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Finally Shooting a 12B!
Unread 01-02-2023, 06:41 PM   #1
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Jay Oliver
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Default Finally Shooting a 12B!

Some of you may know 12B was an early cartridge offered by Parker in early back action guns. It didn’t last long as it caused confusion, a 12B takes a paper 14gauge or 12B brass. The internal dimensions are closer to a 12 gauge and 12B is a 2 3/8” shell. From the Parker Story, the 12B was no longer offered as a cartridge after 1878. I have never seen a 12B that was not a Back Action.

While I have a higher grade early Parker in 12B, I decided to try the 12B in a new to me very early lifter, Serial# 029. This gun has 28” Decarbonized Steel barrels and non-rebounding locks. It had to be made relatively early in that first year of production in 1869. I did notice in the Parker Pages Archive that there is an article on Parker #29, which is a higher grade. From the Parker Story again, it is thought that “0” prefix denoted an 0 grade. I believe this was phased out once serial numbers were in the 2000s.

I had two original 12B shells and I sent one to Rocky Mountain Cartridge so they could duplicate it. I ordered 50 and the shells are tight in the chamber and require a little light sanding/fitting to work(I latter realized the ones I sent were fired and had not been resized). I got 4 ready to try out today you see that the RMC shells lock well used that is mostly due to some fitting and that I had closed some empty shells in the gun with the hammer down which scratched the shells a bit(always have to remember to bring non-rebounding hammers back to half-cock…when I am shooting I do this automatically but at the time I was trying to fit empty shells).

While I would usually shoot a gun like this with black powder, I had my 12 gauge press set up for 3/4oz shells with 14 grains of Red Dot and that is what I used with an EML 12 wad and a 12 gauge overshot card glued on with Duco cement. The 12ga. Plastic wads were a snug fit and produced a good seal from what I could tell.

It all came together on the clays course, this was a very light load for the gun and it shot well. This was more of “proof of concept” outing. I will now get the rest of the shells fitted and load and have some real fun with this. I will try it with some black powder loads as well. I will say I have already reloaded the 4 shells and it was nice not to have to clean any brass.

Lastly, it occurred to me that this gun probably hasn’t been shot in a long, long time given it’s 12B cambering. It felt good to get her back in the field. I feel safe in saying it has to be one of the oldest Parkers still in use
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Unread 01-02-2023, 07:54 PM   #2
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nice tp see this 12b back in action...charlie
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Unread 01-02-2023, 09:19 PM   #3
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Very nice Jay,

I thought I was going way back by shooting my 1879 Lifter last Friday, You have me beat

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Unread 01-02-2023, 09:24 PM   #4
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Stan, I was thinking of you today as I was also shooting my 20 gauge lifter. Check out my thread in the reloading section about 1/2oz. 20ga loads. I was having alot of fun with that lifter too...
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Unread 01-02-2023, 11:53 PM   #5
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I have an 1874 10 ga mid level Parker and an 1872 WC Scott & Sons single light waterfowl gun in a very high grade. It never struck me as to the age when I first shot the lifter, which is a pretty light No. 2 frame and is really fun, but for some reason when I shot the Scott, the thought struck me just I raised the gun that Grant was the President of the United States when this gun was sold in Boston. It brought me to a stop for a minute. Sometimes we tend to forget the historical position of these old guns. Depending on the month of production, your gun may have been built before Grant was sworn in (I think they still did it in March in those days) and Andrew Johnson may have been the President.
That's just incredible for something you are still shooting and enjoying. Enjoy it!
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Unread 01-03-2023, 08:06 AM   #6
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Alot of work Jay, but well worth it. Great gun. I think I would stick with smokeless powder, black powder always such a mess--of course there is that wow factor! I often shoot a WW Greener sidelever from 1875.
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Unread 01-03-2023, 10:25 AM   #7
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I agree, the Red Dot loads are easy and having a plastic wad helps with the pattern(I think).

However, I will have to shoot some black powder shells just to do it and use what this gun would have used back in 1869. If i do that I may even take it on a preserve hunt in the next few weeks.

This is going to be a lot of fun!
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