tarting up a vh

Tim Kisieleski · 12-25-2009, 10:06 AM

Looking for ideas on upgrades/freshen ups for my latest project.

I just picked up a vh 16ga , o frame, 28" barrels. Looks to be about 5lbs 12ish(I was using a digital fishscale that said 5.8, I was informed the scale wasn't doing the math to the right of the decimile) Got a new scale that will read it correctly, but the gun just left for a jersey shoot this weekend, so I don't know what the real weight is.

Anyhow, it has resonable CC 50-60%, the stock is cracked at the wrist(repaired) the toe was split off near the butt plate screw and badly repaired.
Checkering is poor. and LOP is 13 1/2(I shoot a15")

This gun will be a hunter, I'm leaning toward a barrel reblue and probably a restock, no recolor or upgrade at this point. The $$ to repair the stock should make a big dent in a restock. ( I have a local guy that does my other stuff whos good, and resonable) How fancy can I go with wood on this gun?

My other fox Ae project is getting a stunning hunk of turkish, not sure if it's appropriate on this gun..

I'd like to see what others have done to freshen up thier shooters.

Drew Hause · 12-25-2009, 03:48 PM

Thudd/Tim: I believe she's been tarted up with torch colors

Compare the water table to the carry wear prone bottom of the receiver.

Tim Kisieleski · 12-25-2009, 06:12 PM

hope yur wrong Drew. The gun came from someone/a friend I know who is into this stuff, and a local british trained smith whom I'm friendly with did the transfer. Nothing was mentioned . I've seen a couple of Ed's torch jobs and this looks nothing like them.
I think Vicnare is going to to do the barrels, guess he'll get to look at the action as well.

Other than value, if it was torched are there any saftey issues?
The colors are very faint. My picture taking skills are lacking, as is my spelling skills

Drew Hause · 12-25-2009, 06:28 PM

Hope I'm wrong also Tim. Please let us know what Dewey thinks.

Bill Murphy · 12-27-2009, 07:57 PM

Colors don't look "faint" to me. What part of the colors look "faint" to you? I would not be putting any more money into this gun except to get the stock sound. If it is original, any work you do will detract from its value. If it is not original, it is a shooter and any work will just add to the money pit and not get returned when the gun is sold.

Dean Romig · 12-27-2009, 08:20 PM

The colors on the underside of the forend iron look to be original but you can't have that much color on the frame with that kind of wear to the engraving. Dewey will tell you for sure what issues it may have. Definitely worth a re-stock but, like Bill suggests, I'd stop there. Dean

Bill Murphy · 12-28-2009, 09:14 AM

You ask "What have others done to tart up a shooter?" That is a great question, and in 95% of cases, recoloring a receiver is not one of the answers. I recolored the receiver of a project gun that I started on in 1973 and just finished a year or two ago. I finally broke down and recolored the receiver in 2007 because the reengraving done by Thierry Duguet was so impressive, the gun did not look proper in its polished state. I also chose to have it done because Doug Turnbull is a friend and Jason, one of his gunsmiths, took it on as a personal project. It came out just great. If I had the whole gun done from its 1973 condition in 2009, it would have cost a fortune. Other than my first Parker, a 28 gauge VH, which I sent to Larry Del Grego Sr. in 1972, I have never considered recoloring a receiver on an original Parker.

J.B. Books · 12-28-2009, 03:21 PM

Bottom line Tim, it's your gun. Do whatever pleases you. Fixing up an old gun to use as a shooter can be fun but only very seldom will it ever be an investment.

Seems to me you have quite a bit of cc and the screws don't look bad. Restock and reblack the barrels as you suggest and you should be good to go. I didn't see what it was choked but depending on what you had in mind you might want to relieve the chokes if it's too tight for clays or upland hunting.

Again the gun is your canvas and your the art director. Have fun!

PS. When recoloring a frame there is always a chance the frame will warp in the process. If the frame is not blued or polished to look like chrome I'd leave it alone.

Tim Kisieleski · 12-28-2009, 07:12 PM

Thanks for the replys. I'll bring it up to Barrington sat and you guys can evaluate it in person.

Are the parkers often used as basis for custom projects, like the foxes?

BTW, shot it at M&M , south Jersey this weekend. it's really light, and butt heavy, hard to shoot consitantly. I'm going to need to figure out what to do long term(grabed a weighted hand guard to play with, till I hollow out the butt)

Dean Romig · 12-28-2009, 08:33 PM

Holy Smoke!! I just realized who you are . . . boy, do I feel like a dope

We have spoken by telephone twice about this gun and I just now saw your address, Amesbury, Ma., and your mention that you would bring it to Barrington and finally put one and one together . . . duh!

I'm looking forward to seeing you and the gun at Barrington. But don't show up on Saturday . . . the shoot is on New Years Day, Friday.
Best, Dean