Help estimate market value of Parker 20 guage

[John Talmage]

Please do NOT contact me about buying this gun-- we will be keeping the gun in the family as my uncle has offered FMV for it. So, I would love some thoughts on FMV for a:
Parker 20 guage hammerless DHE, I have the Research papers on this gun and it is Stock No 69, weighs 6lb 2 oz. Titanic Steel Barrels.
Gun is in excellent condition and has been in the family for decades as my grandfather bought it for my grandmother.

Thanks,
JT

[Jim DiSpagno]

Pricing is difficult without pics and a number of things determine price such as barrel length, ejectors, skeleton butt plate, grip type etc. a quick quest image would be north of 8.5 k at the least IMHO. I've seen them sell for as high as 12K and better.

[Jim DiSpagno]

Moderator, please move this to the appropriate forum as item is not for sale. Thanks

[charlie cleveland]

i think jim gave a good figure for the gun....charlie

[Bill Murphy]

Pictures and serial number will help us to evaluate your gun.

[John Talmage]

Thank you all for your insight. I have the seriel number at home with length of barrel, etc. Picture will be more difficult as the gun is at my mothers right now. Sorry I posted on the wrong message board-- which one should I have used?
JT

[Jim DiSpagno]

Post under general discussions about Parkersburg, the first one in the long list

[John Talmage]

Sorry this took so long...the serial number is 195830. The PGCA letter says this gun would have been built Oct 12, 1921. DHE hammerless, 20 guage. 28 inch barrels. straight grip stock. Pics attached.

Again, thank you in advance for any and all help. My uncle and cousins want to keep this in family, but we need to agree on a fair price.

[Jay Gardner]

That's a very nice gun in pretty good condition. Long-barrels, small-bore, straight stock, looks like it may have a skeleton buttplate. Screws appear untouched. It's probably the dream configuration for many here. Wow.

Nice to know it will stay in the family. Whomever ordered that gun had great taste and hopefully the gun will be hunted and cared for for another generation.

[George Lander]

Please do NOT contact me about buying this gun-- we will be keeping the gun in the family as my uncle has offered FMV for it. So, I would love some thoughts on FMV for a:
Parker 20 guage hammerless DHE, I have the Research papers on this gun and it is Stock No 69, weighs 6lb 2 oz. Titanic Steel Barrels.
Gun is in excellent condition and has been in the family for decades as my grandfather bought it for my grandmother.

Thanks,
JT

I have a DHE 20 that was made in 1925 w/ 30" barrels & straight stock w/ chequered butt that I bought at auction in England of all places. I estimate it's value between $15,000 - $20,000 if that's any help.

Best Regards, George

[greg conomos]

Like most guns in excellent condition, yours is in 'pretty good' condition, not excellent.

I don't see a $15K gun, or even a $10K gun. For an in-family sale especially, I see a $6K FMV gun

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

DHE 20 gauge guns are hard to come by, being a family gun it would not be sold for any amount of money, I had one in similar condition I sold 10 years ago for 10,000 fwiw, Gary

[David Dwyer]

There is a restored 30" DHE 20 ga in the Sept R I auction with an estimate of $2,500 to $3,500. A special order 30" DHE with factory gold PARKER BROS inlaid on the floor plate was recently sold at Juiia for $12,000. Your gun is in good condition with a desirable straight stock but less desirable 28" barrrels. I would think below $12,000 but above $9,000. JMHO
David

[Bill Murphy]

Does your gun have a skeleton steel buttplate? What is the length of pull from the front trigger to the center of the butt? These factors will help to value the gun.

[Kevin McCormack]

Like most guns in excellent condition, yours is in 'pretty good' condition, not excellent.

I don't see a $15K gun, or even a $10K gun. For an in-family sale especially, I see a $6K FMV gun

Now that's more like it!!

[Dean Romig]

I think $6K is what you'd like to pay for such a gun... :cool:






.

[David Dwyer]

If it was for sale ,I would be pleased to purchase it for $8,000.An in family sale really needs to be at fair market, not a "deal", so no one gets hurt.
David

[David Dwyer]

Well said Dean!

[greg conomos]

The way I see an in-family sale is that Uncle Frank should pay decent money for the gun - it shouldn't be given to him - but he should be given some consideration for the fact that he is keeping it in the family. And that he is family. Let's not lose sight of the fact that chances are good ONLY Uncle Frank even wants the gun, and he's reeeeally in an exclusive position as he's probably the ONLY person in the family who is willing to cough up thousands of dollars for it. Sure, Cousin Joey would like to get it to cut off the barrels for his cowboy action shooting but he's maxed out at $400.

