Parker Bros.? (Dial-up unfriendly)

I don't think Parker ever used faux damascus but they did sell guns with damascus barrels. Here's a site with good info on Parker guns.

http://www.parkergun.org/
 
the parker hammerless double was made in eight different grades. after 1934 , remington bought out parker and made the gun as a remington parker model 920. depending on the condition and the grade ,values can range from a low grade VHE at about $1250.00 to a grade A-1 special valued at around $65000.00 in excellent condition.try the sites listed above or google blue book gun values to get a better appraisal
 
No Blueing....are you sure it is not Laminated steel ??? I have a 100yr+ old Parker thats laminated and not a Damascus. They are more rare, but not worth any more.

They also had the then new Whitworth fluid compressed steel barrels
 
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How is "laminated" or "compressed" steel different than Damascus? The barrels on this shotgun show a definite pattern and on the rib says "Twist" other than Parker Bros, Meriden Conn.
I appreciate all the info, thanks.
 
gunrunner100 said:
How is "laminated" or "compressed" steel different than Damascus? The barrels on this shotgun show a definite pattern and on the rib says "Twist" other than Parker Bros, Meriden Conn.
I appreciate all the info, thanks.
Click to expand...
I have the same question. I use the terms "laminated, damascus and twist" interchangeably.

Parker Bros. damascus according to Micheal MacIntosh in the second edition of "Best Guns" came from Belgium. It is also despite the prejudices against damascus barrels apparently hell for stout. Some years ago Sherman Bell did some destruction testing of a set of Parker damacus barrels and they finally let go around the 30,000psi mark, about 2-1/2 times the pressure of standard 12 gauge loads and according to the article well beyond the point where pressure signs were obvious.
 
Gunrunner, is this a hammer gun? If it is it is likely a grade 0 or 1. They were the lowest grades of Parker hammer guns. The grade 0 usually had no engraving on the sideplates except the Parker Bros. name and the grade 1 had a bit of border engraving. They usually had plain twist, twist, stub twist, or laminated barrels. The books say laminated barrels weren't used on 0 grades, but that is wrong as I have one that lettered as original. The rib had the type of barrels engraved on it. The twist and plain twist were the same steel, just sometimes they didn't engrave the word plain. Stub twist was made from the stubs of used horse shoe nails. It was believed that the constant hammering of the horse's hoof improved the quality of the steel and it was considered a higher grade than plain twist. The twist, laminated, and damascus barrels were made from strips of iron or steel called ribands that were hammer welded around a mandril to form the barrels. Laminated barrels had a higher proportion of steel ribands than twist barrels and was considerably stronger. While they were wrapping the ribands of the damascus tube they twisted (braided) the ribands as they wrapped them around the mandril which gives it the nice damascus pattern. The Birmingham proof house tested many types of barrels for strength around 1887 and the fine English laminated barrels were near the top with Whitworth steel. The Belgian laminated didn't fare as well.
If it is a hammerless gun it is likely a PH grade, the lowest hammerless grade with composite barrels. The next up hammerless grade was a GH which usually had what they called D2 damascus. The numbers went up with the grade and quality of the damascus, DH were D3, CH were D4 though they often had Bernard steel barrels (a different type of damascus), ect. up to D7 on the top grade.
Until Whitworth patented his compressed fluid steel process the fluid steel of the time had some small air bubbles trapped in the steel which weakened the barrels. Quite a few failed during proof testing. I think his patent was in the late 1860s though the barrels weren't available for several years after that. Whitworth steel was only used on the top grades of Parkers.
As for value it depends on condition and the type of gun. Value is much higher in the U.S. than in Canada. Parker had top lever hammer guns as well as what they called lifter guns. The lifters are an earlier design that had a part in front of the trigger guard that was pushed up to break open the barrels. I'm not an expert on either Parkers or composite barrels and someone may post some corrections to what I have said. It would be interesting to see some pictures. Post or pm me with the serial number and I should be able to tell you the grade, year manufactured, and original configuration of your gun.

Bob
 
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Gunrunner, most Parkers are in the serialization book but unfortunately there are some gaps and missing numbers due to lost or unreadable records. Yours is one of the ones missing. If it was in there I would have been able to tell you the grade, gauge, original stock type and barrel length. All I can tell you is it was made in 1910.
 
Parker.jpg

Utilitarian repair! Just glad it wasn't a stove bolt, washer and square nut!

Parker3.jpg

Water table markings-

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Barrel Flats with serial #, Proof stamp (J.G), the letter "T' for twist barrel?

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Forend removed to show lack of bluing and "Twist" pattern.

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Forend wood and iron.

Parker4.jpg

Hard rubber? buttplate, which is in one piece surprisingly!
 
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