Turn of events !

[6pt-sika]

A friend put a circa 1903 Parker 0 grade top lever hammer 8 gauge for sale late last night . Guns a 7 frame with 36” barrels . Anyway this gun is now mine or I’ve sent payment !

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[6pt-sika]

Oh yeah this gun has been restored , not necissarily the way I wanted to go but it is what it is .

[gamekeeper]

WHAT A BEAUTY.......

[piller]

It is a good looking gun. Hope you enjoy it!

[GunnyMack]

Well that's fantastic!! Hope you will share some more pics when you get it!

[6pt-sika]

Well that's fantastic!! Hope you will share some more pics when you get it!

But of course , was there ever any doubt

[6pt-sika]

My friends shipping the gun Monday he said so I might have in hand by Friday ! I also got on the horn with Tom Armbrust before lunch and have a MEC 600JR converted to 8 gauge and a set of swagging dies on the way . That might take two or three weeks as he has to make one or two conversion parts .

[6pt-sika]

Legalities aside I have a feeling that thing if it gets here unharmed will kill a deer in Virginia this coming season .

[6pt-sika]

I got a copy of Tom’s book off Amazon a couple weeks ago . I don’t think this’ll be difficult as he said he’ll send me two loaded rounds made on the press he’s building for me to make sure they chamber okay and everything is set correctly . Then when it arrives here I’ll be able to start right up .

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[M. M. Wright]

I'm envious Of course I'd not dare since they opened up my sternum to work on my heart. I still need to pattern that 16 I bought a while back.

[6pt-sika]

I'm envious Of course I'd not dare since they opened up my sternum to work on my heart. I still need to pattern that 16 I bought a while back.

I think you'd be better served taking it easy healing and staying away from large groups and the Covid19 . The 16 will come along in good time .

[.45colt]

Awesome !!! I'm like a Kid at Christmas and it isn't even Mine.................................................................................

[octagon]

Congrats 6pt! How many oz of shot might that baby hold? I've only ever seen one 8.

[6pt-sika]

Congrats 6pt! How many oz of shot might that baby hold? I've only ever seen one 8.

The loads I have for it start at 1 1/2 ounces and go up to i think 2 1/2 ounces . I don’t foresee me going over 1 3/4 or 1 7/8 and that’ll be with buckshot or slugs . My largest slug mold for a .745” slug is 1 2/3 ounces and is a bit to large to use in choke bored 10 gauge guns . I’m hoping it’ll fit nicely in the SP-8 shot cup and one of the two barrels will make decent three shot clusters at 25 and possibly 40 yards . And hopefully the barrel that likes slugs the least will do pretty well with 00000 buck . I also wanna see if I can find a .415-.425 roundball mold to make roughly 000000 buck .

[octagon]

Thanks for that info 6pt. 2.5 oz sounds like a goose getter. I used a 10 g on geese years ago, but got more geese with an 870 12g. The Texas coast has got kagillions of geese around Wharton, I was looking at guides recently for a trip this year with my boy.

[6pt-sika]

Thanks for that info 6pt. 2.5 oz sounds like a goose getter. I used a 10 g on geese years ago, but got more geese with an 870 12g. The Texas coast has got kagillions of geese around Wharton, I was looking at guides recently for a trip this year with my boy.

Back about 1990 or so I got a nice new Remington SP-10 26” semi auto specifically for Turkey . And at the time Federal and I think Remington were loading 2 1/4 ounce loads . And as you would assume I got some , took the gun to the range while snow was on the ground . I took the floor mat out of the Blazer I had then sat down on it with back against one of the wheels like I’d be sitting by a tree turkey hunting and had a target at 20 or 25 yards . Back then I crawled the stock bad my thumb was always beside my nose but that’s the way I shot trap and skeet . Anyway I touched that animal off and it knocked the heck out of me , immediately I put my hand under my nose and it was wet I didn’t look at my hand thinking I’d broken my nose . So I stood up laid the gun down and stomped around a bit . Finally I looked at my face in the rear view mirror , no I hadn’t broke my nose but it had literally knocked the SNOT out of me . Lesson most certainly learned , I still crawl the stock but not the way I used to .

[6pt-sika]

There is a mold maker in the UK that makes just about any size roundball single cavity you want . And on the WIN Industrial website they mention an 8 gauge load with eight .425” zinc balls , now .420” is 000000 buck so I’m thinking I might get one or two of the single cavity .418” molds and try my hand . I also think I’ll get a roundball mold for punk in ball load that’ll most likely be somewhere in the .800-.820” range . That big roundball might be two ounces but I’m willing to give that a try . My calculations come out that eight of the .418” balls will be about 1 7/8 ounces .

