Parker Bros Shotguns By Serial Number

By Thomas E. Wessel

In 1832 Charles Parker of Meriden, Conn., organized the Parker Co. to make coffee mills and subsequently bench vises. In 1860 the firm was reorganized to become Parker, Snow, Brooks & Co. On Sept. 28. 1863. the firm signed a contract with the government to make 15.000 Model 1861rifled muskets at $19 each. This contract was fulfilled. Upon termination of the Civil War. Charles Parker became president of the Meriden Mfg. Co.. which position he held until 1868 when the firm of Parker Brothers was organized.

Parker Bros (also known at various times as Parker Brothers Manufacturing Company, Parker Brothers Guns, and Parker Bros. Shotguns) was an American firearms firm, mostly producing shotguns from 1867 to 1942. During these years, approximately 242,000 guns were produced in various grades, and are widely considered the finest and most collectible American shotgun. If you are into Parker Brothers shotguns this is a wonderful book. It will help you see different grades of shotguns and be able to understand the grading system. The serial number part of the book is invaluable to see when your particular gun was manufactured and also to see how the gun left the factory as far as stock type, gauge, barrel.

Their first shotgun was made in 1868 and was known as the 'Parker Brothers'. Of hammer type, it featured a lifter bolting device, and the fore-end was attached to the barrels with a cross-key. In 1879 an improved fore-end assembly based on the Deeley & Edge system was made standard. A hammerless lock was adopted in 1889, with automatic ejectors first offered in 1902. The Parker single trigger was introduced in 1922.

On June I. 1934, the assets of the Parker firm were purchased by Remington Arms Co., Inc.. but with the advent of World War II production of Parker shotguns was discontinued and was not resumed with the coming of peace.

The Parker shotgun was essentially machine made, although much hand-fitting was involved in its production. Forgings were machined slightly oversize and then hand fitted by filing and scraping. Reputation of the Parker shotgun was founded on uniformly excellent quality and durability as well as fine balance and handling qualities. Parkers were offered in several grades, and all but the cheapest Trojan grade could be ordered built to customers' specifications. Regardless of price, the Parker shotgun justly earned its title of 'Old Reliable'.

not shown stock 31

1 Commence disassembly by removing fore-end assembly and barrels (1). Remove guard bow screw (67) and rear tang screw (65). Unscrew guard bow (66) and remove 3 trigger plate screws (57, arrows). Turn gun right side up and push top-lever (16) to right. Remove front tang screw (30)

2 Tap out trigger plate (58) and attached assembly. Use a small wood dowel inserted into forward part of receiver (28) and just in front of cocking crank (17) where a portion of the foremost surface of trigger plate may be seen. Lift trigger plate assembly away, while lifting out cocking slide (46). Trip (41) and its internal assembly will also drop out. Trip sears (44 & 45), drift out sear pin (40), and remove sears. This will permit removal of stock

3 Continue (A) by removing top-lever retaining screw (29). Using a piece of cotton waste for padding, place thumb against top-lever spring shell (13) and fingers against face of receiver. Pry shell away from tang at (B) using a small screwdriver or hardwood wedge. Withdraw top-lever spring shell, spring (14), and plunger (15). Top-lever (16) may now be lifted out. and bolt (38) withdrawn rearward from receiver

4 Next, remove hammer fastening screws (22) and hammer screws (23). Hammers (49 & 50), hammer stirrups (51), mainspring plungers (48), and mainsprings (47) will drop out. It is best to hold a large cloth at rear of receiver while doing this to prevent loss of parts which arc under spring tension

5 Remove (A) unhooking slide screw (56) and withdraw unhooking slide (62) and assembly from front end of trigger plate. (B) Remove trigger spring screw (61) and trigger spring (60). Drift out trigger pin (53) and remove triggers (54 & 55)

6 Remove extractor screw (9) and slide extractor out and away rearward. Remove cocking link screw (6) and cocking link (3). link spring pin (4), and link spring (5). Removal of extractor or cocking link is not dependent on prior removal of one or the other. Reassemble in reverse sequence ■

