New Member with ancient Parker

[Bruce Truesdell]

Hello, I'm Bruce. I have a very old Parker hammer-type S x S top lever shotgun. It's serial number is a little below 1350. It is quite worn and the hammers don't pull back fully. I'd like to sell it as is but wonder whether I should get involved in restoration. Any suggestions? Thanks

[Brian Dudley]

Well a Serial number that low would not be a top lever action. Would be a lifter with no exposed pintle joint.

[Rick Losey]

unless its a Belgium gun and marked Parker

pictures will tell

[Bruce Truesdell]

You identified it, Rick. The barrel is stamped: Belgian Laminated Steel. It is also stamped: Choke bored. Up near the muzzle it is stamped: 620TRB, whatever that means.

[Bruce Truesdell]

Here are some pictures, as you suggested. What should be done with it? How can I find its as-is value?

[Dean Romig]

The best advice we can give you, and I think we are unanimous in this, is "Don't put any money into it." If you bought that gun it is only worth what you paid... and maybe not even worth that much. I'm not trying to be cruel or unfeeling but the simple fact of the matter is that it is best hung over the mantle and left there.

[Brian Dudley]

Yup. It's a wall hanger. That is worth whatever anyone will pay. Maybe about 100 - 150 for one in this condition.
And it looks like it has the typical, very loose breech.

[Rick Losey]

What they are trying to politely say is that this is not really a "Parker" shotgun. At least not a Parker Bros.

The Belgium gun trade had a habit of using the names of quality makers on some low quality shotgun, guns that have no connection to the quality gun makers whose name they "borrowed"

very little if any monetary value- if it is G-G-grandpa's hang it on the wall, but (my own humble opinion) it may be best to leave it in non shooting condition

[Bruce Truesdell]

Thanks to all of you for your kind advice. The gun does have "Parker" stamped on it next to an image of a running deer, so I thought it was the real thing. And, yes, the breech is loose. I had no idea of what to do about it, but you have convinced me its a wall-hanger. Sob!

[Brian Dudley]

They were basically, what we call today, hardware store guns. They were inexpensive utility guns that might have sold for $10 or something. And they got the job done. But they did not last against the test of time.