#1351 questions & issues

[Scott Boal]

Hi everybody -

I'm a newcomer to the forum living near Seattle and would value your insights and best thoughts. You've hear this story many times before: I inherited a Parker Brothers gun years ago and am now in the process of "lightening the load" as life progresses.

The inherited gun is #1351 which I understand from the forum is a pretty low serial number. If you look at my album Parker #1351, you can see that it is a beautiful gun - as all Parkers are, really - but that it has a nasty broken stock. The triggers are broken; the right trigger works fine but the left trigger won't hold. It appears to me that the only missing parts are the triggers and two pieces of the stock. The buttplate has some rust. The barrels look "cleanish" but not mirror-like.

I don't have the family story that would make this gun an heirloom for my next generation. So here are my concerns.

I'd like the gun to eventually go to a good home where it can become a family heirloom or a featured spot in a display. But is best to pay for some level of restoration and then sell OR sell to a collector first as is and let him/her restore as desired? I have done nothing to it so far because I understand both the value of patina and the danger of bad restorations.

I'm also prepared to learn that this is NOT a valuable gun and that I should just forget about it. But please give me your thoughts and perspectives as I try to honor the history and builders of this gun.

Scott

[wayne goerres]

Hi Scott Your parker was made before parker kept records. I think it is what is refurred to as a T latch. If I am incorrect some one will chime in and correct me. Unfortunatley your stock is a mess. There appears to be wood missing where it is broken. The triggers are going to be hard to find or repair. You dont say what gauge it is so assumeing it is a twelve gauge and it has no sentamental value to you the cost of restoration would leave you way in the hole. These guns are like old cars. You restore them because you love them and you dont care how much they cost you.It is either a parts gun or a huge project gun and the calue is pretty low. Thats just my opinion.

[OH Osthaus]

sad, must have been a nice gun once.

what are the bores like? I would also wonder if the locks sustained any damage when that traumatic event occurred.

Along with the triggers, the trigger guard is also broken. both will be very difficult to find (a good tig welder might save the guard - but at more cost)

the very early number and damascus barrels (depending on condition) seem to be the good points, but even then, an equally early gun needing the parts would not be common.

[Dean Romig]

The poor thing looks like it was run over by a Conestoga wagon.
The back end of the trigger plate is broken off and missing, as are several original screws. I agree with Waynes comparison to restoring old cars.

[Hammer Gun]

Scott, It appears as you have what I would call a 135.00 grade early lifter with pin, and damascus barrels, I would check to verify the gauge, I have 1147, a true 14ga gun it is pictured in the serialization book as well as several places in the Parker Story, if you want to see the comparison, Gary

[Dean Romig]

I photographed this Parker F.9.R., B2505 - same grade, same features, same period - back in 2010.


.

[wayne goerres]

Scott I was wrong about it being a T latch. It is just an early lifter. When I saw that pin sticking up I confused it with the T latch.

[B. Dudley]

Too bad about the damage to that gun. Even the trigger plate is broken.
I would be curious to see more of the top of the gun. It looks like we have another one that has had the upper tang lengthened on. By a lot too.

[OH Osthaus]

up for a real challenge Brian???

the more i look at this gun, the more I am sure some one had a very bad day those very many years ago, I can only imagine the feeling in the pit of his stomach. I'd have been sick for a month

[Dean Romig]

I'm thinking the upper tang should have been lengthened another inch or two