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Parker 12 guage muzzle loader shotgun

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belld416

32 Cal.
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
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Location
Talking Rock , GA
I recently picked up an older 12 guage black powder muzzle loading shotgun. It has Parker on both sides of the receiver and nice scroll work and the checkering is plentiful on the stock and forearm. It has laminated Damascus steel stamped on the rib of the barrel.

Best I can find and what the gun store told me is that these guns may have been imported from Belgium in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

Has anyone have any information or experience with these guns? I’ve shot this one about 10 - 12 times and it’s fun to shoot.

Thanks
 

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I recently picked up an older 12 guage black powder muzzle loading shotgun. It has Parker on both sides of the receiver and nice scroll work and the checkering is plentiful on the stock and forearm. It has laminated Damascus steel stamped on the rib of the barrel.

Best I can find and what the gun store told me is that these guns may have been imported from Belgium in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

Has anyone have any information or experience with these guns? I’ve shot this one about 10 - 12 times and it’s fun to shoot.

Thanks

According to my 1903 Sears Roebuck catalog, by 1903 muzzlel-loading shotguns from Belgium were pretty rare. They list two versions of what look like the same basic SxS gun, selling for $5.56 and $6.98. Your gun appears to be in a class way above those two guns, and looks like it is in good condition - well, I HOPE so, since you've actually shot it, presumably after a VERY close inspection of the condition of those old laminated barrels. They are known to DE-laminate with a certain amount of vigour, to the consternation of the shooter.

As for the name on the action, well, the Belgians were not above marking their products with similar sounding names to those associated with higher-grade guns. 'Sam Holt' was one such frawk, 'T. Barker' was another. Note that a few pages along, they are selling .50-70 Sharps carbines for $2.90....
 
According to my 1903 Sears Roebuck catalog, by 1903 muzzlel-loading shotguns from Belgium were pretty rare. They list two versions of what look like the same basic SxS gun, selling for $5.56 and $6.98. Your gun appears to be in a class way above those two guns, and looks like it is in good condition - well, I HOPE so, since you've actually shot it, presumably after a VERY close inspection of the condition of those old laminated barrels. They are known to DE-laminate with a certain amount of vigour, to the consternation of the shooter.

As for the name on the action, well, the Belgians were not above marking their products with similar sounding names to those associated with higher-grade guns. 'Sam Holt' was one such frawk, 'T. Barker' was another. Note that a few pages along, they are selling .50-70 Sharps carbines for $2.90....
Thank you for the information. The gunshop I bought this particular shotgun from is a very well respected gunsmith with many years of experience under his belt.

I am only shooting light loads, 40 gr Goex BP, because I’m only shooting card board targets and a few clays. It shoulders very good and feels as balanced as any shotgun I’ve shot.

I love old guns, especially ones that I can still take out and shoot.
 
Reads like the OP, belld416 knows his gun is not a USA made Parker Brothers shotgun.

Just for information for others who may read this thread I have a long term friend who has very actively collected Parker Brothers double barrel shotguns since 1969.

Friend has stated in the past that Parker Brothers never made a muzzleloading double barrel SxS shotgun. All Parker Bros. shotguns made in Meridian, Conn. and so marked are the break open type.

Zonie posted good information about the Belgian proofmarks. There may be ELG proofmarks hidden under the fore end.

Glad belld416 is enjoying his gun and not using a strong load.
 
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Has anyone have any information or experience with these guns?
I have a SxS 13 gauge with Parker on both locks, has Birmingham proof marks and London Fine Twist on the rib. It is a neat gun, light and handy to shoot. Barrels are cylinder, 29", 6 lb. 6 oz., pull is 14" and there is a little castoff. I shoot 50-60 gr. 2F Goex and 7/8 oz. shot, have collected a fair number of rabbits with it.

Spence
ClassicA copy.jpg
 
I recently picked up an older 12 guage black powder muzzle loading shotgun. It has Parker on both sides of the receiver and nice scroll work and the checkering is plentiful on the stock and forearm. It has laminated Damascus steel stamped on the rib of the barrel.

