2 bbl sets

[gordon smith]

Is there a rule of thumb about what percent of value a 2nd set of bbls adds to a gun? Either ones that were made when gun was ordered or ones that were made later by Parker or Remington.

[Dean Romig]

Hello Gordon, if they can be documented as original to the gun as it left Parker Bros. IMHO they probably add another 25% - 35% to the value of the gun. If it can be documented that the second set was made for the gun at a later date by Parker. Bros., again IMHO, then maybe they will increase the value by 15% - 20%... maybe a bit more.
It would be difficult, if even possible, to be able to document such a thing from Remington records.

[David Dwyer]

I agree with Dean,especially on the guns that come from Parker with a second barrel. As Austin has documented, they are fairly rare and a lot of two barrel sets have "lost" the second barrel.
David

[ED J, MORGAN]

I have 3 two barrel sets. GH, PH, and a Trojan. All12 ga.

[Dean Romig]

Hello Ed, do they all letter as such?

[Rich Anderson]

I have had several two bbl sets a GHE 12 skeet/trap set, GHE 20 and a GHE 16 skt/trap. I know they all lettered with the second set of bbls. To me the second set doesn't add that much as for me I usually use only one set. The 16 has had the trap bbls on it only once in the two years I have had it.

[Austin W Hogan]

I usually stay away from appraisals, as per my "oath of office" but I will offer some guidance here.

About 15 years ago I found a CH two barrel, two gauge, two grade set. I thought that I had the most difficult set to find so I began seeking two barrel set guns. I soon found an interesting GH that had a full pound difference in weight( 30 vs 28) but had precisely the same balance point.

The next was a big surprise; I bought a lifter that appeared to be an early live bird gun from a major dealer. There was no mention of a second set of barrels in the ad or on the phone call. When I opened the box there were two barrel sets of same length and weight.

I paid a premium for a two gauge two barrel DH from an ad in Gun List 10+ years ago.

I found a dandy two barrel set G lifter at Baltimore about 7 years ago.

Altogether I had grade 1, 2GH , 2, 3DH and 4CH two barrel sets. Two were two gauge sets, and two were two grade sets.

The DH two gauge set was the only two barrel set that I paid a premium in price. This premium was associated with the 10 ga barrel, which appearred to never have been mounted or fired. When PGCA research letters became available I found that the 10 gauge barrel was the original; the 12 ga barrel was fitted, and the 10 ga barrel rebrownd about 5 years after the gun was originally delivered.
The serialization shows original two barrel sets but can only show 1 barrel length, grade and gauge. The CH is a two gauge, two grade(B4 D4) set. The serialization showed the D4 length for the B4 barrel.
If I follow the philosphies presented on this forum correctly, most prospective buyers will walk past a a 2 barrel set because it cannot be instantly verified as original. I would be very careful in paying a premium for a two barrel set, as only a small number of collectors will risk purchase of two barrel set that cannot be instantly verified from the serialization.

Best, Austin

[Dean Romig]

I have never seen or heard of a Parker sold as "the price is $XXXXX and that includes a XX% premium because of the second set of barrels. Had this gun only one set of barrels the price would only have been $xxxxx."

I know very knowledgable collectors who have (documented) two-barrel-set Parkers who would not have paid what they did had those guns had only one set of barrels and as I have stated, I would certainly expect to pay a premium for a multiple barrel set both for the versatility of the gun if it is purchased as a shooter and for its rarity if purchased solely as a gun for the collection.

[Eric Eis]

Dean, I have to agree with you and the percentage that you quoted, I think that you are in the ballpark with those numbers.

[Rich Anderson]

Dean-Bring your check book to Hausmanns. The Hollywood gun letters with two sets of 28 inch vent rib barrels with BTF choked skt in skt out and M/F.
And its a 16ga..extra premium for a small bore:rotf:

[Bill Murphy]

GHE Damascus three barrel 16, no provenance on any set, DH Damascus #3 frame 12 two barrel set, lettered, PHE vent rib trap, two barrel set, no documentation of second set. DH 12 two barrel set, vent and solid rib, no documentation. All of the mentioned undocumented two and three barrel sets are obviously factory work with perfect fit and markings. In the early seventies, Larry Del Grego Sr. installed a set of PSS barrels on a GHE 16 Damascus gun for me. These barrels fit as well as the original barrels. He numbered them with late serial number stamps. This gun appears to be factory work although I know that it is not.