[octagon]

6pt the 10 I shot way back then was a borrowed Ithaca s/s. The goose blind was a concrete pipe buried 5 ft into the ground. After a few misses, I was pointing it straight up shooting way up there when I noticed my ears were freezing and my bells were ringing The ten was doubling, and had knocked my hat flying several feet away, thus the cold ears. Being a real smart guy, I fired it several more times, losing my hat each time as my ears could not take any more cold, a traded back to the 870 12 gauge with good effect. These 12 loads my Dad and I made, blacking out the primer to be sure and not fire them at a dove.

[6pt-sika]

6pt the 10 I shot way back then was a borrowed Ithaca s/s. The goose blind was a concrete pipe buried 5 ft into the ground. After a few misses, I was pointing it straight up shooting way up there when I noticed my ears were freezing and my bells were ringing The ten was doubling, and had knocked my hat flying several feet away, thus the cold ears. Being a real smart guy, I fired it several more times, losing my hat each time as my ears could not take any more cold, a traded back to the 870 12 gauge with good effect. These 12 loads my Dad and I made, blacking out the primer to be sure and not fire them at a dove.

I killed a deer in Southern Maryland a few years back during antlerless ML season from a waterfowl pit blind that was nothing but a piece of concrete pipe chunked down in the ground . It was actually three pieces in the ground side by side . And it worked pretty good for deer

[hfcable]

way to go ! I have always wanted an 8 bore, and have bid on a lot of them but never connected. I am impressed...that is a beauty !

[marlinman93]

Anywhere other than the US, restoring guns every so often was considered not only acceptable, but encouraged as part of maintaining fine firearms. So you might wish it was original, but it's the norm most places, and much better.
I prefer original firearms also, but I don't see a quality restoration, done as the factory originally finished the guns to be a deficit.

[6pt-sika]

Anywhere other than the US, restoring guns every so often was considered not only acceptable, but encouraged as part of maintaining fine firearms. So you might wish it was original, but it's the norm most places, and much better.
I prefer original firearms also, but I don't see a quality restoration, done as the factory originally finished the guns to be a deficit.

Unless I miss my guess I think Dale Edmunds refreshed the barrels , I think Chris Dawe in Newfoundland redid the wood and I’ve not got a guess who recolor cased it . This all boils down to economics . I can’t afford a really nice original so this is the next best option and to be honest couldn’t really afford this one but sometimes steps must be taken LOL’s !

[octagon]

6pt, please, what is involved in "refreshing the barrels?"

[6pt-sika]

Something I’d not mentioned . This gun has fairly realistic dimensions I think drop at comb is about 1 5/8” and the drop at the heel of about 2 3/4” and that’s what it letters by the factory records . The one at Morphys auction I tried for Friday had about 4” of drop at the heel , a LOT of these old 8’s had a buttstock like a dogs hind leg . Now I can shoot a lot of drop in big guns 10’s 12’s but they don’t weigh 12-15 pounds . That’s to much weight for me atleast to try and handle with an improperly placed face .

[6pt-sika]

6pt, please, what is involved in "refreshing the barrels?"

Thats when damascus or twist barrels are redone to bring the outside pattern of the metal back out . I’ve only personally had one set redone but I have several that others have had done . The first Parker DH 10 I bought I sent to a guy about thirty miles from me and he did a really great job that I think cost $350 . He also relaid about six inches of top rib on a Parker 0 grade hammer 10 , think he charged $100 for that .

[6pt-sika]

I don’t think I answered what you wanted to know . I’ve seen a couple different explanations for refinishing damascus/twist barrels . It usually involves plugging both ends of the barrels then putting the barrels in a solution , then carding them and start over repeat for as many times until it’s brought out to suit or is dark enough .

[octagon]

Thanks for the info 6pt, you are a wealth of information and I appreciate your taking the time and effort to answer. Gentlemen like yourself make Leverguns a great place to hang out and gather information.

[6pt-sika]

Thanks for the info 6pt, you are a wealth of information and I appreciate your taking the time and effort to answer. Gentlemen like yourself make Leverguns a great place to hang out and gather information.

Actually there’s a website the name of which escapes me at the moment , but it has two or three explanations of ways to refinish laminated barrels . I don’t think this is the link I saw before but it might have some insight . https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/ ... obilebasic

[marlinman93]

This all boils down to economics . I can’t afford a really nice original so this is the next best option and to be honest couldn’t really afford this one but sometimes steps must be taken LOL’s !

