Heavy 12 gauges

[PML]

I recently rescued a 1903 GH 3 frame 12 gauge with Damascus barrels. The gun is 9.5 pounds and is going to be my new favorite after some much needed maintenance. I am very curious about these heavy 12 bore Parkers and how many were made. I can only assume that they were made to meet the weight requirements of a custom ordered 12 gauge gun with a specified weight. So, for those of you who have them please share your thoughts/info about them. Does anyone have one that is a lesser grade than a "G" or a higher grade than a "D"? Are there any fluid steel 3 frame 12's?

Ten years ago I avoided Damascus Parkers like the plague and then in a weak moment in Vegas a few years ago I purchased a DH Damascus gun solely because I could not walk away from the straight grip stock with 2" DOH and someone had hot blued them ugly 32" Damascus barrels. It was the first step down a very slippery slope......

Patrick

[charlie cleveland]

nice gun...i do not have a heavy 12 ga but my thoughts on themare this...i figure they were ordered in heavy weight for a duck or goose gun...the extra weight was to tame recoil...some of them old black powder shells wererough on the shoulder and them old duck hunters shot a lot more than we do today...when shooting almost straight up a heavy gun can be a blessing...these are my thoughts.... charlie

[Bill Murphy]

Patrick, the majority of the orders for #3 frame guns only specify the desired weight with no mention of frame size. However, more than a few orders that resulted in #3 frame guns actually specify "2 1/2 frame". The #3 frame was known as the 2 1/2 frame by Parker Brothers insiders. I'm not sure the customer had anything to do with the request, although some customers may have been pretty savvy about Parker terminology. Yes there are fluid steel #3 frame 12 gauge guns. A poster here owns a Del Grego #3 frame VH and a local friend has a CH #3 frame Acme steel gun which was ordered at 10 pounds. I have a nice little #3 frame Vulcan barrelled 16 that was ordered at 8 3/4 pounds, lightly choked.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Patrick, the majority of the orders for #3 frame guns only specify the desired weight with no mention of frame size. However, more than a few orders that resulted in #3 frame guns actually specify "2 1/2 frame". The #3 frame was known as the 2 1/2 frame by Parker Brothers insiders. I'm not sure the customer had anything to do with the request, although some customers may have been pretty savvy about Parker terminology. Yes there are fluid steel #3 frame 12 gauge guns. A poster here owns a Del Grego #3 frame VH and a local friend has a CH #3 frame Acme steel gun which was ordered at 10 pounds. I have a nice little #3 frame Vulcan barrelled 16 that was ordered at 8 3/4 pounds, lightly choked.

I purchased a 12ga 32" VH 3 frame, built in 1900, 4 years ago. It was in rough shape. I had Larry DelGrego & Son do a full restoration shortly after. The gun has modern dimensions and shoots very well. My research letter indicated it was ordered to be 9 lbs even and that is what it weighs. It was shipped to a very small town in Illinois on the banks of the Mississippi so I assume it was ordered to be a fowler. I have been shooting some 1 1/4 oz. loads at 1220 fps and the 9 pounds really tames the recoil.

George Lander had a very high condition 3 frame VH about a year ago for sale. Ivory Beads had two of them and I think they may still have one for sale but both had some issues. There was a straight grip VHE 3 frame 12 ga sold by Safari Outfitters earlier this year.

Here is a pic of my 3 frame VH next to a 28" 1 1/2 frame 12ga VH. It's a big gun, until you put it next to a 3 frame 10ga.

[Bill Murphy]

I just looked at the letter on my friend's CH Grade 12 gauge #3. It was, sure enough, ordered at ten pounds, was sent to Baker and Hamilton in San Francisco, and oddly, was ordered with no safety. It may be the wildest and craziest #3 frame 12 gauge out there. It was used extensively and was given a rough Remington style refinish. I will have to look at it to find out whether it has any Remington Repair Codes stamped.

[John Truitt]

A friend of mine has a #3 frame VH 12 32" that is one fine shooting iron.
In his hands he is unstoppable with it.

#3 frame 12's are very cool.

[Ed Blake]

I recently came across a 3 frame 12 gauge DH with 30" Titanic barrels which I foolishly did not buy. I have a 2 frame GH with heavy D2 32" barrels that is a great shooter. Ivory Beads has had a 3 frame VH for some time now with an after market BT forend.

[Big D]

An 8 3/4# 16 gauge sounds like the answer to a question nobody asked

[Researcher]

Parker Bros. did all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff to meet customer's wishes. I have an 1889 vintage, 2-frame, GH-Grade, Damascus barrel 12-gauge that weighs a fraction of an ounce over nine pounds. The barrels are very straight and thick with a weight stamp of 5 8. My Grandfather's 1890-vintage, 3-frame, PH-Grade, Twist barrel, 30-inch, cylinder bore, 12-gauge, has barrels that swamp in very fast, and it only weighs 8 pounds 8 ounces?!? While my gun is rather muzzle heavy, Grandpa's is muzzle light with much of the weight between your hands. I kind of suspect the original purchaser of Grandpa's gun got it to shoot pumpkin balls.

Of course our all time favorite "heavy twelve" is the 6-frame, VH-Grade, the late Jack Puglisi had for sale some years ago --

[Austin W Hogan]

Bill; Several years ago Ron Kirby and I examined and discussed some 2 1/2 frame entries.
We concluded that the shop terminology was due to the number 3 frame being 2 1/2 inches wide, and it was probably machined in 2 1/2 jigs.
I have a 3 frame 12ga 32 inch lifter that weighs 9 1/2 pounds plus. The weight is between the hands and it is very nimble. I found it a joy to shoot at both skeet and 5 stand.

Best, Austin