8ga. Parker ?

[Allen Williams]

Hello gentlemen..I am new on this forum..And I would to find as much as I can
because Parker 8ga,what I would like to know how many years did produce this
big 8ga.?And what was the barrel length? And the chamber size? Is there any books written on the 8ga.?

[Ed Sasso]

They are rare and they came in a few different barrel lengths. The parker story is the bible for all parkers. What do you have?

[B. Dudley]

Yes, TPS would be the source for production numbers and such on any rare configuration guns.
To address a little bit of trivia. The longest barrel length on the 8ga (or any ga for that matter) was 40”. I personally restored a 40” 8g a couple years ago. The actual barrel measurement was 40.5” and the barrels alone weighed 12-1/2 lbs. the gun in total weighing in at 16-1/2 lbs. it was a hammerless gun with an un-matted rib, likely because the matting machine could not handle the 40” length. I have not seen another 40” gun yet to confirm.
I speculate in saying that the most common barrel length in 8g guns as a whole was 36”.

The hammer 8g guns were built on frames as large as number 7 size. And the hammerless guns were built on up to 6 frame size. Some 10g guns were also built on the large 8g number 6 frame.

[Allen Williams]

Originally Posted by Ed Sasso

They are rare and they came in a few different barrel lengths. The parker story is the bible for all parkers. What do you have?

At this time I don't have any the Parkers . I mostly collect large bores shotguns,
and most of mind are 10ga. and 8ga..But I would like to collect the large bore Parkers..This is the reason I ask about the best books that I can to learn about
this beautiful and wonderful shotgun.So gentlemen I hope I don't bore you..

[Bill Murphy]

The Parker Story

[charlie cleveland]

the parker 8 bore is a fine gun there was about 400 built they come up for sale sometimes..join the parker collectors and you will find some good stories on here... i shoot the 8 ga some have killed squirls crows deer with mine..there is some loading info out there as well as 8 ga hulls if you donot already know this....charlie

[Researcher]

The "normal" American 8-gauge guns were chambered for 3 1/4 inch shells, and virtually all factory loaded 8-gauge shells were 3 1/4 inch. Union Metallic Cartridge Co. offered 8-gauge NPEs in lengths to 4-inch and a few Parker Bros. 8-gauges were so chambered.

From the 1900 Union Metallic Cartridge Co. catalog --

8-gauge TRAP Shells 1900.png

1901 --

8-gauge TRAP Shells 1901.png

1903 --

1903 UMC 8-gauge Loads.jpeg

1905 --

8-Gauge Trap Shells 1905.png

June 1909 --

8-Gauge ARROW Shells loaded with Bulk Smokeless June 1909.png

[Ed Sasso]

Originally Posted by Allen Williams

At this time I don't have any the Parkers . I mostly collect large bores shotguns,
and most of mind are 10ga. and 8ga..But I would like to collect the large bore Parkers..This is the reason I ask about the best books that I can to learn about
this beautiful and wonderful shotgun.So gentlemen I hope I don't bore you..

You are not boring me. I’m a bit of a new Parker fan too.
The Parker story is a two book set that is soup to nuts Parker. It is an amazing history lesson on Parker’s. It’s hard to find the books. They will set you back at least 500 and they were written by some very passionate collectors. Tom b being one of them.

[Ed Sasso]

Who sells 8 g shells for these old guns?

[charlie cleveland]

presicion reloading products sell hulls these are industrial hulls so you have to squezze the brass ring around it ..this done you can load the hull then with components from presicion....a fellow named tom armbrust has a very good book on 4 and 8 ga guns..i have bought shells from him in the past...charlie