Album: Parker Hammerless Quality Examples

HAMMERLESS QUALITY GRADES: The Parker Brothers Serialization and Stock Book would have an entry: "1 - 10/30 Dam P G 8 3/4 to 9 2 3/4 x 1 3/4 - 14 100" The shop used the gauge, length of barrels, grip style, weight, drop, and length of pull to make the gun, but the price ($100 for a DH) specified the wood grade, engraving and checking patterns, and damascus quality. Price Lists and Catalogs: G through C- 'Fine' Damascus, B- 'Extra Fine' Damascus, A- 'Finest' Damascus. Barrel Flats and DAMASCUS PATTERNS: G- 3 Iron 'Oxford' with 'D' or 'D3', G through A- 4 Iron 'Turkish' with 'D4', C- Bernard II with 'B', B- 6 Iron 'Turkish' with 'DD' or 'D5', A- 6 Iron 'Turkish' with 'D6'. The Parker fine leaf, small scroll, symmetric, annular Crolle is referred to as "Turkish", "Damas Crolle Turc", "Turkischer Damask", or English "Best Damascus." Special thanks to Charles A. Herzog Sr.

FROM "Parker- America's Finest Shotgun" by Peter H. Johnson: All of these barrels and tubes used by the Parker were made in and around Liege, Belgium. So far as the knowledge of still-living Parker officals goes, none were ever successfully made in the United States. These barrels, which were imported as "rough tubes," with a low tariff were reasonable in price and very beautiful; but with the advent of progressive burning powder after World War I they were doomed as they were unsafe to use with these new and more powerful powders. So at that time Parker Brothers, certainly not to be left behind by such a plain and inescapable necessity, discontinued the use of them and started making their own barrels from the latest American steel that had been developed during World War I. It is intersting but hardly surprising to note that when Parker changed from figured barrels to those made of fluid steel the factory officals destroyed under a hammer all the barrels that they still had in inventory rather than run the risk of these barrels ever being used.