Question for Parker Historians

[BRDHNTR]

The barrels are Titanic steel and marked accordingly. My gut sense is that the 44 is an indiidual's code mark

[King Cobb]

Some of them were. However, your grade of barrel as Brian mentioned was half the vost of the gun. Getting a Vulcan steel barrel was cheaper than a Damascus barrel or a fine damascus, or a bernard, or in fluid steel terms a parker special steel or titanic barrel etc but more expensive than Trojan steel which is sometimes seen as a replacement barrel.

At a certain point many did choose to exchange damascus for fluid steel. Some paid to get the appropriate steel others did not.

However, as gun writers of the time Askins etc, wrote many were reluctant to trade in for or trust the new fangled fluid steel barrels.

[BRDHNTR]

Thank you all for your responses and constructive discussion.

[Southpaw]

Allen,

Good stuff. I am a greenhorn to collecting Parker's. There are people on here that have forgotten more than I will probably ever know about em but it is fun and interesting to learn about em. My favorite saying is "If your not green, your not growing". I know one thing the next Parker I pick up I will be looking for that 44.

[BRDHNTR]

Thank you Todd. You are correct. There are some truly well informed members of the PGCA that you will find most helpful. There is some chaff here too and you will learn over time how to sift through everything that comes over the transom (it's an ex Navy term). But there is a tremendous amount of helpful info here in the main. Good luck on your Parker journey. Know that we have all been where you may be today.

[Pittypatdugan]

I too have had or do have a
PARKER that has the 44 in a strange
Place on the flats, I will begin to
Look for it

[BRDHNTR]

Pat, that is interesting. What is the production year of the gun with those 44 marks

[BRDHNTR]

Dean. I guess the mark 44 will remain a mystery. Thank you all again for contributing to this discussion

[Pittypatdugan]

I am going to check the gun, they are
In several locations

[Big D]

Does anyone know, or have a guess on, the manufacturing cost of the various barrel sets?