DHE Special Skeet ?

[Eric Welch]

Good afternoon. I am looking for some expert insight on my gun. Is it a "Special Skeet"? I was hoping the letter would provide a little more detail. I have seen Hawkins pads that I believe to be factory, but I don't know about this one. Any help is sincerely appreciated. -Eric

[Reggie B]

I replied in your other post. You do have a Parker DHE grade 3 16 gauge skeet gun. Parker Brothers didn't use the terminology "special skeet" but your gun is surely rare and special. Very very nice original condition from what I can tell from your pics. The pad was probably added and would reduce the value somewhat. The 28" barrels are not found as often as 26" on the skeet configured guns. Proper skeet markings are found on the barrel flats.

[David Noble]

Mr. Welch, I have a GHE Skeet Gun that is configured similar to yours.
My PGCA letter reads almost identical to yours. Apparently Skeet Guns in 16 ga
were not in big demand, as both ended up in the Remington Surplus inventory as listed on April 14th 1942. No record is available for to whom and where they were eventually sold. From my research there were only 17 GHE Skeet Guns built in 16ga, and only approximately 3 or less with 28 inch barrels. I'm sure yours is just as rare. Like Researcher said, it is uncommon for the serial number to be placed on the barrel flat rather than the lug on a gun in that serial range, so my guess it was rebarreled in Apr 1942 according to the date code, to 28 inch Skeet by Remington to sell possibly for an order.
My gun has the serial on the lug, and the date code for Oct '37 and was shipped to the warehouse in Jun of 1939.
I hope this is not confusing. I wrote it pretty quickly.

[Researcher]

Something must have happened to that gun between 1935 and 1942. Normally we only see the serial number on the barrel flat in the 241xxx & 242xxx serial number range. Also, those barrels have a date code of CL C = April L = 1942?!? Does it have the Grade, gauge and chamber length on the left side of the barrel lug?

[Eric Welch]

Thank you, Sir. I really do appreciate the help and knowledge. I'm new to the site (obviously) and somehow managed to post the same thing twice. Anyway, I assumed that the general consensus would be that the pad is not factory. Reading Larry L. Baer's book The Parker Gun, he refers to guns in this configuration as "special skeet" not capitalized. I know very little about Parkers and though maybe this was a thing. He goes on to mention Hawkins pads as a factory option, but not on this configuration, specifically.

[Eric Welch]

Here is an additional photo of the barrel lug. Is that what you are looking for?

[Researcher]

Thanks. Those are the markings I expected on a 1942 barrel.

One other thing to look for -- is there a numeral 2 stamped under the serial number on the forearm iron and on the forearm lug on the barrels?

[Eric Welch]

Thank you, Dave. I do not see that, if i'm looking in the right place. Photos attached.

[Eric Welch]

Thank you, Mr. Noble. Your explanation is not confusing at all. That actually helps quite a bit. I appreciate you taking the time to relay this information.

[Eric Welch]

There is a numeral 3 under the serial number on the frame flat and a numeral 3 on the barrel flat on the opposite side of the lug from the serial number.