Serial Number Letter vs Data Base

[Sam Sellars]

hello,

I received a Parker letter that states year ordered and shipped 1911, but the data base says 1908 for serial range 146709 through 149684.

Serial Number of the gun is 147554.

Did guns sometimes sit at the factory for a couple of years after manufacture, and ship at a later date?

Thanks,

Sam Sellars

[Dean Romig]

My 28 gauge DHE with 24" Damascus barrels ( 149020 ) was manufactured in 1908 but not ordered and shipped until 1912. It is a highly unusual Parker.

Yours must also be an unusual gun for some reason to have stayed in inventory for three or four years. Tell us about it please.





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[Sam Sellars]

Dean,

I acquired this Parker from a friend here in Beaufort NC; he said it was his grandfather's gun, and he didn't use it nor would any of his children. Its my first.

The letter states it was ordered by Geller Ward and Hasner Hardware Co of St Louis Mo on January 31, 1911 and shipped February 8, 1911. Order book 81, VH Hammerless, 12 gauge, 30 inch bbl. Special requests were dark stock, RH barrel 160 pellets and LH barrel 185 pellets of size 7 shot. $50.00

And stock book 52 stated further capped pistol grip LOP 14 1/4", Drop at heel 2 7/8", weight 7lbs.

I am waiting on my friend to unearth some photos of his grandfather using the gun, which he thinks exist.

The hardware company in St. Louis made sense to him, as his grandfather lived in the area at that time.

I am contemplating having it re blued and cased, and maybe stocked to fit me, after I shoot at the SxS this spring, where I can let my friends look it over and advise me.

thanks, Sam

[Dean Romig]

Interesting that it wasn't an unusual gun at all except for the request of dark wood and the choke seems a bit more open than a standard 'off the rack' Parker 12 gauge with 30" barrels. Maybe there were just so many size-1 frames (already stamped with serial numbers) in the barrel and and this one finally came to the surface.
Judging by the weight I would have to say it has to be a 1-frame and there may also have been some communication about a "light 12" that there are no records of.




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[Researcher]

Serial number chronologies are at best a good estimate. I have copies of the pages Roe Clark used to tabulate the 20-gauge graded Ansley H. Fox guns for the summary in McIntosh's book. Roe did 50 serial numbers per page. One of those pages of 50 serial numbers has guns that shipped from 1928 to 1940.

[Sam Sellars]

i think i remember seeing 1 1/2 stamped somewhere on the gun...will confirm shortly

[Dean Romig]

It would be on the bottom of the barrel lug.

With 30" barrels on a 1 1/2 frame 7 lbs. would be on the light side of average.





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[Sam Sellars]

yep, 1 1/2

[Bill Murphy]

If you get some serious history on the gun, you probably should go lightly with the refinishing.

[Harry Reed]

Would like to see pics.