New to site. GH 20 ga.

[David Borrowman]

Hello everyone. I've been coming to the site for a while for info, and finally decided to join. I've got a pretty rough GH 20 ga my grandfather gave me as payment for working for him one summer (probably '97) I always thought the gun was too old to shoot, but after some research decided to load up some bp all brass shells and take her after some ringnecks. I ended up taking one and didn't get to carry the gun after that, because everyone else in the party wanted a crack at it.

Cheers!

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/kansasgrass2.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/PheasantHunt2009009.jpg

[Dave Suponski]

Dave,Welcome aboard! Looks like a great hunt! How about some pictures of that 20 bore!

[John Dunkle]

Hi David!

Great pics - terrific story on your GH - and as well - WELCOME!!

Looks like you have the pictures figured out already, so of course - we'll be asking for detailed pics of your GH 20..!

Looking forward to seeing more posts from you in the future....

Best to you!

John

[David Borrowman]

Thanks for kind words gentlemen. Here are some pics I took over the weekend, but it looks like I neglected to get one of the barrel lug and flats. Like I said she is pretty rough, but at 97, I'll probably look pretty rough too.

Due to the condition of the bbls I'm only shooting bp through it at the recommendation of a gunsmith.

I'd like to get her restored to at least a portion of her former glory. Do you all think she is too far gone?

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/parker%20pics/100_0753.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/parker%20pics/100_0754.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/parker%20pics/100_0755.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/parker%20pics/100_0760.jpg

The old stock with a Browning butt pad and all of the checkering wore off.
http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/parker%20pics/100_0762.jpg

Right bbl with some, what I would call scoring, right after the forcing cone.
http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/parker%20pics/100_0763.jpg

Left bbl with some pitting.
http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/parker%20pics/100_0764.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/parker%20pics/100_0767.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/parker%20pics/100_0770.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/parker%20pics/100_0772.jpg

Dent in the left bbl. The old girl definitely didn't sit in a closet for most of her life.
http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/parker%20pics/100_0774.jpg

[Harry Collins]

David,

All in all you have a very well taken care of Parker. It is well used and all that wear was with your grandfathers hands. I would not do a thing to it other than have the dent in the barrel removed (if that is what I saw in the picture). Much more than that and it would detract from the value of the gun. Most everyone on this site has seen my fathers Parker and I will never refinish what my fathers hands wore off. Here is a picture and he received the gun new when he was a boy.

I would bet heavy coin that the barrels on your Parker have never been messed with. That is no one has skimmed the bores and taken away precious metal. With that in mind I would shoot smokeless loads with appropriate velocity and pressure. If you keep it around 8000 psi you should be fine. I would also bet your grandfather shot smokeless powder though it for years.

Kindest, Harry

[Eric Eis]

What Harry said, and I am not sure if I would have the dent removed unless I could be seen from inside the bores. RST makes some great shells that are low pressure loads, alot easier to clean up after the shooting.....

[David Borrowman]

RST makes some great shells that are low pressure loads, alot easier to clean up after the shooting.....

I like shooting the all brass hulls, but I do worry I'll miss some bp and the bore will deteriorate even more. I emailed them last week about buying some 20ga paper hulls, no luck, but Alex sent me a very prompt email back with their 2.5 in 20ga pressures. 7/8 oz, 7200, 3/4 oz 5800. I will probably go with these.

Is there a way to tighten up the stock without devaluing the gun? It has quite a bit of play in it.

[E Robert Fabian]

David, I'm presently fixing the cracked head of a stock for a friend now. Some one should be able to direct you to a competent smith in your area who can fix the head of your stock. Post your location.

[David Borrowman]

Kansas City, MO

[Eric Eis]

pm Bruce Day I am sure he knows a good smith in your area.

[Richard Flanders]

Nice pics David. Guns with that much wear never cease to amaze me. The amount you'd have to carry a gun to wear the stock that much is unfathomable. I'd shoot low pressure smokeless powder over the BP just to ensure not corroding the barrels any further. If you've been reading the forum for a while I'm sure you've seen that many of us prefer to shoot our damascus guns and mostly shoot smokeless powder loads that we either reload or buy. Stick around and be sure to keep posting pics of your hunting with that gun. One of my two 20ga Parkers is a 1932 VHE20 that was my mothers so is pretty precious to me.

[David Borrowman]

Thanks Richard. I just ordered a case of RST 7/8 oz paper lites with the fiber wad. Hopefully they get here before the last hunt of the year this weekend.

Speaking of the stock, do you suppose it is not original, and this one never had any checkering on it? It does have the Browning butt pad, and there appears to be some corrosion on the metal behind the trigger guard that looks like some tape may have been there at one time. I just can't imagine someone taking the time to put the shield back in or fitting the original end cap on a replacement stock.

[David Borrowman]

Left this one out of the original pics. I can decipher some of it. 0 frame size, 3lb,5 oz bbl, and then some proof marks?? Any help with the rest would be great!

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab334/dcbeef/100_0785.jpg

[Bruce Day]

Try Mike Allee in Shawnee.

I don't know what "gunsmith" you talked to. Apparently he didn't know that your gun was proofed when new with smokeless powder.

[Richard Flanders]

Bruce: Are you basing that on the 1913 age or by some stamping on the gun?

David: I can't tell if the stock is original but a wild guess is that it is and someone worked it down for some reason. It somehow looks smooth beyond just wear but it's just a guess. Is there a serial number stamped in the wood under the back of the trigger guard?

[David Borrowman]

Been offline for a while due to a virus attack (computer variety).

Richard,

The stock does not have a serial number under the trigger guard, so I think the general consensus is that it is not an original stock.

Bruce,

The gunsmith I showed the gun to was concerned about some of the pitting in the bbl (and probably practicing some CYA). I do plan on making a trip down to see Mike Allee. He is less than a half hour from the house. Thank you for the recommendation. I looked at some of his work on-line and am eager to see what he thinks of the old girl.

[Bill Murphy]

The shield in the stock is truly a mystery, but it still doesn't appear to be an original stock. Someone very familiar with Parker wood and the fit of 1913 guns would be able to tell you the true story. Regardless, whether your gun has wood or not, it is worth a couple grand. You may want to take some action on the barrels, but the rest is optional.

[Dean Romig]

David, the "D" designates Damascus, "J.G." is Jim Geary a prominent barrel-fitter/striker, "K" is for Charles A. King, Gun Works Superintendant and thought to be final inspector. {Odd that the mark for Charles A. King "K" would appear on a 1913 gun when he was succeeded by his son Walter King "WK" in 1908 but the barrels had likely been fitted to the frame during Charles King's tenure and were marked so.} I can't read the stamp over the "D" nor can I read the stamp to the right of J.G..

[David Borrowman]

Thanks Dean,

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the mark over the D is a 4 indicating the type of damascus used. The other mark appears to be a cursive L or a "pound" sign (as in English pounds). Sure don't know what it means though.

[Dean Romig]

The "D" indicates Damascus but the "4" is just one of those unsolved mysteries. If there was a 4 closer to the breech it would indicate a grade 4 gun (C grade) but that is not the case here. Sorry I can't help you on the 4.