doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Parson's Damascus chopper lump barrels

Searching for information. I've read a description that claims Parson's patent No.201 of 1868 was for "chopper lump" barrels. My understanding of "chopper lump" is that the lumps are forged as part of each barrel. The Parson patent reads ... "the lump is made in two halves, one being welded to each of the barrels, and the half lumps being subsequently brazed, soft soldered, screwed, or riveted together; or a lump of the required size may be welded on one of the barrels in such a position that, when the barrels are put together, it occupies the proper place between the barrels."
Anyone seen a barrel with a Parson's patent use marking?

Can't help you but am curious, is this the William Parsons from Swaffham, Norfolk?

J. Parsoms

There are far more expert people on this board than me, so if I'm wrong hopefully they will correct me. I have a W.S. Riley with the chopper lump stamp. I think it was Henry Parson, not J. Parson. His chopper lump patent mark was a usage number above a stamped stone mason's hammer. I have a couple of pictures of the stamp if you would like me to email them. I pulled everything off of Photobucket and haven't got a replacement photo hosting site yet.

As I understand it, chopper lump barrels in the usual usage mean barrel lumps and the barrel are forged in a single piece.

It was, I think, common practice to weld the lumps onto Damascus tubes. SO, not really chopper lump. IF THIS IS NOT THE CASE what am I missing?

Chukarman,
I think you're 'spot on.'

The Parsons Damascus chopper lump barrel notion comes from a recent book on hammer guns. Damascus chopper lump barrels
with Damascus lumps would mean the hook was Damascus. Seems
like that would be a problem.

The patent damascus chopperlump barrels were indeed proper CL barrels with the lump forged as part of the tube. Not to be confused with a tube set that has had a lump added by any method. I have seen a couple of examples of the patent but a while back and can't remember the nature of the patent mark. At least one was at Holt's and you may be able to find it by searching their archive of old auction catalogues.
Steve, yes, the problem was that the damascus lump was too soft to give long term service and I remember reading way back that these barrels nearly always have a dovetail repair to the hook using 'normal' steel. However, this is the norm with well used guns with vintage repairs. I think it is fair to say that some truly awful steel was used for all sorts of applications in Victorian gunmaking - metallurgy being a 'black art' back then. The best materials were sourced by the best makers but probably the 'best' supplier had only a vague understanding of WHY there products worked. They knew how to get there but it was a form of alchemy!

Toby, thank you for the explanation. I would love to have a chance to examine a set of 'chopper lump Damascus' barrels. My guess is they were damned difficult to make.

A little late to the dance but I can add a bit more to the story.
Northern Bob is correct.It was a patent by Henry Parsons and an image of a stone masons hammer was stamped on the barrels.I did own a hammer gun with this patent which surfaced locally about 40 years ago and has since found a home I believe in Eastern Canada.I have seen about 3 or 4 examples of this patent over the years.One was on an early hammer double rifle by Thomas Horsley. I will attach below a pic of the reference to this patent in Crudgington and Baker Vol.2 Page 212 and a pic of the lump and patent stamp on the hammergun I owned.Hopefully the line down the center of the lump is visible.

Terry,
Thank you.
My confusion was a result of the author referencing the wrong patent - No.201 of 1868 as opposed to No.7205 of 1886.

Interestingly, both patents dealt with 'lumps' and were granted to someone named 'Parsons.'