Opinions - True/Best Definition of Parker Skeet Gun?

[Brush Buster]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Well, when it becomes mine Russ, it will definitely see the grouse woods... on fair weather days only.

I remember just after you first got it and wondered about its originality and you brought it to the Spring Southern, if memory serves correctly, and the experts couldn't find a single reason not to believe it is completely original. I fell in love but I didn't get to hold it for very long - a LOT of guys wanted to examine it.




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I have to say Dean ,YOU actually are the first person who ask to be put on the list should I ever part with it ,although over the years the list has grown to be Quite Long !!! I have a Journal for my Wife or Daughter to contact certain Gun Buyers when the day arrives and believe it or not your name and number are first on the list for the C ! Hopefully that won't be for many a year !

[Twoatlow8]

I have a GHE, 12 gauge, Beavertail, Single trigger, Ejectors, 26” Vent Rib barrels, twin beads. I/C MOD pistol grip that is very straight, and a Hawkins pad.
It also has a second set of 30” Vent Rib ( properly marked) barrels with Beavertail and twin beads choked MOD/ FULL.
This is a 1928 gun and no records are available.
At this early time in Skeet , it was recommended that you use the gun you hunt with.
So where do Ventilated ribs and recoil pads fit in?
I have to say definitely a gun ordered with Skeet in mind.

[Reggie B]

In my opinion, the definition of a Parker skeet gun is going to vary depending upon who you ask. I have heard some who are of the opinion that if the flats aren't stamped skeet in/skeet out then it isn't a skeet gun.

[B. Dudley]

There are certainly "True" skeet guns that are guns ordered as Skeet guns as per the catalogs and I would think that these guns would be also choked and marked as such Skeet-In and Skeet-Out. As cataloged, the skeet guns would be straight grip, BTFE, checkered butt, SST and Skeet chokes. To me the Skeet Choking is the trump card. That is the first and foremost in defining a true skeet gun. If the customer wanted a skeet gun, but preferred a pistol grip, or a recoil pad, there were plenty of true skeet guns ordered like that. Also Double triggers would fall into that personal preference category. The BTFE is something that I cannot imagine someone not wanting on their skeet target gun.

Barrel length will also come into play as shorter barrels were considered the standard for the early days of Skeet shooting.

There are certainly many guns made that one would call "Skeet configured" in that they have BTFE, Checkered butt and Straight grip, but they are choked tighter than skeet, ie: IC/M or M/F, etc... If the gun does not have the Skeet markings, then I would not call it any other than a "Skeet Configured" gun. Not an official "Skeet Gun".

The above are MY thoughts on the matter. That is all.

You have to be careful with skeet guns. Due to many Skeet "upgrades" that came out of Ilion after the fact. They can fall into the category of '32 Fords. There are more on the road today than there were in 1932.

[Bill Murphy]

Guns marked Skeet In and Skeet Out did not neccesarily leave the factory marked such. As Brian says, "skeet configured" guns are common, with some of their features added later. Beavertail forends are one feature that can be added. However, I have found that 28" barrels are not a kiss of death as I and some others once thought. Anyhow, watch out.

[Larry the Gun Guy]

This is my little 20 gauge Skeet gun. No big deal about it, just thought I would post some pictures for the discussion.
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[David Noble]

Here is my contribution to this discussion, especially on barrel length.
I found this several years ago at a very reasonable price and remember thinking it was such an odd configuration for a SKEET GUN that it was undoubtedly one of the Del Grego upgrades.
I decided recently to request a letter on it and was surprised to learn that it actually IS a real SKEET GUN. The serial number and Remington code place it's production in 1937 where it stayed in the Meriden warehouse until being moved to the Remington factory in 1939 and apparently it was still there around the time Remington stopped Parker production in 1942. I guess the fact that Parker and Remington only made 28 16ga GHE SKEET GUNS shows that they weren't hot sellers.
Only about 13% of all the SKEET GUNS made in all gauges (1098) had 28" barrels so it's probably safe to say less than 2 or 3 were made in that length in GHE 16 ga.
This gun also has the manual safety feature.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Brian Dudley

There are certainly "True" skeet guns that are guns ordered as Skeet guns as per the catalogs and I would think that these guns would be also choked and marked as such Skeet-In and Skeet-Out. As cataloged, the skeet guns would be straight grip, BTFE, checkered butt, SST and Skeet chokes. To me the Skeet Choking is the trump card. That is the first and foremost in defining a true skeet gun. If the customer wanted a skeet gun, but preferred a pistol grip, or a recoil pad, there were plenty of true skeet guns ordered like that. Also Double triggers would fall into that personal preference category. The BTFE is something that I cannot imagine someone not wanting on their skeet target gun.

Barrel length will also come into play as shorter barrels were considered the standard for the early days of Skeet shooting.

There are certainly many guns made that one would call "Skeet configured" in that they have BTFE, Checkered butt and Straight grip, but they are choked tighter than skeet, ie: IC/M or M/F, etc... If the gun does not have the Skeet markings, then I would not call it any other than a "Skeet Configured" gun. Not an official "Skeet Gun".

The trump card for me is not necessarily the Skeet In - Skeet Out stamps on the barrel flats, but the fact that the factory records record it as a "Skeet gun."
In the case of mine, 236912 a 1935 gun preceding the adoption of the desirable Skeet stamps, all documentation supports it being a "Skeet gun" and I can't argue with that.






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[Reggie B]

According to the letter on my VHE is a 1935 made gun. It has skeet choke markings. Serial #237230. And I see that Russ' skeet gun is also a 1935 mfg with the skeet markings on the flats. Interesting.

[Brush Buster]

Originally Posted by Reggie Bishop

According to the letter on my VHE is a 1935 made gun. It has skeet choke markings. Serial #237230. And I see that Russ' skeet gun is also a 1935 mfg with the skeet markings on the flats. Interesting.

This could possibly be a good thread for " Parker's Found in P.P. , for the first Skeet Stamped ,Parker ! Dean's gun is well documented especially with the A&F Letter that it is an early Skeet gun and Deans ,Reggie's and mine are all 1935 Manufactured Skeet Guns so some where between Deans 236912 and Reggies 237230 possibly is the first Parker with Stamped Barrel Flats ! Possibly Reggies gun ,I'm out with 238599 !