Parker 12 Ga DHE Evaluation
 

Recently I shipped out to Bachelders my 12 ga DHE w/31 inch barrels to have them clean it and go all over the gun to provide me with their overall evaluation of it. Some of us may recall that earlier this year I had posted this gun for sale. Given a number of queries I received from PGCA members regarding in particular the originality of the rare 31 inch barrels, I decided to have an independent evaluation of the gun by Bachelders whom I trust greatly. Also took the opportunity to have them take it apart and clean and lubricate it as necessary. I am attaching their evaluation FYI and comment. I do hope the attachment comes through.

The DHE
 

A pic of this DHE that has been posted earlier

Thank you for posting this Allen

Very well done. Thanks for posting

The analysis is thorough and complete. A first rate professional evaluation. I wish you the best with your gun. I hope you decided to keep it.

Tom, the truth is I have not made up my mind. I will shoot some pheasants with it this season tho and some trap. I have enjoyed shooting this somewhat rare DHE. If after this season I decide to sell, I'll post it in the for sale section and give first rights to PGCA members. Our bird season here in Massachusetts opens tomorrow and where we hunt there will be a few pheasants (but not many). I only wish I had it back from Bachelders to take into the field tomorrow. Thank you for your comments.

Barrels re-bored? I doubt it. A great majority of Parkers made in that era were oversized when made. Bores actually being .729” was not really seen until the 1920s.

Agreed! Now that you have an expert's opinion to validate the wisdom of your decision to purchase this nice Parker, I hope that you enjoy hunting with your gun! After all, that's why many of us are here. Good hunting!

Thank you gents. One of the aspects of this DHE that i was most concerned with was the originality of the barrels. Ie; had they been cut or not, after all the 31 inch length makes this double somewhat rare. My own eye told me the length had not been messed but i felt it was important to get an independent evaluation from a credible source. I only wish that Parkers records were more complete to tell the story of how these barrels came to this DHE when the record shows it came out of the factory with 30 inch damascus barrels. My best speculation is that either the factory record is incorrect or sometime between 1906 when it was made and when Walter King stepped down it was sent back to be rebarreled. And why would someone order a non standard 31 inch barrel length? I am open to anyone elses thoughts

Titanic barrels were introduced in 1897 so it really could have been made with the Titanic barrels it now has.... or it could have been made with Damascus. The letter says one thing but the gun seems to contradict it. You’ll never know for certain.

I’ve said it before, my 28 ga. DHE shows in the Serialization book and in The Parker Story as having 28” Titanic barrels but it letters with 24” Damascus barrels, which it has now and has always had.





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