I've been there and done that too. Get that voice in my head saying, "what are you doing?" But at the same time another voice saying, "you've wanted one of those forever!"
But whenever I get one of those bucket list guns I've wanted forever, I never regret it later on when I think back about it, or open the safe and take it out to admire.

[6pt-sika]

This all boils down to economics . I can’t afford a really nice original so this is the next best option and to be honest couldn’t really afford this one but sometimes steps must be taken LOL’s !

I've been there and done that too. Get that voice in my head saying, "what are you doing?" But at the same time another voice saying, "you've wanted one of those forever!"
But whenever I get one of those bucket list guns I've wanted forever, I never regret it later on when I think back about it, or open the safe and take it out to admire.

But .......... , guns with me are kinda like Lays potatoe chips ..... just one won’t do I mean it’s a given I’m going to want atleast one more 8 gauge Parker . Specifically a 6 frame hammerless . Oh my gosh does this sickness never end

[GunnyMack]

This all boils down to economics . I can’t afford a really nice original so this is the next best option and to be honest couldn’t really afford this one but sometimes steps must be taken LOL’s !

I've been there and done that too. Get that voice in my head saying, "what are you doing?" But at the same time another voice saying, "you've wanted one of those forever!"
But whenever I get one of those bucket list guns I've wanted forever, I never regret it later on when I think back about it, or open the safe and take it out to admire.

But .......... , guns with me are kinda like Lays potatoe chips ..... just one won’t do I mean it’s a given I’m going to want atleast one more 8 gauge Parker . Specifically a 6 frame hammerless . Oh my gosh does this sickness never end

Serious therapy is the only way, RANGE THERAPY!

[marlinman93]

This all boils down to economics . I can’t afford a really nice original so this is the next best option and to be honest couldn’t really afford this one but sometimes steps must be taken LOL’s !

I've been there and done that too. Get that voice in my head saying, "what are you doing?" But at the same time another voice saying, "you've wanted one of those forever!"
But whenever I get one of those bucket list guns I've wanted forever, I never regret it later on when I think back about it, or open the safe and take it out to admire.

But .......... , guns with me are kinda like Lays potatoe chips ..... just one won’t do I mean it’s a given I’m going to want atleast one more 8 gauge Parker . Specifically a 6 frame hammerless . Oh my gosh does this sickness never end

I sure hope it never ends! When I read someone's post saying they're selling guns because they've reached a certain age, or they've stopped buying because they have all they "need", I wonder what causes this reaction? I've rarely bought a gun because I "needed it", and rather because I wanted it, or wanted it badly!
If I couldn't shoot my guns anymore, I might sell some of my hunting rifles, or guns I didn't care about. But the old guns would still be of interest to me just to sit with, and enjoy holding and looking at.

[6pt-sika]

This all boils down to economics . I can’t afford a really nice original so this is the next best option and to be honest couldn’t really afford this one but sometimes steps must be taken LOL’s !

I've been there and done that too. Get that voice in my head saying, "what are you doing?" But at the same time another voice saying, "you've wanted one of those forever!"
But whenever I get one of those bucket list guns I've wanted forever, I never regret it later on when I think back about it, or open the safe and take it out to admire.

But .......... , guns with me are kinda like Lays potatoe chips ..... just one won’t do I mean it’s a given I’m going to want atleast one more 8 gauge Parker . Specifically a 6 frame hammerless . Oh my gosh does this sickness never end

I sure hope it never ends! When I read someone's post saying they're selling guns because they've reached a certain age, or they've stopped buying because they have all they "need", I wonder what causes this reaction? I've rarely bought a gun because I "needed it", and rather because I wanted it, or wanted it badly!
If I couldn't shoot my guns anymore, I might sell some of my hunting rifles, or guns I didn't care about. But the old guns would still be of interest to me just to sit with, and enjoy holding and looking at.

