Barrel composition of pre 1900 Parkers

[Autumn Daze]

For me I don't shoot decarbonized barrelled guns. These very early guns were made from musket barrels left over from the war of Northern Aggression. Any of the later composite barrelled guns once the wall thickness and integrity are given the green light I wouldn't hesitate to shoot.

[Drew Hause]

Dave: Parker Brothers "Gun Iron" barrels were made from surplus musket barrels used on "Charles Parker Makers" guns. This is an 1866 Price List



Decarbonized steel by Remington was new fangled stuff at the time

From Fire-Arms Manufacture 1880 U.S. Department of Interior, Census Office
"The earliest use of decarbonized steel or gun-barrels is generally credited to the Remingtons, who made steel barrels for North & Savage, of Middletown, Connecticut, and for the Ames Manufacturing company, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, as early as 1846. It is also stated that some time about 1848 Thomas Warner, a the Whitneyville works, incurred so much loss in the skelp-welding of iron barrels that he voluntarily substituted steel drilled barrels in his contract, making them of decarbonized steel, which was believed by him to be a a novel expedient. The use of soft cast-steel was begun at Harper's Ferry about 1849. After 1873, all small-arms barrels turned out at the national armory at Springfield were made of decarbonized steel(a barrel of which will endure twice as heavy a charge as a wrought-iron barrel), Bessemer steel being used until 1878, and afterward Siemens-Martin steel."

[Autumn Daze]

Thank's for straightening me out Drew. ButI am still hesitant about shooting Decarbonized Steel barrels. Just my own opinion.

[JAMES HALL]

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

TPS in the chapter on barrels includes generalized load limits by gauge including service load and proof psi. The Parker Small Bore Shot Gun pamphlet includes recommended loads. I have previously posted photos here of those tables for those interested, the last time several days ago for recommended shot shell loads. Hang tags included with each gun state the loads that Parker used for pattern testing that gun. Many users conclude that such pattern loads are correct for their gun.

In answer to Mr. Reed, 1900 has no special meaning for Parkers. All Parker barrels met proof standards at the time, first at 13,500, then 15,500. Parkers met SAAMI standards. Proof loads do not define rupture limits. There is no evidence that any given Parker barrel composition is superior in rupture resistance than any other. Parker built guns intended to handle stout loads. The Small Bore pamphlet on pp. 6,7 provides recommended 20ga loading matched to gun weight.

Persons interested in Parker shot guns are advised to study The Parker Story; most Parker questions are answered in it, besides it's a great read. Persons interested in Bernard barrels may be interested in Leopold Bernard and the history of French canon making; the Bernard canon used by Napoleon's light infantry enabled his armies to move faster and over greater distances and out-maneuver opponents. Bernard shot gun and rifle barrels were the prized French designer barrels of their day and used in best guns.

Parkers made with Bernard barrels are known in D, C and B grades and in 10, 12 and 16 gauges. I am still looking for any of the few 20's made.

I'll add another grade to this one. Check out 200608 in the serial numbers book. It is not a misprint. B2 only one made.

[Holeshot]

That is interesting, does anyone here have that gun?

[Researcher]

"America's Oldest Gunmaker", Remington, was really in the gun barrel and parts business for most of the years from their 1816 birth date up until just before the Northern War of Aggression. One of the earliest pieces of Remington paper that the Remington Society has come up with is an E. Remington & Sons 1854 broadsheet listing their cash prices for barrels. They offer --

MATCHED BARRELS for DOUBLE GUNS, plain iron------------$4.50
MATCHED BARRELS for DOUBLE GUNS, stubs twisted plain---$8.00
MATCHED BARRELS for DOUBLE GUNS, stubs twisted fine---$10.00
MATCHED BARRELS for DOUBLE GUNS, cast steel------------$8.00
BARRELS for DOUBLE GUNS, cast steel, solid or drilled from single bar-----$15.00
BARRELS for DUCK GUNS, from 20 pounds upwards -- 75 cents per lb.

[Autumn Daze]

Very interesting Dave. Thanks for posting it up.

[charlie cleveland]

boy that must have been some duck gun with them at 20 plus pounds and at .75 cents per pound ...this was a great post...thanks charlie

[charlie cleveland]

so would any of ya ll shoot a plain steel marked parker brothers gun or would you be hesitant to shoot them..and the barrels are real good no pitts... charlie

[edgarspencer]

Perhaps Tom Armbrust and Sherman Bell could be talked into doing the same test they performed on Damascus barrels, but using a Parker marked 'Decarbonized Steel'. Given that they had to take the loads all the way to the mid 20,000 psi range to burst a set of Damascus barrels, I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a 7000 psi load out of an otherwise good set. I have yet to see any published information that emphatically states that decarbonized steel barrels are unsafe, and suspect there's some urban legend involved, much like the old legends of damascus barrels.