Restoring GH worth it?

[Sam Hershfield]

Just got a 12 ga GH with 30" Damascus on #1 with a fish tail lever. Engraving is sharp but barrels were blued and unfortunately, nicely wooded stock has split behind trigger and was repaired with two pins (decent job). All serials match and action is tight. Price was around $1500. Should I leave it or try to bring out its best or write my purchase off as part of the Parker "learning process"?

Thanks, Sam

[John Campbell]

From what I can see, this gun is well worth a measured amount of resto. The crack/split/repair you mention is key to the biggest concern. Wish you had posted a photo. Again, it seems that a limited resto that preserves the gun's age and patina might be well worth considering. However, this may not be a gun to "learn on" if you are a budding hobbyist.

And the price you paid isn't out of order if the barrels are sound - outside of the blue finish that is.

[Rich Anderson]

The barrels can be redone for around $300 and I highly recommend Dale Edmonds. I would contact Brian Dudley through this forum on repairing the crack in the stock and maybe some TLC on the wood as a whole. this definitely has potential and IMHO is well worth the added expense.

[Mills Morrison]

What Rich said

The fishtail toplever is very desirable. I did speak to Dale the other day and he is backed up. He is also top notch and probably worth the wait.

[Sam Hershfield]

John couldn't you see the photos?

From what I can see, this gun is well worth a measured amount of resto. The crack/split/repair you mention is key to the biggest concern. Wish you had posted a photo. Again, it seems that a limited resto that preserves the gun's age and patina might be well worth considering. However, this may not be a gun to "learn on" if you are a budding hobbyist.

And the price you paid isn't out of order if the barrels are sound - outside of the blue finish that is.

[Brian Dudley]

This gun is a good candidate for either fixing what is wrong with it for safeties sake or doing a complete or near complete restoration on it. The only difference is the amount of money you are willing to spend.
Unfortunately, the damage has been done by pinning the head. If you are going to have a spreading head, it is Better that it be untouched so that a proper hidden repair can be done. Since this one has been pinned already, the options for a hidden repair are low. A good repair could be done, but not an ideal one.
Plus, the other photos I saw of this gun show that the stock may be weak due to heavy figure in the wood and poor grain flow.
You may not want to repair a stock that is sale am to begin with.

[Larry Frey]

Brian just finished freshening up a 20 gage GHE for me. http://parkerguns.org/forums/album.php?albumid=551

I can't wait to see it at Haussmann’s in a couple of weeks.

[Bruce Day]

I've had the same considerations with my best gun also, but in the end I had to ask myself "why mess with a good thing?"

[Brian Dudley]

"Is it worth it?" is a difficult question sometimes. But is usually best ansered by the owner.

[Jeff Davis]

Similar situation I have- I've got GH that has a cracked stock that has already been repaired, barrels are ok, but I wanted the barrels Refinished to bring out the pattern. I've got much less into the gun on the initial purchse, but by the time the stock gets repaired to stabilize it, barrels refinished and a couple odds and ends done I'll be into it for probably 16-1700. Maybe too much. I can see myself at some point in the future restocking it, getting the receiver recolored and never getting that investment back but really enjoying it.

Yes- definitely worth it to me. One more really beautiful old gun that will be passed on to my son who will hopefully be using it as it was intended 60 or 70 years from now.



.

[Rich Anderson]

While I would never refinish a "collector quality" gun and I have had the conversations with myself and others recently on replacing a crushed Silvers pad on a CHE 20 which is original to the gun and have decided to leave it original I have had barrels refinished, stocks with the wood cleaned up and checkering recut and have even gone as far as restocking a gun several times.

I think a little TLC on these pieces of history is well worth the expense if the gun warrants it. Not all guns are worth it, I believe this one is and future generations will appreciate the efforts. The English routinely freshen up their guns and the value of a Purdy, Holland & Holland ect doesn't suffer because of it. We as Americans have some hidden phobia because a gun has been refinished that it degrades from the value. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and at the end of the day it's YOUR gun, if you would like the beauty of the Damascus barrels brought back to life then have them done, the stock replaced or repaired and the checkering recut, go for it. One word of caution the cosmetic enhancements being discussed on your gun NEED to be done by a COMPETANT craftsman knowledgeable in these old guns and there are some of them right here that are available to you.

Good luck with your gun and your decisions.

[Mark Landskov]

I couldn't have said it better, Rich!

Sam, I have a first-year Grade 1 Hollenbeck that I am in the process of renovating. It will be passed along to my grandchildren some day. It is not a valuable gun, but quite uncommon. Whatever I put into it will be worth it to me. Good Luck with your project!