Parker repair records availability

[Bill Murphy]

OK, here is the story on the records. The repair records were kept as "order books". Some repair records are intertwined in the order books that recorded orders and sales of guns. Some repair records were kept in "order books" that were posted only with repairs. Regardless, the order books are consectutive by date and book number and were discontinued in 1919 except for one book (order book #101 which covered from 1919 to 1934) a book that included very few gun sales or repairs and mostly covered financial transactions and returns from dealers to Parker Brothers in anticipation of the Remington takeover. This book is in the PGCA database of serial numbers, as are the repair only order books. Your gun, being post 1919, is not going to be included in the Parker Brothers repair records, as you have been told by the PGCA researcher. As you know, your second chance was with Bob Beach. Another chance that some information my be "guessed at" by serious Parker researchers is if your gun has Remington repair codes stamped on the barrel flats. That would indicate that, at some time, your gun was returned to Remington for some kind of repair or modification, neither of which is researchable. Another source of original looking conversions to skeet configuration is Larry Del Grego and Son in Ilion, New York. Unfortunately, that firm keeps records by customer name, not serial number. However, you could take your gun to Ilion and Mr. Del Grego could give you his opinion if his firm performed the work. He may even remember your gun. You have said that your gun includes the "Skeet In and Skeet Out" choke markings on the barrel flat? It is unlikely that Remington would stamp those marks on a gun that was returned to them for modification. However, the Del Grego firm often stamped those choke marks on guns sent to them for conversion to skeet configuration. I hope I have given you some additional ways to provenance your gun. Let us know how you do. Good luck.

[Bill Murphy]

By the way, I just read the post by "Chilled Shot". He indicates that he has not seen a Del Grego beavertail conversion that has the through bolt. I have seen many Del Grego beavertail conversions, and owned some. All I have seen except on .410 bore guns have had the proper through bolt. All correspondence I have had from the Del Grego firm since 1969 has included a statement from them that a through bolt conversion was a neccesary part of a beavertail conversion. I think your gun is a Del Grego conversion because of the 28" barrel length. Remington 28" skeet guns are quite rare but Del Grego 28" skeet conversions are quite common.

[Bindlestiff]

Which books are missing?

[Double Play]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

By the way, I just read the post by "Chilled Shot". He indicates that he has not seen a Del Grego beavertail conversion that has the through bolt. I have seen many Del Grego beavertail conversions, and owned some. All I have seen except on .410 bore guns have had the proper through bolt. All correspondence I have had from the Del Grego firm since 1969 has included a statement from them that a through bolt conversion was a neccesary part of a beavertail conversion. I think your gun is a Del Grego conversion because of the 28" barrel length. Remington 28" skeet guns are quite rare but Del Grego 28" skeet conversions are quite common.

Bill,
Would the Del Grego's go so far as to add the reinforced loop to the barrels as part of their skeet gun modifications?

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

By the way, I just read the post by "Chilled Shot". He indicates that he has not seen a Del Grego beavertail conversion that has the through bolt. I have seen many Del Grego beavertail conversions, and owned some. All I have seen except on .410 bore guns have had the proper through bolt. All correspondence I have had from the Del Grego firm since 1969 has included a statement from them that a through bolt conversion was a neccesary part of a beavertail conversion. I think your gun is a Del Grego conversion because of the 28" barrel length. Remington 28" skeet guns are quite rare but Del Grego 28" skeet conversions are quite common.

I defer to the guy with way more Parker experience than I have. Again, the ones I have seen didn't have it. It is possible that the ones I've seen and handled were not done by Del Grego?? ...but they were represented as such and to my eye certainly looked like their work.

[James Lloyd]

Thanks, Bill for your counsel. I doubt that Remington did the work, because there is no Remington repair code on the barrel flats. I also question whether Del Grego did the work, because the forearm iron is bone charcoal case hardened, not cyanide. Nevertheless, I'll take your advice and contact Mr. Del Grego, who did beautiful work on my favorite Parker, a 1921 Trojan. The search goes on. Thanks to all. Jim Lloyd