Parker 28 gauge photos - original (I believe)

[Wayne Dow]

A while ago, I was asked by friends to post photos of my 28 gauge on this site. I'm not very good with technology, so it may take me a few tries. I recently submitted a request for a PGCA research letter and expect to be told that it's a vulcan steel hammerless VH manufactured in 1917. Its been in my family since it was purchased new and has been my occasional shooter for 50 years. I don't really know how to evaluate condition or value, but for starters, 28" barrels shine from end to end, the gun locks up tight and it's especially fun to hunt with. On the other hand, I've never been able to locate any bluing and the stock had a small split that was expertly repaired about ten years ago. The finish is worn, though I believe it's original. Perhaps another member could help me figure out how to more accurately evaluate and describe this gun. Thanks for your thoughts and information.

[Dean Romig]

Well, if you were thinking of freshening it up you would lose all evidence of it having been lovingly used by family members for these 99 years.




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[charlie cleveland]

is the weight of the barrels marked 2-4...if it is this is the lightest weight barrels i have seen marked as such...charlie

[Wayne Dow]

Thank you, Charlie. The stamp isn't perfect, but it looks like 2-2 to me.

[Wayne Dow]

[QUOTE=Dean Romig;186497]Well, if you were thinking of freshening it up you would lose all evidence of it having been lovingly used by family members for these 99 years.

Thank you for the gentle advice, Dean. I suppose if an old gun had been previously altered or damaged, "refreshing" it would be ok. Anyhow, I wouldn't know where to start and it's good like it is. What do you make of Charlie's comment about the weight of the barrels? The lightness of this gun is part of what makes it so nice to hunt with.

[Craig Larter]

Wayne: Very nice family gun and a 28ga WOW! It appears to be a well used example in mostly original condition. The butt stock appears to have been cleaned with finish added (maybe when the crack was repaired). The reason I say that is the butt stock is light in color and the checkering has been filled with finish. If you look at the checkering and finish on the forend that appears original. A few of the screw heads are out of time and the slots damaged (this indicates the gun has been taken apart by a unqualified person). The action was never blued it was case colored. Look at the action in a protected area and you should be able to see some of the original case color (blue and straw colored), the action as new had the same finish. I agree with others on proceeding with caution with respect to restoration. If it was my gun I would have a Parker craftsman refinish the butt stock and re-cut the checkering. I would also have the screw slots repaired and the screws re-timed. Then just shoot it and passit on to a family member. It should be good to go for another 100 years.

[Dean Romig]

For 28" barrels that 2 lbs., 2 oz. is Very light.





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[charlie cleveland]

wayne these are the lightest weight stamped barrels that i have noticed suched marked as yours is...i try to take notice of the heaviest and lightest weight barrels on parkers just a thing of mine i guess....charlie

[John Dallas]

What do the barrels weigh now, after finishing?

[Wayne Dow]

wayne these are the lightest weight stamped barrels that i have noticed suched marked as yours is...i try to take notice of the heaviest and lightest weight barrels on parkers just a thing of mine i guess....charlie

Thank you so much, Charlie. It's nice to know that someone keeps up with this detail. I would have never noticed the comparison, of course, except that it's great to have a light gun in the woods when a grouse or woodcock pops up. From a completely different pursuit, this reminds me of Confederate and other envelope collectors who pay close attention to the earliest and latest dates that stamps and other markings appear on covers. It always adds a little to the value to have the earliest known markings.

[Wayne Dow]

I don't know, Big D. They've never been re-finished to my knowledge. 2-2, I suppose. Oh, sorry, I see in the technical section that barrels are always stamped in the factory before finishing. Shows you how much I know :-). I'll weigh them sometime soon and let you know.

