A VERY weak moment !

[6pt-sika]

A circa 1894 Parker Grade 1 top lever 16 gauge with 30” barrels was put in front of me for possible purchase today . And it was purchased ! Hopefully it’ll be in my possession by next Friday .

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[fordwannabe]

I feel your pain! I have moments like that around old leverguns.

[6pt-sika]

I feel your pain! I have moments like that around old leverguns.

I got in that predicament when I was craving pre 1920 Marlin 1895’s

[M. M. Wright]

I have those moments over old Colt SAAs.

[gamekeeper]

Congratulations you are now officially the Parker magnet....

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[Pitchy]

[6pt-sika]

Congratulations you are now officially the Parker magnet....
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But if I was truely a magnet shouldn’t I get them
At no monetary cost to me

[6pt-sika]

This things got 2 1/2" chambers as one might expect . And usually I just load and shoot 2 3/4" .................... however this one being a little on the more rare side and me already having a bunch of RST 16 gauge 2 1/2" hulls I'm going to order a 16 gauge roll crimper from Prescision and do some roll crimps for it atleast or possibly getting a brass step to make folded crimps . Wish I had a Grabber set up for 16 2 1/2" .

[6pt-sika]

Well I dunno why I should’ve expected anything else but Fedex kinda dropped the ball on the delivery . What should’ve left Charlotte last Tuesday and arrived here Thursday or Friday won’t be here until Monday or Tuesday . Seems it got lost in transit for a day or two

[6pt-sika]

My 16 hammer gun arrived today in fine shape ! Better late than never !

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[6pt-sika]

A Parker friend sent me a bag of once fired Eley 16 gauge hulls . They were marked 2 1/2” but they were slightly taller and a skoosh less then 2 3/4” . I have some RST 2 1/2” 16’s I wanna try and load fifty of tommorrow .

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[6pt-sika]

Provided it isn’t raining tommorrow afternoon I think this hammer will take a stab at five stand and perhaps a round of skeet !

[GunnyMack]

The old short chambers were 2& 9/16, should crimp to about 2& 1/2 if I remember that bit of theory right. So how much is a shoosh?

[6pt-sika]

The old short chambers were 2& 9/16, should crimp to about 2& 1/2 if I remember that bit of theory right. So how much is a shoosh?

Parker chambers before Remington got involved were as a general rule cut an 1/8” shorter than standard . So older Parker’s would be 2 1/2ish and the later ones would be 2 5/8” . I generally just shoot 2 3/4” in them all but since I have a bag of RST 2 1/2’s I thought I’d load them for the hammergun . I talked with my stock guy yesterday after . He has a Parker that started life as a 14 gauge hammer gun and was sent back to Parker many years ago and redone into a 16 gauge 32” . I’ll refrain from stating his 16 gauge hammer load as it’s kinda hot I think even for my newer guns . This hammer I just got is in exceptional shape for an 1890’s gun to be honest . I see no reason to think it isn’t capable and the guy I got it from has done all the wall thickness measurements etc as he’s a rather well known gun broker in the SxS community so I trust his word . But I still think I’ll take it easy on this one atleast at first . Plan on shooting five stand tonight with 2 1/2” if I can load them to suit me appearance wise . But I’ll most likely try a few of my not hot 2 3/4” Unique load .

[GunnyMack]

For my taste if the crimp holds the shot inside they go in the chambers!
Couple weeks ago I picked up a used Perazzi Comp 1, the bottom barrel burst at the porting. But for $900 I couldn't pass it up. Heck the trigger group is worth $500, receiver probably another 500, forend & iron a few hundred. Anyhow I spoke with Dan at Giacomo Sporting today, a replacement barrel blank is $1200, probably about the same for labor. Heck I can find used barrels for 25-3000.

[6pt-sika]

For my taste if the crimp holds the shot inside they go in the chambers!
Couple weeks ago I picked up a used Perazzi Comp 1, the bottom barrel burst at the porting. But for $900 I couldn't pass it up. Heck the trigger group is worth $500, receiver probably another 500, forend & iron a few hundred. Anyhow I spoke with Dan at Giacomo Sporting today, a replacement barrel blank is $1200, probably about the same for labor. Heck I can find used barrels for 25-3000.

Giacamo rewwlded the barrel lug on my old Parker VHE 12 #1 frame . Dunno how long the lug had been cracked before I noticed it . Seems to me rewelding and rust blueing it were $500ish .

[6pt-sika]

I shot a handful of 2 1/2” shells tonight but I also shot three rounds in the hammer 16 with 2 3/4” handloads . Bear in mind my loads are on the lower pressure side . Gun performed well and the loads performed well , but as always the guy steering the gun coulda executed better

[6pt-sika]

Oh three rounds equals 75 plus shots just to clarify .

[GunnyMack]

On occasion I shoot with Giacomo. He is such a great person, humble, respectful, humorous. His wife is wonderful too. He has retired- his son in law and daughter are running the business now.

[6pt-sika]

I watched an auction today on and off that went about 8 1/2 hours . They had a Parker VH 16 on an 0 frame that had a noticeable crack in the wrist , I waited a few seconds to late to bid and they hammered it out , as I’d actually swiped to make a bid but it didn’t register . Later they had a K-32 30” Monte Carlo stocked trap gun that intrested me . I waited right up until the end calculating the 20% additional buyers premium and decided not to bid .