new find

[Bill Murphy]

This wear plate is circa 1874-1875? Why do guns made well after those dates not have this feature?

[Richard Flanders]

Wow. If THAT gun could talk, eh?! I see patches soldered on the barrels?! Never seen that. I bet this puppy has killed some birds in it's day. What a great wall hanger, eh?

[jonny davis]

i appreciate your comments, however what is my best avenue with this gun. should i try to recondition it or not, and how hard is it to find out who the original owner might have been considering it has such a low serial number. can i find parts for it? The history might really be interesting. I'm new at this and i don't want to ruin what i have, if that is a concern. also can you give me an idea of this guns value as it is. or if i restore it, thanks jonny

[Autumn Daze]

Bill,I too have seen many guns with the tapered locking lug and no hardened insert.I really don,t know. Maybe the insert on this particular gun was done in the late 1800's?

Jonny,I am not a restoration expert but I know this. To restore that gun it would cost you many times what it is worth and parts availability for a back-action gun are almost non existant.

[Travis Sims]

Let that old girl rest!

[jonny davis]

AM I UNDERSTANDING YOU GUYS RIGHT THAT I BASICALLY HAVE A PARKER BRO'S GUN WITH A LOW SERIAL NUMBER THAT REALLY ISN'Y WORTH MUCH AT ALL, OR DO I NEED TO PURSUE DIFFERENT AVENUES. IS THERE ANY PLACE THAT I CAN RESEARCH THE HISTORY OF THIS GUN?

[Autumn Daze]

Jonny,Yes you have a very low serial numbered back action Parker shotgun.We do not have any records for guns with serial numbers as low as your gun.Sorry to say in my opinion the condition of the gun is such that there is no collector value left in the gun. Parts are not readily available and taking parts from another gun and using them on yours would result in a cobbled together gun further diminishing the value.

As far as further referrence on back action Parker guns there are books out by Ed Muderlak,Larry Baer and Peter Johnson that will give an overview but not much detail.The best books in print are a two volumne set called "The Parker Story" by Price,Mullins,Gunther,Cote and Parker but are a bit pricey for the casual observer at about $300.00 US

I hope we have been of assistance...

[Dean Romig]

Johnny, that's about all there is to your Parker. There may be someone who collects very low serial number Parkers and that one might fill a certain vacancy and a particular niche but that's about it. The neat thing is that it is considered a Deluxe model and the fact that it has Laminated Steel rather than the Decarbonized Steel barrels more common at the time make it more unusual, but the condition is extremely poor and therein lies the problem and the real detractor of value.
You can send for a PGCA Research Letter and if there is nothing on that serial number to support a research letter Mark will, of course, return your payment.

[Bill Murphy]

Jonny, if you are concerned with the nominal value of your gun, donate it to PGCA for their historical collection and deduct a suitable amount from your 2010 personal income for tax purposes. This gun is a legitimate gun of interest to PGCA and its members and would be a good addition to our museum collection. I think it is an interesting piece and would love to own it myself. However, it would be of more value to an organization than to an individual collector.

[jonny davis]

Thanks fellows for such an informative discussion. I really appreciate your help. I may very well follow up on the search you mentioned. Something to back up the serial number would be great. Before I leave you what is your opinion on shortening the barrel length and fixing the patches on the barrel. Thanks again.