Restoration

[Lee Miller]

I have a 1909, Grade DH, 1 1/2 frame, 4 weight barrels, titanic steel Parker that I purchased from a friends family when he passed away. I got this info by running the serial number on this parkerguns web page - thanks!

It is in overall good shape. Only minor scrapes in wood and no cracks. It opens and closes like a vault. There is a small ding on one of the barrels, the bluing is mostly gone and it has been shortened a few inches. I was offered $1,000 by a Cabelas rep. I did call someone from this site last year before buying and he thought that based on the condition it could be worth more like $1500 as is. I decided to buy it as it is a nice conversation piece and has some sentimental value.

I was thinking of getting it reblued and the ding taken out. I don't want to put alot of money into it to exceed its value, but I think rebluing would be nice. Any idea what this would cost? Anyone have any recomendations on a gunsmith in the Allentown, PA area?

Also if anyone has an idea if $1500 is a reasonable value, please let me know

Here are some pics.

Thanks!

Lee

[Lee Miller]

Some more pics

[Mills Morrison]

Looks like the barrels may have been cut, which hurts the monetary value, if not really the shooting value. Hard to say what it is worth, but safe to say more than Cabela's offered.

[Rick Losey]

the barrels have been cut - if you give us the serial number we may be able to tell you by how much. I wonder if any choke remains

if you are going to put any money into it, I would check to see if the keels can be replaced, or the ends filled to both make it look better and keep moisture out

[John Campbell]

The gun looks VERY nice as is. The blue from your pics isn't bad. I'd leave that as is. Any reblack would destroy it's history. I'd have the dent removed and the muzzle gaps filled. Also the chokes measured. Even Cyl. & Cyl. isn't terrible.

Otherwise you have a very fine DH. Well worth preserving... NOT restoring.

Get a GOOD shop to do the work, too. Del Grego is not that far away. Whatever you do, don't take it to the local "black rifle" gunsmith.

I'd estimate value well above $1500... so Cabela's is not an option.

[Ed Blake]

I would not do a thing to it except take the dent out. The keels are gone but the barrels appear to still be touching, so they were not cut by much. Personally I don't buy guns with cut barrels and $1500 would be about the limit I would go. It's in very nice shape and has value despite the barrels.

[Lee Miller]

Thanks for the all the responses. I think I'll just look to take the dent out for now and clean/preserve it!

I am going to pay the $40 to have the factory records sent to me. I assume that would let me know the original length of the barrels. Not sure when or why it was shortened - maybe to open the choke up a long time ago? I'm curious to see if the original purchase was made by the family I bought it from.

[Chuck Bishop]

I'm planning on being at Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays in Coplay Pa tomorrow. If you want to, bring your gun along. I can check your chokes for you. If you post or PM your S/N, I could bring your letter along with me and give it to you. Bring along a check for $40 made out to PGCA.

[Brian Dudley]

That dent can be taken out without having to reblue. Bluing really is not in very bad shape. Some marks will remain on the outside where the dent was since the metal does look marred up there. The only way to get rid of those marks is to strike that area and reblue. But the condition of the rest of the barrels does not really warrant all that work.

[Sam Ogle]

Cabelas are not trying to cheat you: They buy guns for one reason only: To SELL.
They have to make a profit, as all businesses do.
Were I working in a Cabelas store bidding on that gun, $1,500 would be a generous
offer. That's more full retail price. It's a nice gun, but the cut barrels would run buyers off, and along with the dent in the barrel would make a profit on that gun a tough go.
Sam Ogle

[John Campbell]

Bird Dog:
Don't let anyone make you feel less than proud of that Parker. Its overall condition is very good. The wood is wonderful. The gun has been cared for. The barrel dent is very minor and easy to correct. The cut barrels can be finished correctly. Yes, they reduce collector value somewhaqt... but you're not a collector. You have a very fine DH to shoot and enjoy, and in the great scheme of Parkers, there aren't that many DH guns. Be glad you own it!

And... it's my bet that it will be worth exactly what a Parker fan is willing to pay for a nice DH in the future

[Lee Miller]

Thanks Sam. I agree Cabelas offer was fair considering they are a seller. It did give me a good idea of the estimated retail value. I am not looking to sell, just didn't really know what I had. I had the gun looked at yesterday by another PGCA member and it was confirmed in very good overall shape. With the 2" taken off the barrells, they were measured and are now IC vs the original Full choke. I am going to have the small dent fixed, the keel plugged and enjoy the gun. Thanks for all who responsed to my post.

[Lee Miller]

Thanks Kensal! I plan to shoot it in the next week or so at a sporting clay site. As the choke is now IC, I guess I have lost an excuse that the full/full choke pattern is too tight :-)

[Brian Dudley]

With the more open chokes, you will find that you have a great shooting gun there.

[Dean Romig]

"Great shooting" = more forgiving.

[ed good]

would suggest you contact del grego in illion, ny for repair and refinish work. they are considered by many to be the best parker gunsmiths in the world. and what ever you have them do, keep the receipts, as they will be very valuable come resale time.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

The King of "Restoration" speaks.....

DLH

[John Dallas]

A friend just had a repro receiver/stock returned after some minor work at Del Gregos. The gun was misassembled, and wouldn't allow the barrels to be assembled to the gun. They wanted him to ship the gun back to correct the problem, and pay shipping both ways.

[ed good]

MARKETHUNTER: I MADE A NEW YEARS RESOLUTION NOT TO RESPOND TO CHEAP SHOT ARTIST.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

You just broke it.

[ed good]

Big D: over the years the del grego's have made a wonderful reputation for themselves with their repair and refinishing of parker guns. as a family, they have been working on parker shotguns since the 1930's, when larry sr, now deceased, went to work for parker as a young man in meridian; and then made the move to illion. the rest is parker history and lore...as for your friends problem with their work, that is surprising...I would be amazed if they do not make it right and if found to be at fault, will pay your friends return costs. please do let us know how this works out...to cast dispersions on ones reputation in an open forum like this and then to leave it open ended and unresolved is inappropriate, don't you agree?

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Big D isn't one to "carry tales" as we say down at home. If he said it then it's true.

DLH

[John Dallas]

Casting "dispersions"? Perhaps you meant "aspersions". Whichever you want, I didn't cast them. I simply am relaying a set of facts.

[Mark Ouellette]

Gentlemen,

Let's ensure this thread remains peaceful.

Thanks in advance,
Mark