Hi everyone, new member requsting some help

[Todd Glover]

Hi folks, I'm here because my father in law came upon this Parker shotgun and he doesn't deal well with technology. So he has asked for my assistance in figuring out exactly what he has.

So with that in mind I'd like to post some pictures and see if I can get some feedback from folks here about exactly what it is. I did some research here already, but apparently I'm not smart enough to figure out exactly what I've got. I can tell you that all of the serial numbers match, so that's a good start.

http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s499/Towmater28/014.jpg

http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s499/Towmater28/012.jpg

http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s499/Towmater28/008.jpg

http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s499/Towmater28/005.jpg

http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s499/Towmater28/003.jpg

http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s499/Towmater28/002-1.jpg

http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/s499/Towmater28/9e4dda36-f3c1-4dce-b242-b26c1e0b04ea.jpg



Hopefully I haven't gone overboard with the photo's, but I wanted to give anyone here a chance that wanted to help out the ability to do so without needing more pictures!

Any help would be greatly appreciated, the father-in-law is on a fixed income and is thinking about selling this, so I'm hoping to bring him good news.

Todd

[wayne goerres]

Looks to be a low grade (perhaps an O grade)parker lifter gun with damascus barrels. Looks like your gun needs to be put back on face. The gun is built on a no 2 frame.

[Harry Collins]

The "Book" has it as a grade 2, 12 gauge, 30" Twist barrels from 1875. It is off face and there is a quick fix to that if you want to shoot it.

Harry

[Todd Glover]

Thanks fellas, if someone could point me in a direction for the "off face" fix I'd appreciate it.

Also, I think I read where values aren't given on this forum. If someone could point me in the direction of a place where I could get the gun valued I'd appreciate that as well. I live in the Kansas City Metro and have taken it to a gun shop in Olathe already, but he told me it wasn't worth much as the barrels aren't Damascus which if you look at the "spine" (for a lack of a better term) it clearly states they are. My father in law isn't looking to get rich, but if he could make a few bucks it would help heat the house through the winter!

Todd

[Harry Collins]

Todd,

The quick fix to off face Parkers is to take a thin piece of brass shim (a beer or coke can will work as well), cut it the width of the hinge pin and about 3/4" long. Wrap it around a pencil to get the curve and push it onto the hinge pin. The reason I like brass shims is that they come in various thicknesses and can be found at most hardware stores.

Harry

[Harry Collins]

Todd,

I shoot my old Twist Steel barreled Parkers with smokeless powder shells all the time. There are a number of caveats most here adhere to like: minimum barrel thickness at .025, clean barrels without deep pits, no dents, etc. Others here like to shoot shells under 8,000 psi like those made by RST.

Harry

[Drew Hause]

Todd: the crolle Damascus pattern is clearly seen on the barrel flats.
Until the gun has been evaluated by a double gun specialist smith, it is impossible to determine the value. It would not be worth shimming the hook if the barrels are unshootable; deeply pitted or with an inadequate wall thickness.
You might contact Michael Allee - he is right off Shawnee Mission Parkway.
http://www.gunsmithingonly.com/
913-238-2743
Please let us know what he finds, and we hope he can refurbish the gun so it can be used and enjoyed with appropriate ammo.

[edgarspencer]

The early lifter action guns with sculpted bolsters are pretty nice guns. This may be a low 'Dollar Grade' gun, before the practice began to assign a number to the grade. I'd guess the value could be in the $800-$1000 range if it's uncut and original.

[David Noble]

Todd, I'm not able to see what I think is the actual serial number of this gun, so unless you somehow relayed the serial to a member here, the guage and specifications given could be incorrect. Just from looking at the pictures and the position of the lifter, it appears it might not be fully locked up. A good clean-up and possibly lifter spring replacement might make it lock up quite a bit tighter. Your barrels are indeed Damascus, not twist.
Please provide the serial number. It can be found on the water table (flats) of the receiver, the side of the lug on the barrel and on the forearm iron. The number visible in your picture of the barrel flats is probably a production number and not the actual serial.

[Brian Dudley]

You have a grade two gun there with sculpted bolsters. The gun is a transition gun of sort. It has the recessed hinge pin, but still retains the keyed forend latch.
Looks to be a solid gun from what I see.

[Harry Collins]

David is correct, the gun is not closed. I took the serial number to be 4536, but can now see the Damascus barrels. Good catch David.

Harry

[todd allen]

Definitely an early gun. Note that it does not have the radius from standing breech to water table.

[ed good]

weather it is on face or off face is a mute point, as this one looks too fragile to shoot very much.

[Bill Murphy]

I haven't seen the serial number yet. It may be on the left side of the barrel lug, or it may be on the water table of the action. What is the serial number? It isn't a Twist Steel gun and it isn't a grade 0. What it is is a nice Grade 2 with sculptured breech balls and the great "arrow" engraving on the top of the breeches.

[Todd Glover]

Sorry I haven't responded things have been a mess at the house.

I'll try and post the serial number tonight after work!