James- first of all, welcome. FYI, there are members here who know Parkers as well as His Holiness knows where all the lavatories are in the Vatican. Research alone on our beloved "Old Reliables" can in itself be a life-long labor of love. If your Vulcan 12 Parker was produced in Meriden in 1905-1906 and the records show it had 30" barrels when it left the factory, that you can take as "Gospel" truth here.
Did Remington shorten the barrels to 26" in 1941? I can't say, but I doubt it. Why? First off, I should guess they would would have offered the owner another set of 26" barrels fitted to his VH. When barrels are set and regulated, or "Englished" they have to shoot to point of aim and not "cross pattern" and the regulation done on the original 30" barrels, no matter the choke(s) would be gone forever with a 4" reduction. Even if a skilled barrel man/machinist, like the late Jim Geary (Parker's top barrel man) could remachine a recess or "jugged" choke, you would still have a possible problem in good patterns, and also, the fine balance Parkers were known for would also be adversely affected.
Another point, if you will bear with me-and I am guessing, but as, unfortunately, so many fine doubles produced during the turn of the 20th Century had 30" barrels- and later their owners wanted shorter barrels and more open chokes, the vise and hacksaw came into play often. Why would the owner send this VH to Remington in 1941 and pay for an "alteration", assuming Remington would have honored his request, when he could "alter" his gun almost for free?
I am curious as to the code or website site you used to determine, if I read your post correctly, that Walter King's stamp may have meant this Remington operation in 1941. I would like to visit that site myself, out of curiosity.
Whoever said your older Parker might have been one of the Japanese Olin Kodesha may well have been confused. Dean Romig answered that accurately, as the basic level grade for those repros was the DHE I believe, and our PGCA forum has an entire section just on those fine guns as well. And anything Dean Romig tells you about Parkers (or Volvos) you can "take to the bank"!!
