Jim: Pleeeease do not make a "cowboy shooter" out of that fine old D Grade Parker. SN 18331 is in "THE BOOK" as a D3 (or Grade 3) underlifter hammergun, no extras, 10 gauge, pistolgrip stock, with 32 inch Damascus barrels made in 1880. You can order a letter by going to the PGCA home page & click on research letters & fill out the request form with your check. Mr. Mark Conrad in due course will mail you a letter (if the documents are available0 that will tell you the original specifications for your gun & who it was originally shipped to as well as info if it were ever sent back to Parker. A close inspection of the top rib on the muzzle end should tell if the barrels were cut from 32" or if THE BOOK is wrong (as sometimes happens, the PGCA letter should tell for sure) Don't do any heavy cleaning, only light oil & a rag. A good gunsmith can make you a new firing pin. Some of the members here probably have some brass cases that they would sell or you can order low pressure 10 gauge loads from RST. You measure tyhe chokes with a choke gauge (your gunsmith can help you with that) WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE. A good insurance estimate would be $3,000 - $4,000 IMHO.
Congratulations and Best Regards, George
BTW: "THE BOOK" is the "Parker Gun Identification & Serialization" book which you can order from Blue Book Publications, Inc. Go to
www.bluebookinc.com or phone (952) 854-5229 E-Mail
bluebook@bluebookinc.com
06-02-2011, 09:44 PM
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