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[J. Huddleston]

I just found my first Parker. I believe that I have found it is an 1881 grade 1 lifter 12 gauge with twist barrels and a straight stock. I actually had a guy try to give it to me, but before he opened the bag he told me that he had got this shotgun from his uncle 18 years ago when he passed away and his wife was making him get rid of his guns after the Aurora Colorado shooting. Before he opened it, I told him that before I see it or know what it is, I would like to at least give him what was in my wallet. I offered him the $100 and then we went to open it and see what he had. Turns out it was this Parker and in around 75%.:shock: I have no idea what it is actually worth, but it is a beautiful gun to join my collection.

[Rich Anderson]

Welcome aboard. As you research the origin of your gun you will be lured deeper into the world of the Parker shotgun, and what a wonderfull world it is.

Congrats on a nice first Parker. If you decide to use her make sure you have the gun checked out by a compittant gunsmith that know doubles and can measure the barrel wall thickness. Use only low pressure shells such as those made by RST and you and your new Parker will have endless hours of shooting enjoyment.

[J. Huddleston]

Thanks for the tips. I guess I will get with Briley here in Houston to get it checked out. Might try to use it on a few doves this year if they say its good to go.

[Jay Gardner]

GREAT old gun. Just please don't let the folk at Briley tell you it should be tubed unless the barrels are REALLY thin. A gun in that shouldn't be messed with unless there is absolutely no alternative.

[J. Huddleston]

I will keep that in mind also. These barrels are really thick. A buddy of mine that is a gunsmith said that the barrels look like they should be fine, but he said I should still have them checked by somebody that specializes in the old side by sides.

[Brian Dudley]

What a buy for you! The gun is in good condition for the age. Very nice figure still showing in the barrels. Like many very old guns, it looks like this one may have had varnish or shelac put over the wood and metal parts as an attempt to preserver or protect it. That is where the yellow color on the metal is coming from and also the shiny look of the stock. This will usually come off with careful use of denatured alcohol. Apart from a good cleaning and a check over by someone versed with old guns / Parkers, it should not need much.

[charlie cleveland]

nice gun...you will enjoy the old parker them liftrer parker are really well constructed guns...enjoy the old gal and shes worth more than a hundred.... j did you ever live in mississippi i new a junior huddleston in my youth late 50 s and early 60 s..... charlie

[J. Huddleston]

No sir. I have always lift in Texas as well as the Huddleston side of my family since they came over from England.

[J. Huddleston]

What a buy for you! The gun is in good condition for the age. Very nice figure still showing in the barrels. Like many very old guns, it looks like this one may have had varnish or shelac put over the wood and metal parts as an attempt to preserver or protect it. That is where the yellow color on the metal is coming from and also the shiny look of the stock. This will usually come off with careful use of denatured alcohol. Apart from a good cleaning and a check over by someone versed with old guns / Parkers, it should not need much.

For the cleaning, what type of cleaning would you do? The stock was not shiny untill I put remoil on it. I put a light coat of rem oil on the whole gun. I have cleaned many guns, but never one this old. Should I try a Frountier pad to get all the old dirt and stuff off or just clean it carefully with denatured alcohol?

[Brian Dudley]

Mr. Huddleston,

If the shineness is a result of the oil that you put on the stock, then it is not of as much of a concern. What should be cleaned off is whatever is on the metal parts that are giving it that yellow look. Most likely varnish or shellac which will be removed with denatured alcohol. You want to go slow and be careful. Denatured alcohol will remove shellac from the wood too, and that is what most of these original finishes are. So you don't want to get it on the wood.

Denatured alcohol will soften the shellac first and then with continuous rubbing will remove it.

For example with old wood furnature, when shellac finishes shrink and crack with that crazed look. The alcohol will remove that worn out surface shellac so that fresh shellac can then be added.

OR that yellowing could just be dried oil. Some gun oils will gum up over time like this.

[J. Huddleston]

Mr. Huddleston,

If the shineness is a result of the oil that you put on the stock, then it is not of as much of a concern. What should be cleaned off is whatever is on the metal parts that are giving it that yellow look. Most likely varnish or shellac which will be removed with denatured alcohol. You want to go slow and be careful. Denatured alcohol will remove shellac from the wood too, and that is what most of these original finishes are. So you don't want to get it on the wood.

Denatured alcohol will soften the shellac first and then with continuous rubbing will remove it.

For example with old wood furnature, when shellac finishes shrink and crack with that crazed look. The alcohol will remove that worn out surface shellac so that fresh shellac can then be added.

OR that yellowing could just be dried oil. Some gun oils will gum up over time like this.

So the best thing to do would be start with the barells after I take it apart? What would you do about the little rust spots on the bottom of the receiver?

[Brian Dudley]

0000 steel wool and oil for any rust.

[Steve McCarty]

All great advice. IMO a nice old Parker should look like a nice old gun. Remember the wood is well over a hundred years old and should be treated like fine furniture. Your barrels look very nice to me with excellent figuring. That yellowing on the metal parts should come right off, as stated above.

As you can tell by the comments here, your Parker is a very nice one and with the RST shells you can shoot her for another hundred years. (after her physical) I suggest that you join our association and add your gun's serial numbers to our archive which means that your Parker lifter has been reborn!

[J. Huddleston]

All great advice. IMO a nice old Parker should look like a nice old gun. Remember the wood is well over a hundred years old and should be treated like fine furniture. Your barrels look very nice to me with excellent figuring. That yellowing on the metal parts should come right off, as stated above.

As you can tell by the comments here, your Parker is a very nice one and with the RST shells you can shoot her for another hundred years. (after her physical) I suggest that you join our association and add your gun's serial numbers to our archive which means that your Parker lifter has been reborn!

She has a date with a gunsmith on Wednesday and I have already ordered a flat of vintage shells from polywad.

[Steve McCarty]

She has a date with a gunsmith on Wednesday and I have already ordered a flat of vintage shells from polywad.

Good for you! You'll have to tell us how your old Parker shoots. I've often wondered why old shotguns have so much drop at comb, but many do. I'm sure they ordered their guns that way for a reason, those guys weren't stupid and shotgun sports were very popular in the 19th Century.

[Steve McCarty]

0000 steel wool and oil for any rust.

I use Liquid Wrench. It seems that that stuff penitrates the rust down to clean metal and helps to lift if off. I also use 0000, but very lightly.