt retraction bell crank mechanism may acount for the problem, and the fishtail was a partial cure.
I have just re read Charlie's pages 112 -113 and 126. His quote of the C customer's request for a bent lever verifies that Parker owners were aware of the problem and that the fishtail bend was the percieved cure. Get well Charlie; your caveats cover all of the deviations in this table.
Best, Austin

[Dean Romig]

Dave, my GH 12 1-frame with the fishtail lever is ser. no. 67,669 but as we discussed at the Annual PGCA Banquet I saw two hammerless guns there with fishtail levers that have lower serial numbers.

[Austin W Hogan]

What is the greatest serial; I have a GH two barrel set 73201

Best, Austin

[Steve Hastie]

here is the serail #73228 of my frame 3 10 with fishtail

[10 bore]

mine is a 3 frame 30 inch, round knob. NH 71474 not older but FYI

[Autumn Daze]

My fishtail 10 gauge NH is 73066