When a person collects or accumulates a specific gun or brand or whatever they reach a point when they think they’re satisfied and I’m sure you know this better than I . Then after awhile of the hunt for this or that is over you kinda loose intrest and move on to something else which I e done several times . I’ve fooled with and had Parker’s at our house for fifty years so that accumulation will stay around I think . But the pre civil war and civil war stuff I think may get liquidated and turned into perhaps a Parker VH/VHE 410 as that’s the only reasonable way I’ll ever get one . I am starting to get more than a slight intrest in Colt 1911’s that are post WWII and S&W 19’s snd 29’s that are pinned recessed . So we shall see

[marlinman93]

I think your description is spot on for what I've gone through in my lifetime of collecting. At least it parallels mine pretty well! Like most collectors I love the hunt, so starting out in my late teens I collected pump action .22 rifles, and especially loved the Remington Model 12 variations. I eventually sold off any other brand pumps, and tried to get one of every Model 12 version. But came up against a huge road block with the highest end models, and my 20 something income.
I began to collect Hi Standard semiauto handguns soon after, and started selling off my Remington pumps to help pursue that new interest. I ended up with a nice collection, and then like a crow finding a shiny new object I began to pursue old S&W revolvers! Sold off almost all my Hi Standard handguns to replace with S&W. But about that same time I discovered Marlin lever action rifles, and began buying them also!
When I got every model Marlin made from the late 1930's back to 1881, I then concentrated on getting every caliber within a model, and all sorts of special order models within a model. Seemed there was no end to that addiction until I bought the first Marlin Ballard.
Collecting Ballard rifles began simple, but lead me to collecting all sorts of single shot US made rifles. But I quickly narrowed that down to just Marlin Ballard, and Remington Rolling Block and Hepburn single shots. I sold all the other brands, and most of my Marlin leverguns also. I still have about eight Marlin leverguns, all antique, but no other brands of single shots beyond Marlin and Remington. Except a few Husqvarna Rolling Blocks.
I don't see myself ever going on another detour in collecting now. There are far too many Ballard variations for me to ever reach a point I could say I've got them all covered. And add in the custom makers like Schoyen, Pope, Zischang, Niedner, Peterson, Zettler Bros., etc., etc. I'd never reach a point I had all I wanted!

[6pt-sika]

I think your description is spot on for what I've gone through in my lifetime of collecting. At least it parallels mine pretty well! Like most collectors I love the hunt, so starting out in my late teens I collected pump action .22 rifles, and especially loved the Remington Model 12 variations. I eventually sold off any other brand pumps, and tried to get one of every Model 12 version. But came up against a huge road block with the highest end models, and my 20 something income.
I began to collect Hi Standard semiauto handguns soon after, and started selling off my Remington pumps to help pursue that new interest. I ended up with a nice collection, and then like a crow finding a shiny new object I began to pursue old S&W revolvers! Sold off almost all my Hi Standard handguns to replace with S&W. But about that same time I discovered Marlin lever action rifles, and began buying them also!
When I got every model Marlin made from the late 1930's back to 1881, I then concentrated on getting every caliber within a model, and all sorts of special order models within a model. Seemed there was no end to that addiction until I bought the first Marlin Ballard.
Collecting Ballard rifles began simple, but lead me to collecting all sorts of single shot US made rifles. But I quickly narrowed that down to just Marlin Ballard, and Remington Rolling Block and Hepburn single shots. I sold all the other brands, and most of my Marlin leverguns also. I still have about eight Marlin leverguns, all antique, but no other brands of single shots beyond Marlin and Remington. Except a few Husqvarna Rolling Blocks.
I don't see myself ever going on another detour in collecting now. There are far too many Ballard variations for me to ever reach a point I could say I've got them all covered. And add in the custom makers like Schoyen, Pope, Zischang, Niedner, Peterson, Zettler Bros., etc., etc. I'd never reach a point I had all I wanted!

I could get two single shots and I'd have a collection ! But they'd be very specific LOL's . I want a Stevens Pope 44 1/2 in full schuetzen regalia as well as a Ballard Schoyen also in full schuetzen regalia . The cartridges they were chambered for would be rather specific I've had an erection for the 32-40 cartridge for about 40 years . I also wanna mess with the 28-30 and 25-21 Stevens cartridges so perhaps four single shots in schuetzen style would do it LOL's . And I'm quite positive four originals as I'd like would set me back close to 40G's if not more So I might just half to be satisfied with a nice CPA with three barrel sets

The Hepburns intrest me quite a bit as well . My next door neighbor has one he got at the Baltimore Gun Show about 6 years ago , matter of fact I was with him when he got it . It's chambered for 50-110 if memory serves and I thought it had been rebarreled or rechambered . Anyway since then a couple Remington collectors seem to think it just might be factory original . One of these days I just might get that gun from him as I'd like to kill a few deer with it . My sadly deceased shooting buddy had a rather nice Hepburn in 40-70 ST I worked up loads for , I tried to get that one after he passed but was unable . Something about the Hepburn side lever that draws me to them .

