Dads Parker 10 Gauge

[Dean Romig]

Regarding the wood - more likely it is nicely grained American Black Walnut. As a rule, the grade 3 Parker was the lowest grade on which imported or Circassian walnut was used and the grain of yours definitely looks like American Black Walnut.





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[Matto]

We are leaning very strongly to not having the gun redone based on what we have been hearing from all of you. After deer season Ill get pictures of the sights for all of us to look at and figure out what we should or should not do with the sights.

The stock has some really good figuring and needs a good cleaning Which I hope will bring out its beauty without having to redo the stock.

I guess if we have to priority what needs to be done is
1. have a very old father 80+ with limited years see the gun he shot his first deer with (age 9) work once again
2. and a distant 2 I and Dean would like to say that we shot a Parker shotgun and maybe even hunt with it once again.

I will be taking pictures in three weeks is there any pictures that any of you need that will make the groups decisions easier as how to proceed with the cleaning of our Parker?

Once again thank you so much for all the guidance with our Parker.

I was 8 years old also time I saw Dad fire the gun I am now 52 and longing to see it work again. We were grouse hunting is what he said but the truth be know we were deer hunting that brisk fall day so many years ago. I have been a hunter ever since.

[John E. Williams]

Matt, for what little an opinion's worth, I'd focus on your dad's age. As much as I dislike pointing out the obvious, his time with us is short. Throw an industrial-grade cleaning on that old shotgun, order a few boxes of the RST shells, and get all y'all out into a thicket somewhere and do some shooting! If you're especially concerned with the old gun's shootability, load it up, lay it across an old car tire, and pull off several rounds with a string from a safe distance. Parkers are extremely solid, well-built shotguns and most all the surviving examples will work just fine with appropriate shells. You can worry about what you'd like to do as regards refinishing after your dad's gone. Grab this opportunity while it's still an option and you won't come to regret a chance not taken. Don't even bother asking how I learned this...

Those "brisk fall days" scar a man's soul, don't they? And in such a wonderful way.

[Matto]

Now that is great advise Mr. Williams I think its time to get down to business! RST shells, is their a specific shot that is easier on the ole reliable? going to put some on order today!!!

[John E. Williams]

Originally Posted by Matthew Hanson

Now that is great advise Mr. Williams I think its time to get down to business! RST shells, is their a specific shot that is easier on the ole reliable?

Well thank you, sir! As to shot size, I would do it just like always and order the shot sized to suit whatever I thought may be hunted. Some of the more knowledgeable members of the forum may weigh in differently, but I think any of the available sizes will work perfectly in your fine old gun.

[Dean Hanson]

Originally Posted by John E. Williams

Well thank you, sir! As to shot size, I would do it just like always and order the shot sized to suit whatever I thought may be hunted. Some of the more knowledgeable members of the forum may weigh in differently, but I think any of the available sizes will work perfectly in your fine old gun.

A simple correction of my brothers early submission. My Dad's BROTHER was nine when he shot his first deer with the Parker, it was before my Dad was even born. Sonny, as he was called, went on to fight in WWII, including the Battle of the Bulge. Lost him in the mid 60's to freak accident. Matt deer hunts with Sonny,s .30-06 to this day.

[Fishtail]

One last word on 'cleaning' the wood. In my limited experience, there are two types of cleaning you can do on wood that old and "patina'd". You can wipe it down with a rag and some gun oil, or you can strip it and refinish it which of course gets into 'restoration'.

The reason I say that is the concept of cleaning implies that there is dirt and gunk on top of the 'real' finish of the stock. In reality, the dirt and gunk over the years has become the finish of the stock. If you remove it, you are looking at bare wood.

More experienced people might have ways for you to 'doll up' what you have without refinishing but make sure you know what you're getting into. And if anyone mentions 'Murphy's Oil Soap' that's the same as 'finish stripper' for this sort of old gun.

Like others have said...I'd wipe it off with gun oil and a rag, clean the bores up, and shoot it with the proper shells. That's where the rewards lie.

[6pt-Sika]

To each his own ,

However when I wanna clean a stock but try and leave any of the original finish I clean it with of all things Hoppe's #9 and a soft cloth . After wiping off all the residue I can I then dry it a bit with a blow dryer let it sit a couple hours and then put a coat or two of Bowling Alley Wax or Johnson'S Paste Wax and the wood and buff it by hand with a CLEAN soft cloth .

[Eric Estes]

That is a very nice gun and a great piece of family history.
You do not need to have it restored to shoot it again. All you need is to make sure it is safe to shoot. The main thing for safety is to be sure the barrel wall thickness is good. A good double gunsmith can check that for you or you could get a Manson gage from Brownells for under $100 to measure it yourself. If you search on this forum you will find lots of threads on measuring barrel wall thickness. It is also a good idea to be sure the gun is on face. If the closed action rattles or you can wiggle the barrels then it has loosened up over the years. It can be expensive to have a qualified smith tighten it up and put it back on face, but many members here have had great success with using a brass shim cut with scissors to shape, then bent and placed over the hinge pin where the barrel hook pivots. I have a .005 brass shim on my 1877 Parker and now it locks up nice and tight.

For cleaning the metal Frontier 45 pads were mentioned. If you want to remove light rust grime and whatever without harming the patina they are the best. They will not damage bluing case colors or damascus finish when used with a gun oil or Hoppes #9. Be sure to get the real deal. They look like steel scrub pads, but are not steel and wont harm the patina. They also work great on cleaning the bores. You can place a bit of one on a bore brush and it does great. For the wood you may want to initially only do something as simple as using a damp cloth to wipe it down to remove surface dirt. Damp not wet. At some point you will want to have a good smith take it apart and clean the insides of the locks and action, inspect the sears, etc., but if the locks appear to be working properly now and the barrels check out I would shoot it without hesitation.

Once you are sure it is safe get on out there with your dad and burn some powder. Down the road if you guys decide you want to spruce it up even more you absolutely can. There are some wonderful craftsman out there like Brad Bachelder that can take it as far as you want all the way to brand new looking, but if time is the essence then maybe there is no rush to go that route? All the best and have fun with it and your dad.

[Dean Hanson]

Well for anyone interested, I have completed the stock and forend "restore" myself. Basically 14 hours of cleaning and Johnson's Paste Wax as finish. Left everything else as is. Hand rubbing 2-3 more hours. Frontier pads coming this week to start on the barrels. Took apart what I was comfortable with... trigger guard, hammers, firing pins, forend. So far issues are; off face, need replacement hammer screws, possible barrel pitting...minor if exists, and overall inspection to see if gun is ready for grouse hunting. Hoping to find someone local to (200 miles and in) to complete our process. Matt and I will post pics soon and would appreciate any input, negative or positive, please. Thanks everyone.