Second barrel set for Trojan 12g.

[B. Dudley]

I was taking apart a set of 12g. Trojan barrels the other day, due to the right barrel being severely bulged in front of the chamber. The serial number puts the gun as being made in 1918.
The barrel set was 26" long which is odd in itself for a Trojan. The rib matting terminated as it should for a set of uncut barrels. And the forend loop had a "2" stamped on it as was standard practice for a second barrel set.
The records indicate that this particular serial number originally had a set of 30" barrels and has no indication that it was ordered as new with two sets of barrels. The gun must have been returned to the factory later on for the set of 26" barrels.
Proof positive that Parker would entertain special work on Trojans. At least for return service if the customer was paying for it.

IMG_7122.jpg

[Dean Romig]

Is the 30" set still with the gun?




.

[B. Dudley]

All i have is just these 26" barrels.

[John E. Williams]

That's good information to know, Brian. Think you can save the bulged barrel?

[B. Dudley]

No. I was just taking it apart for the ribs. No intention to save the barrels.

[Mills]

Interesting. Never say never

[Researcher]

Is the rib roll-stamping Conn. or CT, U.S.A.? Any other clues on the barrel flats to the age of this set of barrels?

Extra barrel sets for all grades, including the Trojan, were offered in every catalogue I have from 1913 on.

[B. Dudley]

Meriden CT USA


JG on left barrel flat and the typical marks on the other.
No Overload Proved marks.

[Fishtail]

Maybe the owner sent the gun to Parker for repair and they told him his 30" tubes were in bad shape so he told them to return the gun with a new set of 26" barrels and he wanted the old 30" tubes back. Or maybe he wanted the 30" barrels cut to 26" and they told him it would be better to just add a second set for $7.50 since they had all these extra barrel sets for Trojans lying around that no one else was buying. Those are my guesses.