Album: Parker Damascus

c. 1870, Parker offered 'Plain Finish-Iron' Barrel for $50, 'Superior Finish-Iron' Barrel for $75, and 'Laminated Steel' barrel for $100. The Parker-made 'Laminated' barrels carried a special 'PB' mark. Some c. 1870s Parker Hammer Lifter guns are marked "Twist" on the rib, but are clearly laminated steel. Parker Brothers' advertisments in late 1870s pulp weeklies claimed "This company has succeeded in making their own steel barrels." Letters in the Nov. 1878 'The Chicago Field' from Parker Brothers included statments that "We import largely both Laminated and Damascus, and also manufacture a very fine Laminated--as fine, we think, as any we have ever seen imported. We have made them about eighteen months." 'The Chicago Field' on March 8, 1879 reported "The Parker Bros., of Meriden, Conn., commenced making twisted barrels in the Spring of 1877." BARREL FLATS are stamped with a Plain T or Umbrella T indicating Twist Steel, D Damascus, and B Bernard. L may be present on Laminated steel barrels, and P or PB on the flats or the barrels may indicate Parker Bros. made Twist or Laminated Steel barrels on early hammer lifter guns. THE 1899 CATALOG lists "Fine English Twist" on Quality T, S, R, P & N (and later as an option on VH guns), "Fine Laminated Steel" on Quality I & H, "Fine Damascus" on Quality G, F, E, & D, "Fine Bernard" or "Fine Damascus" on Quality C, "Extra Fine Damascus" on Quality B, and "Finest Damascus" on Quality A. The Parker "Fine Laminated" offered on Quality I and H hammer guns in the 1899 catalog is a grade below the "Fine Damascus" used on Quality G, and referred to as Lam1 in the Parker stock books. The 1888 Colt Patent Firearms catalog also has a quality gradation from Twist to "Laminated" to Damascus, and Hunter Arms used "Laminated Steel" on Quality No. 1 L.C. Smith guns 1892-1898. FROM THE 1899 CATALOG: "Some people imagine that the curly figures of the barrels are simply etched on the outside, when they are, in fact, the visible proof of a superior strength, both desirable and important to every shooter who cares for his personal safety. These fine barrels are not worked and twisted so neatly and nicely that they may look beautiful alone, but rather for the reason that greatest lightness, combined with greatest durability, may be produced."

From "The Parker Gun" by Ron Kirby http://www.ogca.com/parker_gun_by_ron_kirby.htm "During the time that all of the opening mechanisms were being perfected, the science of barrel production seemed to lag, especially in America. The simplest solution was to purchase barrel tubes from England and Europe. Although the grade of the early Parkers were not marked either in the catalogs or on the guns, the type of barrel steel was the main determining factor. The lowest grade used English Twist steel, and ascended to the highest six-blade Damascus at the top grade. Belgium Damascus is thought to be Parker's largest supplier, but research is underway to shed light on the importation of barrel steel. French Damascus steel, trade name, Bernard Steel, was used later on one specific grade. English made Whitworth Fluid Steel was an option near the end of the century for Parker's two highest grades. Experiments were conducted on different types of steel during the period 1868-1878, and some actually made it to market. These were not successful because of both weight and strength. They were designated as plain steel (gun iron), decarbonized steel and laminated steel. All three were discontinued by 1878. So the imported Damascus steel became the barrels of choice of the American sportsman, and the controversy of their strength is being debated even today. In the last years of the 19th Century high quality fluid steel became available from Europe. The American steels dominate within ten years. By the end of World War I, Damascus was no longer available." Leopold Bernard (1832-1867) was a well recognized canonier in Paris. His company continued to manufactured firearms and damascus barrels until 1890. In 1897 Heuse-Lemoine offered "Bernard" patterns in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades and Bernard I and II. It is likely that many of the members of Syndicat des Fabricants de canons de fusils de la Vesdre produced "Bernard" variants. SPECIAL THANKS to Dave Miles, Dean Romig, Bob Valentine, John Davis, Charles A. Herzog Sr., and Bruce Day.