New D hammer gun

[Bryan Selz]

Since I left the dark side in 2010 (sold the LC Smiths), I have been borrowing a Parker from Carl for the vintager shooting. No more borrowing. Early Christmas, its a lifter action hammer from 1881, #19112, 12g damascus grade 3, frame size 1. It has a gold shield and sports a gold dome grip cap. Skeleton butt. The research letter says it left the factory with the gold shield, (then a $5 upgrade on a $125 gun). Either the gold grip cap was part of the original upgrade or was done later, I don't know. The chokes were ordered as: RH 135 and LH 160, #8 pellets in 24" at 45 yds. I don't know what that works out to, but it was sent back to the factory in 1888 to have the chokes opened up to cylinder in both barrels. Barrels are the original 28" uncut. On face and locks up tight. Nothing left in the case color department, but the wood and engraving are nice. I'm not a collector, more a shooter, so it suits me. Now I suppose I need a hammerless, too.

Here's the odd part for me: the trusty bore gauge says the bores measure .765 in each barrel and the chokes measure .014 and .015. Did someone ream the barrels and recreate choke constriction? The trusty wall thickness gauge says, at three inch intervals out from the chamber: .072, .055, .047, .044, .045, .042, .038, .041, .046. I'd say all my measurements are +/- .002. That's about like sending a 12g wad down a 10g bore? My plan is to put some 2 1/2" RST paper-lites through it and see if it patterns like a light mod.