Should I buy a project Parker ?

[William Davis]

First let me say I have a nice VH, untouched and don't plan to touch it.

Local shop has a rough VH for sale cheap. Loose at the hinge pin but not real loose, I have shot worse. 28 inch barrels not cut. Bore is OK not perfect can't see any deep pits, may clean up fine. Chokes appear opened, right has very little choke. Can measure it with a friends gage. Metal Finish is well worn, surface dirt, very little rust no deep pits. Small dent in one barrel nothing that can't be raised. Other than the loose pin and small dent rest of the gun is functioning & all there. Stock is intact but has a old pin repair and a small crack in the wrist. Poor pad added. Checkering almost all worn off. Standing back and looking it's a well used field gun.

Thinking about buying to learn how Parkers work inside. Have overhauled several older rough S&W Revolvers, Marlin Lever Actions Single Shot Rifles. Not looking for profit and know restoration rarely pays. Advantage to this gun is it's mostly finish and stock work, nothing out of my experience. Disassemble and re-assemble is what I would be learning, would have the barrel dent raised, that's over my head. Leave the metal lightly cleaned not buffed or blued. Finished up would keep it for bad weather or open choke jobs.

Think it's worth a try ?

William Davis

[Brian Dudley]

Sounds like a good opportunity for you to learn some things about Parkers. Not knowing what they are asking for the gun, I cannot advise on cost value. Being a VH, it would
Not be a money making opportunity, but it doesn't sound like that is what you are after.

If you have any questions about Parker mechanics or service, feel free to refer to my disassembly tutorial photos or ask me your questions directly.

[Dean Romig]

Yes, it's worth the expense. Don't lose any parts and you'll actually be able to shoot it when you're done with your Parker apprenticeship.

[Eldon Goddard]

I did the same thing with a real beater. Got the gun to lock up tight and fixed the trigger and safety that were jammed up. Learned a lot and was tons of fun. Take apart a few shotguns and you realize the quality that is in a Parker.

[William Davis]

Thanks,

That's what I wanted to hear. When it's in hand will post pictures.

Bill

[David Dwyer]

William
I have found that if you want to shoot Parkers you also need to be able to make minor repairs. A restoration of that gun would be a great education especially with Brian as a backup
David

[William Davis]

My Thoughts exactly.

Don't want to operate anything I don't know how to fix. Not that I fix many complicated machines myself, however knowing how something works helps when you have to send it out to the pro's. You can talk the same language.

Side benefit is I may be able to save a veteran Parker from wall hanging.

Bill

[Brian Dudley]

Parkers are complex, with a lot of parts. As compared to, for example, a Fox. And not nearly as complicated as an NID. Those things have more parts that a Parker!

But... Each one has its own "things" about them that make them tricky to work on. One thing is for sure, when you get inside a Parker, you appreciate the close tolerances and delicate machining work.

[William Davis]

Takes some time to learn how things work, took me a month with a beater S&W double action revolver, figured it out with a good book and a few tips from friends, had to make a tool etc. Glad I did it don't plan to do another.

Been overhauling Penn Reels for years, my own, friends, and to help out the local tackle shop when they are overloaded with repairs. Small tricks make the job easy. Learned pre internet before we had the great resources like Brian's photos. Penn's down pat, give me a Abu more likely to mess it up than fix it.

Looking forward to the VH

Bill

[John Campbell]

A VH in the condition you describe is VERY likely to have at least one large crack in the stock head. The wrist repair is a hint. If this is the case, you must know how to correct ALL of these cracked/split wood problems before shooting the gun again. If you have not done this before, it is wise to seek an experienced hand at this task.

BTW... take care in disassembly. Wood parts may fall out in the process!

[Eric Eis]

William, you have not mentioned price.......:shock: So if it's a good deal or not depends on that

[William Davis]

No price ,not looking for a deal, It's cheap not enough to worry about if things go wrong.

Bill

[William Davis]

It's not going to happen. Back to the shop today it's been sold.

Bill

[William Davis]

Shop calls me today, other sale fell through. Have the Project VH in hand now. Will post some before photos.

Bill

[Rick Losey]

looking forward to seeing befores now and afters after

[William Davis]

Have had it in hand few days now looking and measuring. Records exist and have ordered a letter. Put a single layer of Scotch tape in the hook and she tightens up. Two layers is too much. Stock seems sound but repaired poorly.

Wall thickness is just under .040 both barrels. 26 inches just a trace of choke. Save the stock nothing is broken, everything is worn, only alteration I can see is cut stock and added pad. At first I thought the chokes had been opened up but now not sure. Separate post in the General Parker section on that topic. Figuring choke from pellet count.

If the gun is truly unaltered may not use it a lesson and take a more professional path to restoration. Or some hybrid approach. Photos pending the right light outdoors.

Bill

[Brian Dudley]

Does the rib matting run off the end of the rib? If it does, that combined with little choke is cause to suspect cut barrels at a length of 26".
If there are factory records for a letter, that will confirm.

[William Davis]

It does run off must have been cut, actually relived now I can go forward with the learning process and not worry about preserving untouched.


Not a great day for photos low light slow shutter speed. Here is one that shows general condition.


http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr287/pontoon225/VH1_zpsf33ebf0e.jpg (http://s492.photobucket.com/user/pontoon225/media/VH1_zpsf33ebf0e.jpg.html)

Bill

[Brian Dudley]

Looks like a workable gun from my house.

[William Davis]

True, and nothing wrong with a short barrel open choke, as long as I have another long and tight choked.

Bill

[John Campbell]

Your greatest challenge will be repair of the stock head split and crossbolt. This can NOT be accomplished by a simple resin repair. The stock exterior distress and chequering is another issue entirely. You will either learn well, or...

Good luck.

[William Davis]

It's apart now, was sitting overnight with little bit if Kroll on the screws, came out easy.

Stock head split is real obvious from the inside. Cross bolt is holding it pretty good though. Old Rivet, may be best left in, some combination of epoxy and the through rivet. Found a wrist crack that could not be seen well before. Going to think about it while cleaning off years of dirt outside of the stock.

Liberal application of Kroll inside the frame is cooking now. Appears all it will need is lighter fluid and compressed air to clean up nice.

Bill

[Brian Dudley]

Most times the small extension that drops down in the head of the stock that the trigger plate bears against is broken off when you see guns with split heads.

Chances are the head of your stock is dry oil soaked. Removal of the oil will be required before any sound repair can be executed. I would start with a good long soaking in acetone. That will get you going.

[William Davis]

Update,

Passing the gun around between 3 local PGCA members. Internals are actually very good save loose around the pin which tightened up with a layer of scotch tape in the hook. Enjoyed taking it apart and putting it back together, couple of times with a few false starts. Save the loose pin repair for later.

Stock is another story, off the gun it has every problem you could imagine. One of the other fellows has it now, soaking the oil out, he's going to get it stable & back on the gun, then the 3rd will see if he can tighten the barrels up.

Venture like this will never pay, it is good fun and a great learning exercise.


William Davis

[Dave Noreen]

Playing with "projects" can be fun, but smart money buys the highest original condition, highest grade, smallest bore, that can be had.

[allen newell]

Where oh where is that 28 ga Parker?