What if the family, despite their great love for Uncle Frank, decides he can vie for the gun on the open market just like everyone else. So they contract an auction house to sell it - right away there goes any premium they would have received over Uncle Frank's $6K. OK, they decide to list it on GunBroker for cheap and sell it for $8K. They're as happy as clams, and Uncle Frank can go pound sand. They go through the hassle of getting the gun to the new owner, pray every night his funds are good, etc. Since there are 4 family members involved, the extra $2K gets a 4 way split and each family member gets an additional $500. Is it worth $500 to ding Uncle Frank and, by the way, the gun is no longer in the family anyway?


It's a $6K gun in this situation. Open market, no holds barred, I'd could see $8K.

[Dean Romig]

Well there you have it Mr. Talmage... pick a number from $6K to $20K :whistle:




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[David Dwyer]

I like how you think.
David

[Bruce Day]

Somebody else's gun is always worth less than the value that person places upon his own gun.

I consistantly see nice DHE 20s sell for between $10000 and $15000. Detailed photos are important to determining condition.

[Mills Morrison]

Those deals are hard because you are effectively negotiating against yourself. I had a similar one and it ended with everyone happy, but I don't want to do it again. What I did is get an opinion on a reasonable offer from a disinterested third party and made that offer.

[ED J, MORGAN]

There looks to be some light rust on the frame and barrels, so I would say $6000. to $8000 would be more in line for a family piece, to keep the family peace.

[Brett Souder]

What if uncle Frank wanted the gun and Uncle Ray was the executor of the will and all assets needed to be sold to cover the mountain of debt that Grandpas hospital and doctor bills had grown out of control and selling the home and cars and everything that is of any value was necessary so that the four children didn't have to pay any out of pocket expenses? I think Uncle frank should pay very bit of fair market value, I would be Ok if I got back $500 less in an inheritance but not if I have to pay $2000 to cover long term care bills.

[George Lander]

Well there you have it Mr. Talmage... pick a number from $6K to $20K :whistle:




.

I forgot to mention that mine has the name "S.D. McGRAW" engraved on the initial oval. The Parker letter had very little information.

Best Regards, George

[William Davis]

And no fees if given to a family member, Sell it's going to cost you 1/3

William

[greg conomos]

In the absence of further information, we have to assume Grandpa didn't leave a mountain of debt. If that were the case, the executor would be obliged to sell the gun on the open market and there would not be much talk of keeping the gun in the family. and if Uncle Frank really wanted it, he could certainly bid on it like everyone else.

Well, we don't know enough about the gun but from what I see I'm not looking at a gun that approaches $10K. I'd need to some more case color for that to happen.

[Craig Larter]

$10,000 gun in my opinion based on only a couple of photos. Many here would kill to have a untouched 20ga DHE straight grip.

[Steve Huffman]

Ill be glad when this is settled ! There will be many different takes on this some family members will never be happy,someone will always pay more because they have more .Than that bad word greed . Just my 2 cents

[John Talmage]

This has certainly been interesting. Thank you to everyone who has shared insight. I am trying to wade through the politics of the situation. At this time, let's just say all family want to be fair. "Uncle Frank" understands would like to pay a fair price-- similar to what it could go for in auction; not a discount. At this time, I am trying to avoid contacting Julia's for their "free estimate." Again, thank you for your valuable insight.

[Rich Anderson]

You can look on Gun Broker, Guns international and see what similar guns to yours have sold for not the asking price. More detailed pictures of the gun would be helpful.

I don't know where you live but you could take it to a dealer with a good reputation for an estimate in writing of it's value.

I have several DHE 20's of varying barrel lengths and the most I paid for one was $13K in excellent condition with a good amount of case color remaining. If I was looking for a straight grip 20 (and I love a straight grip small bore) I think your gun would be valued at between $8K-9500.

It's a nice gun with several very redeeming factors such as ejectors, unmolested original condition, straight grip and I'm assuming the skeleton but.
The most important thing is it will stay in the family for future generations and your family member is willing to pay a fair price to keep it in the family.

[Bill Holcombe]

A little late to the party, but considering it is a family gun I would operate from around the $6000 range. Sure you are probably leaving a little money on the table, but unless Uncle Frank has an unlimited bank account there is no real reason to bend him over the table on price. Unless there is a drastic need for the funds that is. When it comes to family it isn't worth hard feelings over a small difference in price. Giving him a bit of a family discount. Also, is he buying the gun entirely or just buying out the rest of the family's interest in it. Because if it part of the estate, he could technically have a claim to part of the value of the gun.

[Bill Murphy]

We still have not been told the length of pull or butt treatment. In case that doesn't mean anything to the price, I have a pair of nice original DHE 20s with 13 inch stocks, recoil pads, that I would be happy to sell for about half of what some here are mentioning as the right price. Skeleton butt, 14" length, $8000. Recoil pad, 13" stock, $5500.