1. Barrels

2. Front sight

3. Cocking link

4. Cocking link spring pin

5. Cocking link spring

6. Cocking link screw

7. Bolt plate

8. Bolt plate retaining pin

9. Extractor screw

10. Extractor

11. Buttplate

12. Buttplate screw (2)

13. Top-lever spring shell

14. Top-lever spring

Parker Bros Trap Shotgun Serial Numbers

15. Top-lever spring plunger

16. Top-lever

17. Cocking crank

18. Joint pin screw

19. Joint pin

20. Cocking crank pin stop screw (2)

21. Cocking crank pin

22. Hammer fastening screw (2)

23. Hammer screw (2)

24. Unhooking pin screw

25. Joint roll

26. Unhooking pin spring

Parts Legend

27. Unhooking j5in

28. Receiver

29. Top-lever retaining screw

30. Tang screw, front

31. Safety slide pin

32. Safety slide

33. Safety slide spring

34. Safety lever jacket

35. Safety lever pin

36. Safety lever

37. Safety pin

38. Bolt

39. Sear spring

40. Sear pin

41. Trip

42. Trip spring

43. Trip spring plunger

44. Sear, left

45. Sear, right

46. Cocking slide

47. Mainspring (2)

48. Mainspring plunger (2)

49. Hammer, left

50. Hammer, right

51. Hammer stirrup (2)

52. Mainspring pin (2)

53. Trigger pin

54. Trigger, left

55. Trigger, right

56. Unhooking slide screw

57. Trigger plate screw (3)

58. Trigger plate

59. Tang screw sleeve

60. Trigger spring

61. Trigger spring screw

62. Unhooking slide

63. Unhooking slide spring

64. Unhooking slide plunger

65. Tang screw, rear

66. Guard bow

67. Guard bow screw

68. Fore-end

69. Fore-end iron

70. Fore-end plunger box pin

71. Fore-end screw (2)

72. Fore-end plunger box

73. Fore-end plunger spring

74. Fore-end plunger

75. Fore-end plunger roll

76. Fore-end plunger roll pin

Remington Models 8 & 81 Autoloading Rifles

By James M. Triggs

The Remington Model 81 Woods-master autoloading rifle was produced from 1936 until 1950. Except for minor differences, it is mechanically identical to the Remington Model 8 5-shot autoloading rifle produced from 1906 until 1936. Design of the Model 8 rifle was based on U. S. Patent No. 659,786 granted Oct. 16, 1900 to John M. Browning. It was the first successful high power autoloading rifle produced in America. Manufacturing and sales rights were sold to Remington.

The Model 8 rifle has a locked breech long-recoil action wherein the barrel, bolt, and bolt carrier assembly recoil several inches together so that the bullet has cleared the barrel before unlocking begins. The bolt has twin locking lugs which engage locking recesses within the barrel extension. The barrel, suspended in guide bushings, is surrounded by 2 heavy coil-type springs in turn covered by a sheet-metal jacket. These springs are compressed on rearward movement of the barrel bolt and bolt carrier assembly.

At the end of recoil the bolt carrier is locked into rear of the receiver. Energy of the compressed recoil spring then drives the barrel forward, which cams the bolt open to unlock it from the barrel extension. When the barrel extension reaches its forward position, it trips the barrel lock allowing the bolt mmmmmmmmm.

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Parker Bros (also known at various times as Parker Brothers Manufacturing Company, Parker Brothers Guns, and Parker Bros. Shotguns) was an Americanfirearms firm, mostly producing shotguns from 1867 to 1942. During these years, approximately 242,000 guns were produced in various grades, and are widely considered the finest and most collectible American shotgun.

Models[edit]

All Parker guns are break-open style actions, most of which are side-by-side double barreled designs; the remainder are single barrel guns intended for use in trap shooting.

For the first 20+ years of production, Parker Bros. used an exposed hammer design, but by 1888 the first hammerless guns were offered for sale.

Parker guns were offered in 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 20, 28 and .410 gauges. There is an experimental example known to have been produced in 18 gauge. All else being equal, the smaller the gauge the more scarce and valuable a Parker gun would be in today's world.

Parker guns were sold at various price points; the basic gun being the same design with the price increasing as production costs (engraving, fit and finish, quality of wood grain, barrel steel, etc.). These grades included: dollars grades, Trojan & VH through A-1 Special/ Invincible.

History[edit]

