Now the proud owner of 2 Parkers !

[GunnyMack]

You all know of my black lab Parker. Yes she is named after Parker shotguns.
So last week I got call from a guy looking for some info about a Parker, value, grades etc. Not knowing much about them i deferred to our resident Parker specialist, 6pt Sika.
So this afternoon I made the hour drive to go see this gun. I've been looking for a 20 ga Parker like this for 20 odd years.
This gun according to 6pt left the factory as a VH grade with 28" barrels, pistol grip stock with grip cap. Beavertail forearm.
The sides and water table still have good case colors, the bottom has worn as expected. The wood finish is in very good shape. Barrel blue is still nice deep blue/black. It's choked I/C x I/C - the perfect bird gun !
I haven't taken stock dimensions but I'll tell ya it feels great!
At some point it's been converted to a single selective trigger( I just heard GK cringe!) and it had a Pachmyer recoil pad installed.

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And yes it has a LEVER, just on top !

[2ndovc]

There's a trophy!

Have fun!

jb

[GunnyMack]

If I read the serial number chart correctly on the Parker collectors site it dates to 1913.

[Ysabel Kid]

Score!

Congrats!!!

[6pt-sika]

Very nice

[gamekeeper]

Cringe is right... but congratulations Will it sounds like it going to see a lot use out in the field and with both chokes I/C losing a trigger shouldn't be too much of a loss...
I have always admired Parkers since working on them at Westley Richards.

[GunnyMack]

I've joined the Parker Collector's, apparently they have factory records for this gun so I'll order the factory letter.

Today it will get rebaptized as a field gun.

[RIHMFIRE]

AWESOME

[Bill in Oregon]

Hope Sage gets the first point and retrieve with it, Will.

[6pt-sika]

I've joined the Parker Collector's, apparently they have factory records for this gun so I'll order the factory letter.

Today it will get rebaptized as a field gun.

We have most of the order and stock books digitalized but we are missing several books . Membership is I think $40@ year and a letter for members is $42 . If a non member orders a letter it’s $100 . Obviously this was set up in a way to behoove folks to join for atleast a year .

[GunnyMack]

Yes, I've joined and awaiting the confirmation, I'll get the letter to satisfy my curiosity of when,where it was ordered/ sent.

Someone on the Parker forum has already said the wood is not original...

[6pt-sika]

Someone on the Parker forum has already said the wood is not original...

That uhm person is a stock maker/ gunsmith in the Rochester NY area . Can’t say I like the way he answers questions etc as I find it downright rude sometimes . But he says what he thinks . He’s actually pretty decent guy in person . Matter of fact he bonded a new Silvers pad to the original baseplate on my DH 8 , I’ve also bought quite a few parts from him over the last ten years .

[GunnyMack]

I dont doubt it's not orignal or someone decided to give it a face lift by refinishing and changing the checkering pattern. I say this because the flures de lis on the forearm is not proportional.
However, I believe the receiver is orignal color case and I'm sure the blue isn't original.
But this gun is going to be used for its orignal purpose- hunting. It won't be abused but it will be used.
Did Parker serialize the wood?

[6pt-sika]

Did Parker serialize the wood?

Yes typically under the trigger guard and on the heel of the forend wood . Pop the one screw out of the trigger guard lift slightly and 1/4 turn you should be able to see if it’s stamped. Forend wood you need to remove the forend iron and “it should be on the back end of the wood closest to the reciever . Now it’s not unheard of for some unscrupulous individuals to have the serial number stamped in the wood if a restock was performed . But if they go to that extreme checkering etc would be more inline with the original grade rather than an upgrade .

[GunnyMack]

Gotcha, thank you. I'll look into it.
I have a suspicion it's not original but again I'm not a collector.

I guess I have to make more posts before the site will allow me to request the factory letter?

[6pt-sika]

Gotcha, thank you. I'll look into it.
I have a suspicion it's not original but again I'm not a collector.

I guess I have to make more posts before the site will allow me to request the factory letter?

Message Mary Bowes she handles membership stuff and she can email Dunkle (Godfather of the forum) or whomever takes care of that stuff .

[6pt-sika]

Cringe is right... but congratulations Will it sounds like it going to see a lot use out in the field and with both chokes I/C losing a trigger shouldn't be too much of a loss...
I have always admired Parkers since working on them at Westley Richards.

I’ve gone thru a transition with triggers . When I was 15 I bought a WW Greener DH40 with a Miller single trigger that I thought was great until it had issues . When I really got into the Parker/Smith/Fox thing I was a double trigger snob . I’d say four years ago I got the VHE 32” vent rib trap that had a Parker single trigger factory original as well as a pair of VHE skeet guns with factory single triggers and I got so I liked single trigger guns quite a bit . Now to each his own but I can shoot either trigger configuration equally week or bad whatever the case may be .

[GunnyMack]

I posted more pics over there, the stock is serialized- smeared from years of recoil.
The stock also has what appears to be a nickle silver weight which i forgot to mention.
The checkering is probably done after it left the factory as you can see

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Ill send an email soon, thanks.

As for double trigger/ single trigger I can go one to the other without issue- guess I'm just gifted!

[6pt-sika]

I posted more pics over there, the stock is serialized- smeared from years of recoil.
The stock also has what appears to be a nickle silver weight which i forgot to mention.
The checkering is probably done after it left the factory as you can see 20241110_175141.jpg

Ill send an email soon, thanks.

As for double trigger/ single trigger I can go one to the other without issue- guess I'm just gifted!

The nickel silver thing that looks like a tiny police officers badge is for engraving initials . The forend of its the correct wood should have a bolt running thru the forward side of the wood parallel to the barrels and the forend lug on the barrel would be reinforced .

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[GunnyMack]

Yes this has the bolt through the forend.
The medallion has not been engraved.

[LeverGunner]

Wow, a great find. Congratulations.

[GunnyMack]

Hope Sage gets the first point and retrieve with it, Will.

She didn't get the first point for the Parker but she had 4 points and 3 retrieves!!! 2 of which were chukar that she had never smelled before.
She also got to join Parker in a rodeo chasing a winged rooster. That's was a fun 5 minutes! He crawled into a downed tree where the dogs couldn't get so I grabbed it and gave it a spin and tossed it for Sage. She brought it to me, I took it and praised her then let her have it back. She was so proud of herself while carrying back to the truck.

As for the PGCA , I had a heck of a time getting the request letter to print! Was ready to toss the printer out of the window and give it a few rounds of buckshot!! But it's now done and I'll mail it tomorrow.