11-Gauge Parkers

[David Hamilton]

One must be aware that the Parker chambers are tapered. Some shells will not go into the chambers all the way. I have a 10 g Colt with straight chambers and a shell fired in it will not go all the way into my old Parker hammer 10 gauge. I use brass shells for the Parker and fired some in the Colt. They are now dedicatd Colt shells. David

[Carl Baird]

Hi David,
Not clear on what you are saying. Are you saying my gun may still be an 11ga.
Also, Dean at skeets mentioned brass shells and said my gun would be a great candidate to use them. Since I've never used them, I don't know what's different about them. The full story shortened, is that Dean said my gun was perfect to use as a brass shell black powder gun. He said just wash out the barrels with hot soapy water and that's all you have to do. I never went any further with it, because I don't want to get into black powder ammo.
Carl

[David Hamilton]

In my case, The guns I refer to are both 10 gauge but one has tapered chambers and the other does not. Brass shells fired in the straight chambers will not then fit in the tapered chambers. I had Rocky Mountain Brass make shells for me. They can make shells any size so you can get 11 gauge from them. You can load the shells with low pressure nitro loads if you don't want the mess of black powder. Black powder can be cleaned up with a water and Balistol solution that protects from rust. You needto have your chambers measured properly before having brass shells made. David

[Carl Baird]

Thanks david, Appreciate the clarification. Other than fitting the ga. properly, is there any other advantage to brass shells?
Carl

[David Hamilton]

Brass shells can be reused many many times. If you have an 11 gauge they be the only shells you can get. David

[Mills]

I was thinking of getting some gauge mates for mine so it can hold 12 gauge RST shells. Surprisingly for an old, odd gauged Parker, mine has modern dimensions and handles very well when I swing it.

[Carl Baird]

Mine swings well too, it's stopping the swing that's troublesome. The darn thing is very heavy but well balanced and with those 32 inch barrels, it can reach out there very well. I exercise with an old cape gun I have, made by Remington. Ten ga. one barrel and 40-50 sharps in the other barrel. It weighs in at 11 pounds. After half an hour with the Remington, the Parker feels like a modern 20 ga.

[Mills]

It sounds like ours are very similar. Mine has 32" barrels too. Mine is on a No. 2 frame.

[Carl Baird]

Yup, mine too. Mine is a field grade "Stub Twist" and in very good shape. No checkering on either the forend or stock, but I think I will have it checkered. I think it will make the gun look much nicer. Supposedly the Stub Twist was the lowest grade, but to me it has so much character, I don't mind in the least.

[Mills]

Mine are plain twist. Twist barrels are underrated, in my opinion. The wood on mine is uncheckered as well and I will probably leave it that way, but I am tempted to have someone leach out the oil and cigar smoke smell in the wood.