New Member Inherited Parker Question

[Double Lab]

Great story Lindsay. I too have hunted at Woodmont and it's a shame that it's no longer there. The "expert" you met really did'nt know anything about double guns, Parkers in particular. Your gun should be shot and enjoyed just as your uncle did. From the looks of the wear on the gun he used, but not abused, that nice Parker. If it had been unfired and in the box that would be a different story.

[Pa SxS]

What's the frame size! Look at the bottom of the barrel lug.

[Lindsay Blanton]

I finally looked at the bottom of the barrel lug - it shows 12 and the one half - pictures attached

[Pa SxS]

As I suspected from the less than 7 pound weight, it's a 1/2 frame gun. Parker didn't start making 12ga 1/2 frame guns until after they were purchased by Remington in response to a demand for a lighter weight 12ga gun. 1/2 frame guns are scarce but not rare and do bring a higher value. There are collectors who collect 1/2 frame guns.

I'm not going to venture a guess as to value but I can tell you that I was talking to Steve Barnett recently about 1/2 frame guns and he told me he sold a VHE with a lot of case colors remaining for $7500. Your mileage may vary!

[Lindsay Blanton]

Chuck, thanks for your reply! One question - since I am a rookie at this, what do the numbers actually mean for frame size? Is it an actual measurement of something on the frame?

[George Lander]

Lindsey: Parker made frame sizes from 0000 all the way to eight. 0000 being found on a few of the very lightest .410s and eight on the very heaviest eight gauge guns. The number denotes the actual size of the gun's frame.

Best Regards, George

[Pa SxS]

Lindsay, to answer your question on the size of the 1/2 12ga frame, the distance between the firing pins was 1 1/16", the same as the 1 frame. The distance across the breech was 1 5/8", the same as a 0 frame. The distance across the hinge was 1 1/2", the same for frame sizes 0/00/000. The size of a 1 frame was 1 5/8". The height of the standing breech was 1 5/32", the 0/00/000 was 1 3/32" and the 1 frame was 1 3/16".

As you can see, the receiver had dimensions of a mixture of 1 and 0 frames. This made the gun lighter than most 12ga guns. There is a link found on the PGCA home page under FAQ's that has some more info on frame sizes.

[charlie cleveland]

george this is the first mention of a 8 frame gun ive come across...does anyone have a gun of this frame size they could tell and show us some pictures of... charlie