Best I can find and what the gun store told me is that these guns may have been imported from Belgium in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

Has anyone have any information or experience with these guns? I’ve shot this one about 10 - 12 times and it’s fun to shoot.

Thanks

You've bought a Clean, nice looking double, it looks a lot like the "William Moore-London" I bought 3 weeks ago. When I removed the barrels I found the ELG in a circle, so mine is a Belgium. I HOPE you have a genuine Parker; that would be nice. Check under the barrels to be sure. Either way, you have a nice shooter. Mine is a single shot until I get the left lock to hold in full cock.

Spence, THAT'S a nice looking piece...did you restore it ?
Regards
 
Spence, THAT'S a nice looking piece...did you restore it ?
No. I bought the gun from a dear old friend, Paul Blakeman, a lot of years ago. Paul was all about BP shotguns, shot them, bought and sold them, repaired/restored them, and taught me a lot about them when I first got into shooting black power. Paul passed away more than 30 years ago. I'm lucky to have a few other items, horns, shot dispenser, etc., that I got from Paul, and I think of him every time I use one of them. He was an old fashioned jewel of a man, still miss him a lot.

Spence
 
Eterry, I owe you an apology. I picked up and posted the wrong picture in the above post, that's not my Parker double. It's a Pedersoli 12 gauge double sold by Navy arms many years ago. Here's the correct picture of my Parker. Mea Culpa Maxima.

ParkerB.jpg


Spence
 
You've bought a Clean, nice looking double, it looks a lot like the "William Moore-London" I bought 3 weeks ago. When I removed the barrels I found the ELG in a circle, so mine is a Belgium. I HOPE you have a genuine Parker; that would be nice. Check under the barrels to be sure. Either way, you have a nice shooter. Mine is a single shot until I get the left lock to hold in full cock.

Spence, THAT'S a nice looking piece...did you restore it ?
Regards
That is a fine looking firearm for sure. Something about the exposed hammers I love. Mine has a very nice feel as you shoulder it.

Has anyone ever shot round balls from these guns?
 
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Has anyone ever shot round balls from these guns?
I have never shot ball from my original Parker 13 gauge. I have shot ball from a reproduction flintlock 20 gauge SxS with cylinder bores, very good results.

Spence
 
I have one but it was made in England. From what I've read they were inexpensive shotguns made for the American market (hence the "Parker" stamping) starting around 1867. I use mine for turkey hunting, it's a hoot.
 
Spence,

Is that Navy Arms shotgun you mentioned, perhaps the one they called the "Magnum"? I had one of those in the late 70's that was choked Imp Cyl and Modified as best as I can recall. It was the best pointing and shooting ML shotgun I ever handled; shot many pheasants with it. I've had several ML shotguns since, but never one that I liked as well. A friend caught me at a weak moment and I sold it to him. I've regretted it ever since.

Mole Eyes
 
Spence,

Is that Navy Arms shotgun you mentioned, perhaps the one they called the "Magnum"?
Navy had an early shotgun which was a lighter version, with browned barrels, made by Pedersoli. They then came with a slightly heavier version by Pietta, with blued barrels. They renamed the first one the Classic and the second one the Magnum. This one is the Classic.

I agree about the Magnum, excellent gun.

Spence
 
Navy had an early shotgun which was a lighter version, with browned barrels, made by Pedersoli. They then came with a slightly heavier version by Pietta, with blued barrels. They renamed the first one the Classic and the second one the Magnum. This one is the Classic.

I agree about the Magnum, excellent gun.

Spence

Thanks for the information.

Mole Eyes
 
If it was made in Belgium, it will have Belgian proof marks on it.

http://damascus-barrels.com/Belgian_All_Proofmarks.html

Likewise, if it is a real Parker, it will have British proof marks on it.

http://www.shotguns.se/html/uk.html

If it doesn't have any proof marks at all, I would suspect it is a forgery, made to lighten the wallet of an unsuspecting buyer.
Hello Zonie,

You had sent me a couple links for Belgium and British proof marks. I found exact proof marks on my barrels. Mine has the ones from the British Proof / Birmingham Proof from 1813-1855 period. Is this telling me mine was manufactured sometime in that time frame?

Thanks so much for sending me those links and your help!
 
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