I dunno why but the Parker's in 10 gauge both hammer and hammerless draw my attention , I have far more than I can certainly use in a lifetime but I sure enjoy them . There are a couple more barrel lengths in the Grade 2 EH/GH styale I'd like to have as well as frame size . But I suppose in the Parker line the two things I really would like to have now are a hammerless 8 gauge and a nice 410 . The 8 gauge I can most likely scrape pinch and borrow enough to cover but a 410 is going to take some liquidation of other things .

Now we come to the British 10 and 8 bore paradox and fully rifled doubles . I'd certainly like a nice 10 and nice 8 bore either fully rifled or paradox but those would be a long shot at best and most likely way beyong my means unless I liquidated a sizable chunk of my stuff . But who knows they draw the lottery twice a week and always have a single ticket , my extent of gambling $208 a year for Mega Millions tickets

[marlinman93]

Schuetzen models as you described can be all over the place price wise, but $40k would be the top of the heap, and probably pretty minty guns these days. Likely might even have shooting kits with them also at that estimate!
I've traveled to the CGCA shows in Denver every year, and every year brought home at least a couple nice single shots, and on rare occasion 5 or 6. The show has more nice single shots than any show I've attended, and because of the numbers, the prices can be very competitive on some. I've seen and purchased Schoyens, Popes, and Peterson schuetzen rifles for under $3k often, and even under $2k on a couple occasions.
If a person is really interested in obtaining a nice single shot rifle at a reasonable price, the Denver show is THE place to go. It's worth the drive, or air fare for what you'll find, and the prices things go for there. Of course there's still the $10k-$20k single shots there also, if a guy wants to pay those prices!

[6pt-sika]

My 8 arrived today in great all be it “restored” shape !

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[piller]

Since it is restored, and no good to you, send it my way and I will take it off of your hands.

[6pt-sika]

Since it is restored, and no good to you, send it my way and I will take it off of your hands.

Thanks for the offer but I’ll endure and overcome The time range post 1900 and the frame size 7 are from what I understand a little rareish .

[GunnyMack]

Looks like a winner to me ! Good for you 6pt!!

[6pt-sika]

Looks like a winner to me ! Good for you 6pt!!

Thanks ! I just might make a one or possibly two day trip to Meshoppen PA I think it is the end of July for a Sporting Clays deal . They’re having a fifteen target 8 gauge event as well as a waterfowl 10 gauge event and a closer distance 10 gauge event . Of course they have plenty stuff for the other gauges but those intrest me as well as the 28 gauge thing . I could do all four as it’s only 165 targets total !

[GunnyMack]

Lugging the 8 for a whole course could be exhausting! 15 targets would be enough in the recoil department!

[FLINT]

Wow! Very nice!

When I was young, my grandfather told me about shooting an 8 gauge when he was young.

I had a 10ga stevens for years. shot deer and turkeys with it. I think the hevi shot turkey loads I shot were 2 3/8 oz !!

Hope you enjoy the 8ga.

[6pt-sika]

Wow! Very nice!

When I was young, my grandfather told me about shooting an 8 gauge when he was young.

I had a 10ga stevens for years. shot deer and turkeys with it. I think the hevi shot turkey loads I shot were 2 3/8 oz !!

Hope you enjoy the 8ga.

It’ll be used maybe not for what it was made but I’ll use it . A couple deer atleast .

[6pt-sika]

Lugging the 8 for a whole course could be exhausting! 15 targets would be enough in the recoil department!

I doubt the recoil is that bad for 1 1/2 ounce in a 14 pound gun .

[6pt-sika]

Wow I just got an email and a text from the folks that are hooking me up with loading tools . It’s shipping out tommorrow !

[piller]

Big gun like that in a blind where you don't have to walk all that far is probably not too much. That much shot at once would probably carry quite a long distance with a good pattern.

[6pt-sika]

Big gun like that in a blind where you don't have to walk all that far is probably not too much. That much shot at once would probably carry quite a long distance with a good pattern.

In Armbrust’s book the 1 1/2 ounce load he calls a target load . He has loads all the way up to 2 1/2 ounces all fairly low pressure . That gun weighs about 14 pounds so recoil with that target load oughtta be a cream puff load .

[Sevastopol]

Nice gun but, wow! I thought 10 ga. was as large as shotgun shells went.

[6pt-sika]

Nice gun but, wow! I thought 10 ga. was as large as shotgun shells went.

The 8 isn’t as large either , they made cartridge 4 gauge and 2 gauge . Well Parker didn’t make 4’s or 2’s but several British manufacturers did .