My digital kitchen scale says 2 - 2 1/4. Somehow, finishing made them get heavier by a quarter ounce :-)

[Wayne Dow]

Thank you for your observations and recommendations, CL. I've always wondered why the checkering and color were different on the butt stock and forend. I've had the gun since 1966 and it's never been touched during my time except to repair slight cracks in the stock and endplate. After my great-grandfather died in 1947, the gun sat unused in an attic, so he must have had reason to re-finish it during his lifetime. Maybe the split in the stock had something to do with it. Anyhow, thanks for partially clearing up a mystery! I'm glad the forend finish is original as it shows me what the butt stock once looked like.

[Jay Gardner]

Wonder how many sweet little Parkers are tucked away in attics or closets waiting to be discovered?

[greg conomos]

My father has a JC Higgins bolt-action 12 ga tucked away in the closet waiting to be found. We don't like talking about it.

[Brian Dudley]

Thank you for sharing with us photos of your 28g.
As Craig suggested, the buttstock has had finish added to it at one time. Checkering is filled in and it is very glossy for the condition of the whole gun. Other than that, the gun is pretty unmolested and it a good example of a gun that has seen much field service but not abused.

If you wish to continue hunting with it a lot and in any conditions, there is no worries about carrying on as you have been. However, as you may have guessed, 28g guns are rare, are desirable and are valuable. In nearly any condition. So, given that the gun really owes you nothing, any restoration work considered would no doubt increase the value of the gun from its current state as long as the work performed is quality.

[Bill Murphy]

I would guess the weight stamp is actually a poorly stamped 2-12.

[Wayne Dow]

I would guess the weight stamp is actually a poorly stamped 2-12.

Thanks, Bill, an interesting thought. It's a surprise to me to learn that there could be such a range of barrel weights coming out of the factory. Would a customer have been able to order a lighter gun, or was it more random than that? What was the weight range on 28's? Maybe Charlie knows.

In this case, I weighed the bbls at 2-2 1/4 after Big D's question, and the attached close-up doesn't reveal a faulty strike, so I think 2-2 is the correct stamp.

[Dean Romig]

I would guess the weight stamp is actually a poorly stamped 2-12.


That was a thought I had too Bill - I just wasn't ready to say it... there is absolutely no evidence of a 1 stamp next to the 2 which would make it a 12.





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[Bill Murphy]

Wayne, is your gun a 00 frame gun with dished out areas in the water table of the action? We have not seen a picture of that area and the frame size marking seems (to my old eyes) to be 00. Descriptions of orders in the Parker order books for 28 gauges usually say from nothing to "light as possible". Actual guns are usually six pounds or a very few ounces less. There doesn't seem to be a lot of difference in 0 frame and 00 frame in standard field guns. Read the article on early 28 gauges in the Parker Pages. I believe the author was Dave Suponski. Some of the research material for that article came from the Parker records, and some came from other sources.

[Wayne Dow]

Thank you, Bill. I'm getting a much-needed lesson from very generous and knowledgable members on this site, as I'd hoped. The attached photos show the 00 frame and the water table.

This gun weighs 2-2 + 2-14 + 6 = 5-6, assuming my kitchen scale is accurate, which I believe it is.

I'll read Dave Suponski's article. Thank you for the lead.

[Dave Suponski]

Wayne, Enjoy the article. Much of my research came from Mr. Murphy

[Mills Morrison]

That is a good looking gun. It is not my gun, but, if it were, I would fix any mechanical issues and otherwise leave as is.

[Alfred Greeson]

Great gun. Thanks for sharing. I would be careful with the refinish or clean up also. I have a Winchester Model 12 20 ga. that my Father just had to own after I bought it over 40 years ago in near mind condition. I let him have it and I got it back a few years ago when he willed it to me and it is now about a 70 per cent gun but all the wear is what he put on it and I wouldn't change a thing about it. Too many hours of his hunting memories built in so I will keep just as he left it. Just my thoughts but I never pick it up without thinking of all the times he held and carried it.

[Harry Collins]

This is my fathers Parker. I would never restore a thing on it as all the wear was from his hands.