Before you do anything, try and post some pictures. Many will chime in as to whether you will be enhancing or hurting the gun. My favorite expression with regard to restoration is “Its original only once”.

Dan, as far as "refurbishing" your heirloom Parker is concerned, I and many others here might advise against a 'restoration' of any kind, unless it is just a wreck.

A lot of the wear and scars were likely put on that gun by your father through many years of use. It would be a shame to erase those signs of his having enjoyed hunting with it. By all means, have the barrels checked for safe use and if they're deemed good to go by an expert, shoot the heck out of it. For a Parker, even with fluid pressed steel barrels, it is wise to use loads that keep recoil to a minimum. The wood, being at least 130 years old on your gun, is more prone to damage than the barrels.

Those RST shells are certainly the right ticket for shooting a Parker such as yours.





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Please show a photo of your gun, there is a huge difference between honest wear and neglect. If it is honest use it is the guns experience, it's history and you will be erasing that. If it was left in a damp cellar for 30 years and rusted that is another story. As Edgar said they are only original once and no one can make them that way again.

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