18. Joint pin screw

19. Joint pin

20. Cocking crank pin stop screw (2)

21. Cocking crank pin

22. Hammer fastening screw (2)

23. Hammer screw (2)

24. Unhooking pin screw

25. Joint roll

26. Unhooking pin spring

Parts Legend

27. Unhooking j5in

28. Receiver

29. Top-lever retaining screw

30. Tang screw, front

31. Safety slide pin

32. Safety slide

33. Safety slide spring

34. Safety lever jacket

35. Safety lever pin

36. Safety lever

37. Safety pin

38. Bolt

39. Sear spring

40. Sear pin

41. Trip

42. Trip spring

43. Trip spring plunger

44. Sear, left

45. Sear, right

46. Cocking slide

47. Mainspring (2)

48. Mainspring plunger (2)

49. Hammer, left

50. Hammer, right

51. Hammer stirrup (2)

52. Mainspring pin (2)

53. Trigger pin

54. Trigger, left

55. Trigger, right

56. Unhooking slide screw

57. Trigger plate screw (3)

58. Trigger plate

59. Tang screw sleeve

60. Trigger spring

61. Trigger spring screw

62. Unhooking slide

63. Unhooking slide spring

64. Unhooking slide plunger

65. Tang screw, rear

66. Guard bow

67. Guard bow screw

68. Fore-end

69. Fore-end iron

70. Fore-end plunger box pin

71. Fore-end screw (2)

72. Fore-end plunger box

73. Fore-end plunger spring

74. Fore-end plunger

75. Fore-end plunger roll

76. Fore-end plunger roll pin

Remington Models 8 & 81 Autoloading Rifles

By James M. Triggs

The Remington Model 81 Woods-master autoloading rifle was produced from 1936 until 1950. Except for minor differences, it is mechanically identical to the Remington Model 8 5-shot autoloading rifle produced from 1906 until 1936. Design of the Model 8 rifle was based on U. S. Patent No. 659,786 granted Oct. 16, 1900 to John M. Browning. It was the first successful high power autoloading rifle produced in America. Manufacturing and sales rights were sold to Remington.

The Model 8 rifle has a locked breech long-recoil action wherein the barrel, bolt, and bolt carrier assembly recoil several inches together so that the bullet has cleared the barrel before unlocking begins. The bolt has twin locking lugs which engage locking recesses within the barrel extension. The barrel, suspended in guide bushings, is surrounded by 2 heavy coil-type springs in turn covered by a sheet-metal jacket. These springs are compressed on rearward movement of the barrel bolt and bolt carrier assembly.

At the end of recoil the bolt carrier is locked into rear of the receiver. Energy of the compressed recoil spring then drives the barrel forward, which cams the bolt open to unlock it from the barrel extension. When the barrel extension reaches its forward position, it trips the barrel lock allowing the bolt mmmmmmmmm.

Continue reading here: Info

Was this article helpful?

Parker Bros (also known at various times as Parker Brothers Manufacturing Company, Parker Brothers Guns, and Parker Bros. Shotguns) was an Americanfirearms firm, mostly producing shotguns from 1867 to 1942. During these years, approximately 242,000 guns were produced in various grades, and are widely considered the finest and most collectible American shotgun.

Models[edit]

All Parker guns are break-open style actions, most of which are side-by-side double barreled designs; the remainder are single barrel guns intended for use in trap shooting.

For the first 20+ years of production, Parker Bros. used an exposed hammer design, but by 1888 the first hammerless guns were offered for sale.

Parker guns were offered in 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 20, 28 and .410 gauges. There is an experimental example known to have been produced in 18 gauge. All else being equal, the smaller the gauge the more scarce and valuable a Parker gun would be in today's world.

Parker guns were sold at various price points; the basic gun being the same design with the price increasing as production costs (engraving, fit and finish, quality of wood grain, barrel steel, etc.). These grades included: dollars grades, Trojan & VH through A-1 Special/ Invincible.

History[edit]

Parker Bros. was launched in Meriden, Connecticut, as Parker Snow Co. by Charles Parker, whose mission was to produce rifles for the United States Army during the Civil War. The company was among several entrepreneurial initiatives by Charles Parker, founder of the Charles Parker Company.

Over the years, Parker shotguns were exhibited in several national and international expositions including the Centennial International Exhibition, Philadelphia in 1876; the Melbourne International Exhibition, Australia in 1880-81; the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago in 1993; and the Sportsmen's Exposition, New York in 1895, 1896, and 1897.^[1][2]

The company was acquired by Remington Arms in 1934, and phased out of business by 1942.^[3]

Famous shooters[edit]

Parker guns were often viewed as the gun of choice by celebrities including: Annie Oakley, Frank Butler, Clark Gable, as well as the top ranked competition shooters of the day.

PGCA[edit]

There is an active interest in Parker guns today, most visibly represented by the Parker Gun Collector's Association.

References[edit]

1. ^(July 20, 2016). 'Parker Brothers guns - designs in collections, at auction, in expositions, design catalogues and historical information'. artdesigncafe. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
2. ^(April 30, 1881). 'Connecticut Awards in the Australian World's Fair'. Morning Journal and Courier (New Haven, Conn.), p. 2. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
3. ^'Parker Brothers (Meriden, CT) DHE Side-by-Side Shotgun,' NRA Museum. Accessed Nov. 15, 2018.

Parker Brothers Double Barrel Identification

Other sources consulted[edit]

• Johnson, Peter H. (1961). Parker, America's finest shotgun. New York: Bonanza Books. 260 pages.

External links[edit]

Parker Bros Double Barrel Shotgun Serial Numbers

• Parker shotguns Courtesy of NRA Museums

Parker Double Barrel Shotgun