Parker chokes...

[Brian Drake]

Hi guys, I picked up what appears to be an all-original Parker VH 1 1/2 frame 12 gauge in great shape, made around 1927. Using a simple brass choke gauge, the left barrel gauges modified, while the right barrel gauges cylinder. It is my limited understanding that cylinder is not a common choke for Parkers. What is the likelihood that the bore(s) has/have been opened-up, and is there a way to tell? Thanks!

Brian

[Pa SxS]

There are many instances of customers requesting cylinder in the RH barrel and modified/full in the LH barrel. There won't be any information regarding your guns chokes in our records because the order books stopped in 1919 and the stock books changed format in 1925 and did not record choke configuration info in the new format.

[OH Osthaus]

Brian

It may just be a sign that whoever ordered your gun knew what he was doing, that is a pretty effective upland combination.

I have a earlier gun which the letter shows was returned to be opened up.

So either way, good combination

[Paul Harm]

The only way of getting an accurate reading is with a bore mic. It's how many thousands constriction of the muzzle opening compared to the bore diameter. A lot of chokes are opened up latter from the muzzle end. This leaves a longer parallel at the end. A good smith can see this just by looking down the barrel, or with a mic it could be checked. The now standard 12ga bore is .729, but many are over bored up to around .735 to .740. That's why a mic is needed. I have a Parker top lever hammer gun that has .744 bores. I believe that back then a little over size damascus tubes weren't thrown away - they were finish bored from the breech end and the amount of constriction was left for the chokes they wanted. Have a good gun smith look at them. Good luck.

[redoftx]

What a timely thread. I am seriously considering the purchase of Parker GH 57109 that is stated to have open chokes, cyl and cyl. It's at the local Cabala's now waiting on me to get there with all my gauges for inspection. I had it shipped from Grand Junction, CO. The home page shows that there are surviving records for this Parker, but it would be oh so sweet if the existing chokes matched the letter. When it was in CO, I asked the guy there if there was the tell tale "line" before the end of the barrels, and he said it was there. So I'm assuming original 30" length, but I won't know until I get there. I would post the Cabelas reference # , to get the experts opinon, but I don't know if that's allowed.

[OH Osthaus]

Some one with the book handy (my copy is not) maybe able to confirm the barrel length

But 30 is pretty common

[James L. Martin]

57109 not listed in the book

[C.O.B.]

I have a DHE 20 thats choked cyl in the right barrel and IC in the left a deadly Grouse set up and CHE & DH 16's that letter Cyl & Full. The CHE has 28 inch barrels while the DH has 26.

[Dean Romig]

"Cylinder" choked right barrels are relatively common in Parkers.

I have a set of Damascus 10 ga. 30" 2-frame barrels I have fitted to my DH and they are choked a tight Mod in the right barrel and Cyl in the left.

[C.O.B.]

Dean I would think that would be a good choice for waterfowl over decoys as your first shot would be at the bird thats farther away.