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Parker hammer shotgun

1KYDSTR
Just came across a Parker 12 guage and am not nearly familiar enough with the mark to asses its' value and could use some of your expert help! Overall condition would have to rate at about 80% with a few reblued parts that appear to have been done a long, long time ago. The patent date on the gun is 1875 and the serial number is 70xxx range. On the top rib it is marked with the legend " Parker Bros Merridian Conn., Twist". Has fine zig-zag engraving around the perimeter of the lock plates and double triggers and is an extracor, not ejector type. Additionally there is a pretty decent amount of fine line engaving on many of the metal parts but none of it is the type one would consider deep relief; just some serpentine line work that is pretty but not overly ornate. Barrel length is "32, Damascus, a bit pitted in front of the chamber but not "sad", and it has a bag type pistol grip type butt-stock that has hand cut checkering (fairly eroded,but still there) on a really nicely figured piece of Walnut. Has a cracked butt-plate with the Doghead inside Parker Bros. logo. Splinter fore-end(checkered) is very nice and tight and detaches with no effort at all. The locks are very crisp and trigger pull is nice, light and crisp. Has a brass shield about "1/2 diameter inletted into the top of the wrist. Original gold bead still on the barrels and the entire length of the rib is matte serpentine line engraved in what I assume is an antireflective pattern. Lock-up is pretty tight and by the by, don't worry...I have NO intention of shooting it! I realise pictures would help but I am looking for a quick and dirty general idea of what it might be worth. By the serial number I was told that it was made in 1892 but am not sure that is accurate. Thanks for your help folkes...as always I appreciate it!

"When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
"Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
"History is written by winners"(Patton)
"You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
"There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)
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Comments

6 comments

Date Votes
  • Xracer
    70XXX would, indeed, place it in the 1892 year manufacture range.

    Here's a site that may help you: http://www.parkergun.org/
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  • 101AIRBORNE
    Hello 1KYDSTR,
    Look at the water table for a letter-that will be the grade of the
    Parker. The frame size will be a number or a number and a fraction
    stamped on the barrel lug. The weight of the barrels sans iron and wood will be stamped under the barrels. I will not assign a price w/o
    knowing the percent of original case colors on the side locks and original percent of barrel finish. In forty years of collecting
    and selling Parker's, I have never seen a brass shield. Either gold
    or German silver. I agree with the DOM within a year-+/-.
    Good description. 101
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  • 1KYDSTR
    Thanks guys...I knew I came to the right people on this! 101Airborne; As to the sideplates, I believe they have been reblued as have the triggers and trigger guard. I believe all the rest to be original blue. There is one centrally located "4 x "1/4 wide age check in the middle of the rt. of the buttstock I failed to mention earlier as well. This gun surely saw some fairly heavy use in its' day but looks to not have been abused. I will check back in tomorrow after looking for the different various markings you mentioned that may help determine the grade of gun I have. The shield I would assume to be heavily tarnished German silver although it looks to me like mustardy brass.

    "When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
    "Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
    "History is written by winners"(Patton)
    "You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
    "There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)
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  • 1KYDSTR
    Got some additional information on the Parker that will hopefully help in identifying it. On the underside of the chambers; right barrel has a "T" inside a broken circle, to it's right and a little above is a "C", five o'clock to the "C" is a "14". The left barrel just shows an "A" and a patent date. Serial numbers show on the receiver, barrel, fore stock, trigger guard and extractor and they all match. Any ideas on what I recently inherited and what it's worth?

    "When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
    "Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
    "History is written by winners"(Patton)
    "You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
    "There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)
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  • 101AIRBORNE
    1KYDSTR,
    Mail sent through your profile.
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  • 101AIRBORNE
    1KYDSTR,
    You have mail again-hopefully[:)]
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