What do I have?

[DeAn Durham]

Originally Posted by Frank Cronin

Dee, don’t be discouraged. I think you are very lucky person. There was a reason why only you found your great grandfather’s Parker under the bed… because he wanted you to have it. In the short time that you have had this in your possession, this once valuable Parker is getting the attention it deserves by you posting questions on the PGCA forum and fellow PGCA members giving valuable advice on how you can possibly restore your great granddaddy’s favorite Parker Gun. Whatever your final decision may be if it fiscally makes sense for you to restore or not, I’m sure he is smiling in heaven right now.

I have to agree with you 100%. I had no idea what I had until today. I took everything home, put all of the guns, 12 in fact, in the gun safe and left them there until this past weekend. Losing all 3 family members so close together, I just didn't have the time nor mental capacity to bother. I love researching my family background and coming across this site and it's members just set it in stone for me that all too familiar quote "everything happens for a reason." I can only imagine the things he did with this gun, how he used it for recreation or even to put food on the table to feed his family....whatever the case, I'm PROUD and ecstatic just at the thought of holding the gun he once held. Grateful and blessed can only sum it up.

[Bill Murphy]

Dee, I have the same comment about this fine gun as did another poster. "Oh my". On another note, don't do anything to this gun yet. We are not quite sure whether this may be a piece of Texas folk art that should be preserved as is. Truly, we have not seen anything quite like this great gun.

[Bill Murphy]

Dee, is there a foregrip that goes ahead of the action and clamps to the bottom of the barrels? If so, we need pictures of that part. We also would like to know how long the barrels are from front to back so we can determine whether the barrels have been cut.

[George Lander]

Great advice from Frank! Dee, get the letter and then have a professional eyeball your gun. I recently has Jim Kelly restore a 4 gauge E.M. Reilly SxS that was in horrible shape.
(It got rained on in it's case for close to 100 years) If you had seen it before You wouldn't believe that it was the same gun. You will have to pay for the shipping if you send it to Jim or to another restoration expert, but his estimate won't cost you anything.
You don't have to use an FFL Dealer to ship your gun to a licensed gunsmith for repair. I ship my guns by Fed Ex Ground. It should cost you @ $30 each way if you choose to do so. Whether you choose to restore or not, please keep your Great Grandfather's gun in the family. JMHO

Best Regards, George

[DeAn Durham]

No worries there Bill.....it would take a lot of budgeting for me to do something with this gun right now. So, I will keep it tucked safely away back in the gun safe.

[Bruce Day]

I'm reminded of a west Texas rancher who hauled hay bales and calves in the back seat of the Cadillac for many years.

The gun has been rode a bit hard.

[DeAn Durham]

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

I'm reminded of a west Texas rancher who hauled hay bales and calves in the back seat of the Cadillac for many years.

The gun has been rode a bit hard.

I know the gun is in very bad shape, but it is what it is. I'm thankful to have came across it, researched it, and know what I know now thanks to all of you. Regardless of what condition it is in or the value, it was my great grandfather's and again I am proud to hold it in my hands today.

[Bruce Day]

I agree with David. I collect C's and have a handful of 12's and small bores, including a couple 16ga's. A nice CHE 16 ga just sold for $11,500 at a well known and watched public auction. This gun, if in good condition, would be in the range of the recent sale and what David mentioned.

The gun, as you know, has not been treated well. I believe a small bore C is always worth carefully looking at with an eye toward bringing back to presentability. This gun is going to take a lot of careful and skilled work, and how far it goes is always up to the owner. Pits in metal can be TIG welded and smoothed so that they are indistinguishable. Wood can be repaired or in extreme cases replaced. The bolts are not right but damage to the screw holes can probably be repaired by a machinist, new screws made, timed and installed.

I understand the sentimentality of your grandfather's gun. On my grandfather's gun, I had to steam out lots of dents, gouges and barbwire grooves, rechecker the forend, reblue the barrels and replace action springs. It's still the old gun I usually grab and go with. Many of us have ancestral guns that we treasure.

[Bill Murphy]

Bruce, thank you for bringing Dee back off of the 35K to 40K cloud. Dee, even though I admitted that there are guns that are out there at high prices, Bruce stated correctly that normal C grade 16s in average original condition normally sell for the 8K to 12K that I originally stated. Guns returned from abused condition sell for less. I'm sure the "C Grade" poster has good intentions, but he is not telling the whole story. I know these guys and they are not trying to steal your gun, or even buy it, but you have to separate the wheat from the chaff in value. We're going to get you where you want to go. Don't give up on my comment about "Texas Folk Art". That may be the best solution for you and future owners of this gun. Personally, I am a folk art aficionado and would be much more interested in returning your gun to working condition without touching its evidence of use and abuse. A shiny new finish on this gun would be like a goose turd on a collard leaf.

[DeAn Durham]

Rest assured I have never once stepped onto any "price cloud" so to speak. I may be young, but I am aware that there are numerous factors that come into play concerning old collectibles and antiques. My mindset per the dollar figures go to the extent of commenting WOW! and a simple gaping mouth in awe, not the usual "let me run out and sell this thing pronto" kind of thing. Yesterday before I knew anything about this gun, It didn't own a pricetag, and today with what I do know, it still doesn't own a pricetag. I'm soaking every bit of advice and information I have been given in and letting it stew.