Just got my first Parker -- help, please

[Pittypatdugan]

What great pictures of how to get rid of barrel shake and the gun will feel as tight as a new one. I have never seen any brass sheeting that was so thin , what is the intended use of that thin brass? I think it will work better than the thin stainless steel because it would bend to shape easier.

PDD

[Setter Man]

Originally Posted by Gregory Miller

See attached another 1892 PH Fishtail, which must be very close in time to yours. A damascus DH and a damascus GH. All pictures used without permission from posts on this board. To the owners thereof, I defer as to further comments.

A DH? That's the best looking DH I have ever seen. Looks like a CH to me.

[Don Kaas]

It is almost certainly not factory engraving beyond possibly the borders, floorplate and standing breech etc. which look like factory PH engraving. It appears to be an amatuer's attempt to copy standard DH engraving. The photo's bad but type set on the "CH" on the watertable is larger and in a different style than the factory grade stamp. Below is a factory CH for comparison..

[Vlad Vladykin]

Thank you, Don. The difference is obvious. I'm glad I did not spend that much. Still seems to be a good gun for the money, and a useful exercise: I learned a LOT this past couple of days.

Thanks.

Vlad

[Don Kaas]

The gun is certainly worth what you paid for it even with its issues. Good Luck with it.

[Pittypatdugan]

Go to your picture 267, that shows the serial number on the receiver. On the front of the receiver there is a rounded area , cut a piece of the thinnest shim material out of the thinest piece of feeler gauge and put over the rounded area and then put the barrels back on . This will end your barrel shake for the cost of the feeler gauge, about $7.00
Every time you take the barrels off, you have to watch out about it falling out.

PDD

[Vlad Vladykin]

Thanks, guys, this is great!

So it's not that valuable, I guess. Good, I can shoot it then without guilt.

So, someone upgraded the engraiving and stroke "CH" on the waterplate? Interesting.

To answer Mike -- yes, all the numbers match everywhere, including the stock. I took it apart to clean -- all the main parts are stamped with that serial number, down to pretty tiny ones.

The marking is as follows:

On the waterplate:
Pat'd Jan. 18, Aug. 16, 1887
May 7 - Oct. 8 1889
71413
CH
Mar. 15, 1875

On the down side of the barrels:

A
2 (frame)
71413
413
C
4,5 (weight)
T inside the circle
Pat'd Apr. 12, 1876

That's all that I can see.

Jent pointed out PT/Grade O. What is that, I don't see any info on that in my Blue book.

Also THE BOOK, is that the Parker Story that Gregory talked about?

What about condition, in your opinion?

Ans as far as cleaning/shooting -- any pointers there? Like are twist barrels usually safe to just go and shoot 2" 7/8 ounce loads? Or is this diagnostics really necessary? Any good gunsmiths in Minneapolis, MN area?

I'm getting long again. Sorry.

Vlad

[Mike Koranda]

Good afternoon, Mr. Vladykin.
Thank you for your questions about local Parker repair men.
The two that come to mind are Dick Washburn and John Ray.
Dick lives right here in Duluth and John about 30 miles south of Duluth on Interstate 35.
Dick is a very good man to visit with about wood that needs to be repaired.
I am learning from him but your project looks to be out of my area of expertise.
John is an expert on wood and metal of Parkers. Having studied under Geroge Flame, John really knows his stuff.
John currently has the use of my barrel wall thickness gauge. The thickness of your Damascus barrels must be determined before shooting the gun.
John also has a stock duplicating machine and I suspect he has some Parker stocks already in stock. John doesn't do this as a business so I cannot be certain that he would take the project on. The trip to his house would still be worth your while just to learn more about Parkers.
The best man I know in this area for fixing any broken metal parts is Eric Meinzner in Solon Springs, WI.
Once you get eveything checked out, I certainly agree with the posting regarding RST Shells. They have the softest kicking and lowest pressure shells available. And the owners are very nice guys that come from Pennsylvania to hunt grouse with us each fall.
Please feel free to call me at 218-525-5528 or email me directly at
mike.koranda@gmail.com

[Bill Murphy]

Wow! A faked up C Grade. That is something you don't see every day. Thanks for those neat engraving pictures. You seem to be right on track fixing up the stock. When you get everything cleaned up, let us know how bad the breech looseness is and we'll walk you through that. Get the bores measured so you can shoot it without worry. Don't fool with black powder. Load low pressure shells with smokeless or buy RST shells.

[Vlad Vladykin]

Thank you, Mike. I'll call you.

Bill, thanks for the comments. I think I cleaned it up fairly well, short of soaking it in WD40 for a long time. Cleaned internals with CLP, worked the brush, blasted it out with jet gun cleaner/degreaser and lightly lubed with synthetic gun oil. Any other suggestions?

The breech looseness is very slight. The play is both side-to side and up/down, with the thin office paper barely entering the opening between barrels and the rest in extreme positions (am I making sense?). If I hold the stock and try to move the barrels, the tip of the barrels will move maybe a millimeter in every direction. I guess, I'm ready for step-by step...

Thanks again!

Vlad