Variations in ribs

[John Havard]

If this has been exhaustively covered in the past I apologize ahead of time. But I did a search and found no discussion on the topic of variations in Parker barrel rib shapes.

We know that there were variations in engraved words versus roll-stamped words. There were different words over time. Words described the type of steel used in the barrels. There were elevated ribs. Somewhere along the line the old squiggly-line engraving machine used so beautifully was retired. My question isn't about any of those variations.

What I want to learn a bit more about is the variation in the SHAPE of ribs that more experienced members have seen: swamped, level, wide, narrow, tapered, other? Were such shapes specified in the original order or did the customer simply receive what the factory sent?

Any light shed on this topic would be appreciated by yours truly.

[B. Dudley]

One thing that I have observed about lower ribs is that earlier ones are narrower and much more pronounced. Early hammer type guns will have a thicker lower rib with a sharp bevel on the edges. A bit later the lower ribs would have the same shape, but not be as thick and later guns will have a wider more dished lower rib that is not very thick.

[Bill Murphy]

Scarce and interesting are the tapered ribs. Even more interesting is that they don't seem to normally be installed at customer request on order book entries. Just as scarce, maybe even more so, are the flat ribs known as "pigeon ribs".

[John Havard]

Bill, do you have any photos showing either? I've never heard of a pigeon rib. What makes it different from a normal flat rib?

One other question Bill: since the shape of the rib doesn't seem to be mentioned in the order book entries was the shape ultimately up to the whim of the barrel worker putting the set of barrels together? That seems both odd and interesting at the same time.

[Bill Murphy]

Flat wide solid ribs are what are called "pigeon ribs". I have not seen a Parker flat rib that was not wide, but they may exist. Flat solid ribs were probably requested. However, I have not seen a request on an order book entry for a tapered rib. Tapered ribs are not rare, but are very elegant. I have no idea how the matting machine was used to process a tapered rib. I will take a close look at one and comment, or someone else may examine theirs and comment.

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

I have no idea how the matting machine was used to process a tapered rib.

That raises an interesting question (in my mind, anyway). Has anyone ever seen the roll die used on that mysterious matting machine? Was it's circumference equal to the length of the rib, i.e. was the whole pattern, including blank space, and maybe even the ending bar, included on the rim of the die?

[Bill Murphy]

Certain gunsmithing firms claim to own or have owned the machine. I wonder if any of us are in a position to examine and photograph one of the machines?

[Bill Murphy]

Look in googlebooks for The American Machinist July 10, 1913, pages in the forties, for a full description of the building of Parker barrels, including pictures of the machines used in the various operations. In my research files, I have descriptions and inventories of these machines, but I have never seen pictures. The article describes the "one line at a time" procedure and also the procedure used to skip the cutter over the rib inscription and the end of the rib. Unbelievable.

[Chuck Heald]

I've never seen an Parker upper rib that was not tapered. But then, I haven't seen as many Parkers as some of you. Can someone post a picture and description of what was meant by rib that is NOT "tapered"?

[Bill Murphy]

A "tapered rib" on a Parker usually describes a rib that is rather severely tapered, like from 7/16" at the breech to less than 1/4" at the muzzle, a 3/16" taper over the length of the barrel. The normal taper of a Parker rib is more like 1/2" at the breech to 7/16" at the muzzle, a taper of only 1/16" over the length of the barrel.