quote:

Originally posted by max(hm2):
what I know may or may not be true as I am not a parker aficionado. the trojan was the farmers tractor gun. it was meant to be a utility grade gun. I believe the action is even different from other parkers like the sterlingworth is different than the standard fox's. I would have the chamber length checked and if it locks up tight and is on face go use it. it is a little odd that the barrels are 26 inches. not that it was unheard of for guns of that time period but longer barrels were more popular.

quote:

Originally posted by Shack:
Frostbit, check proofhouse's site and the serial will confirm that build date. And be careful it's not Damascus barrels - makes an enormous difference on what the gun's worth. Take it to a gunsmith and he can tell for sure what kind of steel (you can't always just go by what it says on the barrel - some were very creative at covering up "Damascus" with "Vulcan Steel") and the smith will measure the bores and tell you exactly what constriction. There shouldn't be any charge.

I'd also test fire a whole box and make sure the safety works OK and no double discharge and no trying to open on you when fired. Those can be problems in the old guns if heavy past use. And fixable but very pricy. I know.

Being a 26" (and assuming it's not been chopped, which many have) it'll no doubt be open or bird chokes. Cylinder and improved cylinder or something similar. And by bird, I mean quail and the like. An old duck gun will be longer in the barrel and tighter chokes. Full and full, or full and modified.

So it sounds like a bird gun to me.

Also, check out this thread - http://parkerguns.org/forums/a...index.php?t-526.html. And you can delve into what frame your gun is built on - http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9114. You'll find that all interesting to learn.

And shoot mainly lead shot in it. No steel shot. But I'm sure you know that.

And like Max said, the Trojan was the bottom of the line, but it's still a really fine example of old time collectible U.S. shotguns. And it IS a collectible. It'd be worth what I'd call serious money, provided it's not beaten up.

I'd be proud of owning it. I love the ones I have and have had. I even have one built on a 20 ga frame that's a double rifle...but that's a another story...

..btw, this short edit in response to Cal's comment on shooting smokeless in Damascus...I did the exact same thing in my GH Parker with heavy duck loads. I had one shot I even paced off outa the blind at 80 yds. I even remember the load data for it. BUT, I cut that out and do NOT recommend it. A gunsmith told me though that low brass bird loads (supposedly but not necessarily low pressure) should not be a problem. But in any event after thinking it over, I decided to not even go there again...simple matter of making our own choices..