ANTIQUE Parker DH 12ga 26" 2 3/4" chamber

[James Kuzilik]

Ok my name is Jim and I am a new member, and don't even have my first Parker yet! That being said I am looking and have been looking for some time for the right gun. I am looking for a gun that is something I can hunt with Quail/Prairie birds, but also one that will keep and even go up in value. So I would like a 26" Imp cyl/Mod and or 28/30" Mod/Full, I really like the GH and the DH.
This gun mentioned above says "By serial number, it was of mid year 1893 production
Demascus to "Titanic Steel" barrel with 2 1/2" to 2 3/4" chamber conversion
Wood has been refinished (stock and fore end) Glossy
#1 frame gun - typically suited for light 12ga or 16ga black powder cartridges - This gun must be used with low pressure light loads in 2 1/2" or 2 3/4" shells only." I added glossy.
It says Titanic on the rib but there is a crimp about 3" from the breech of barrel it is less than $2000 and is beautifull. Would this be a safe quail gun? Will this gun ever increase in value? What exactly do they mean by light loads? Any help you guys can give me would be a big help. Thank You

[Dennis V. Nix]

Welcome to the PGCA, Jim. On this forum you will find more real experts to answer your questions than anywhere else on the planet. In my opinion, however, you haven't given us enough information to answer any of your questions. We would need some good photographs, the serial number, are all numbers matching on the barrels, receiver and forearm metal? Have the barrels been cut? With the serial number these experts can tell you somewhat as to to how the gun left the factory in 1893. If your gun doesn't match the book then the barrels could have been cut or the gun restocked. Without photos we could not tell you if the barrels have possibly been reblued and maybe the receiver blued when it should really be color case hardened. All of these things are important to the use and value of the gun. The crimp you mention about 3 inches from the breech end could be a sign of new barrels fitted into a monoblock, (basically the old barrels were cut off and new barrels were fit into the spaces after the breech had been drilled out). Please give us something to work with and these people will be more than happy to answer any questions you have.

Again, welcome to the forum.

Dennis

[James Kuzilik]

Dennis, I am not sure how to add photo's here yet, but the serial number is 78481 this is stamped on receiver, forearm, barrel, gun has skeleton buttplate, all the fitting wood to metal looks good, barrels look brand new, only color case to speak of is on forearm metal, engraving is good, gun appears to be professionally restored. But not sure why they would put a gloss coat on the wood as I have not seen this on other parkers. There is a 3 stamped above the serial number on receiver and a D below it. Barrel lug has a 1 stamped on bottom, right side of bottom has a D with possibly a large 4 stamped above it closest to barrel, and a stamp in a circle that is possibly a 0, then in the middle a 3 with a 15 stamped upper right of the 3, then there is a patent date I can not make out, with a 3 stamped below it, left side has an A stamped close to barrel.
The barrel is my real concern it looks brand new and has that crimp in it, and although the gloss finish is pretty now I know it is not original and wonder how much this will affect value now and in the future.
If someone could coach me on posting photo's I'll post em.
Thank You again for your help.
Jim Kuzilik

[Brian Dudley]

Welcome,
Without photos, I can say that based on our description, you are describing a mono blocked or in other words, sleeved gun as Dennis described above.
This was not too uncommon to do at one time back in the days when Damascus barrels were "unsafe" to shoot. Some very nice barrels were cut up and lost in the name if ignorance.
If the barrels were in fact bad, then that is a different story.

The "wrinkle" concerns me. A good quality sleeve job should only show a faint line in the bluing that can be seen in the right light. If there is a step, or a major noticeable seam, or of the line is dressed up with engraving, then it is ales than stellar job by way of craftsmanship.

I can confidently say that this gun would not really appreciate in value. Unless you consider the ever so rapid inflation rate of the American dollar to be appreciation.
This is because from a collector standpoint, there is not value since the gun has been altered. A gun like this would be considered a "shooter" or "hunter". And is worth what someone will pay.

Regarding your question about light loads. I know that low pressure load companies such as RST do not make any loads that are over 8,000 psi with some loads down I the 5,000 psi range. I personally keep my loads under 7,000 psi and find they can be shot out of just slug anything that dimensionally checks out first.

Since you are a PGCA member. Reach out on the wanted section and keep an eye in the for sale section. Good honest guns can be found that way.

[Mark Ouellette]

Hi Jim,

Welcome to the PGCA! Thank you for becoming a member. As a member you have access to our member's only section where members may list their Parkers and other doubles for sale.

The Parker Gun Serialization and Identification Book, ie the Book, lists #78481 as leaving the factory with 30" Damascus Steel barrels. Walk away from this gun!

Mark

[Robert Rambler]

James this video should help you add pictures.:)

http://parkerguns.org/pages/faq/DemoMovie/PlayUploadPictureVedio.html

[Jim DiSpagno]

Jim spoke to the gun shop about 6 weeks ago about this same gun. Sleeved barrels and the word damascus was removed and Titanic was hand engraved. Not worth the effort even at that price. It is a consignment gun and the owner has that into it for a number of years. That being said, let her go she will not be worth the effort. Jim D.

PS The shop knew nothing of Parkers and the original asking or opening bid was 3K.

[James Kuzilik]

Thanks guys for your advice I will walk away, it looked to good to be true and since none of you or anyone else for that matter where bidding on it, made me very cautious. I will keep my eye on for sale I will also post in wanted. I will also try and be patient, I've been looking for 2 years now and joining this group is the best thing I could do. I currently have an 1894 Remington that fits like a glove, a field LC Smith that does not fit, a fair Batavia Leader, Ithaca Flues, CZ Ringneck.

Thank You again
Jim K