[Austin W Hogan]

Well said Bill. Two barrel sets are found at about 2 per thousand guns in the archive, until about s/n 200000, where the fraction increases to about 5 per thousand. A far greater fraction are found.

Best, Austin

[Harry Collins]

A friend of mine's grandfather, Jake Gay, purchased a AAH in 1897 and over the next 16 years had four additional sets of barrels made for the Parker. One set of 28" Vulcan barrels cyl and mod and the rest were 32" Whitworth barrels with 2 7/8" chambers and various full chokes for live bird and clay pigeon.

Harry

[Dean Romig]

Wow Harry, we know of a documented DH 16 ga. that had three extra sets of barrels for several different shooting needs making it a four-barrel-set but this AAH is the first 5-barrel gun I've heard of.

Is there any more we can learn about that AAH?

[Dave Suponski]

Harry,I would think that would be a significant Parker. More info? Please..:)

[David Dwyer]

I also agree with Dean. I have three 2 barrels sets that letter. First a DH, a CH and a CHE and I was very willing to pay a premium for those sets.
David

[Dean Romig]

David, I am not familiar with your D but I must say I am envious of the other two.

In fact, it could be said that I covet my neighbor's C's

Hmmm.... I may have to go to confession tonight :rolleyes:

[Austin W Hogan]

During the time of production from s/n 90000 to 180000, a VH cost about $37.50 to 50 and grades DH and higher cost $100 to $400. A second barrel was 1/2 the price of the gun.
How could the customer turn down two or three specialty barrrels for his D C B A at $18 - $25 each?
Along the same line, a new stock cost 1/10 the price of the gun. A DH stock would add $10 to the price of a VH and a BH stock $20. A VH with a DH stock would have cost $60; why would the customer pay that for a PH? Even more so a VH with a BH stock at $70 would be a much nicer gun than a GH at$80.
Is the reason for this Parker policy? That is they would not mix grade on a new gun, but would "repair" a used gun by fitting any barrel if they recieved a frame from the customer? A policy like this could explain the large number of two barrel sets in existence compared to the number archived.
Best, Austin

[Harry Collins]

Jake Gay and JAR Elliot shot against one another in Louisville for the Chmpion Live Bird Shot of the United States in January 1897. Gay shot a Parker and Elliot his Winchester pump. Elliot won by two or three birds. In April of that year Gay ordered his AAH. Sadly the house burned to the ground in about 1977 with all of the Parkers except one and that was a DH 20 gauge that Jake's widow Lucy had given to her granddaughter, Monnie Gay. They did know however where the jewelry and the AAH were in the house and searched the ashes and they were recovered. DelGrego restored the AAH. It survives with only one set of the five barrels. I have writen a story about it, but want to get more information about Jakes shooting before I try to have it published.

Harry

[Dean Romig]

Thanks Harry, I can't wait to read your story - it should prove very interesting.

Austin, I know of a AAH 20 gauge made new with Whitworth Steel barrels and an additional set of Acme 28 gauge barrels as requested by the customer, Henry A. Bishop.

[Larry Frey]

While trolling the gun websites today I bumped into this pretty nice CHE factory two barrel set. http://www.safarioutfittersltd.com/AmericanPage17.htm I assume they did some research to determine that this gun is one of twelve made in this grade. Given the relatively low number of C grades made I'm a little surprised that there were that many documented sets made.

[Dave Suponski]

While trolling the gun websites today .......Larry still looking for that 32" straight grip gun?

[Christopher Lien]

As someone mentioned earlier, second sets of barrels sometimes become separated from the gun... If the current caretaker of DHE #239681 happens to be reading this thread, I have your second set of 12ga 1-1/2 frame 26" ejector barrels... These Remington era barrels were found buried deep in the back of an old gun store/shop in Meriden Ct, and were probably added to the DHE during or after Parker's later Remington period.

Best, CSL
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