Is my gun illegitimate?

[David Penland]

Got my letter for my GH 20 gauge today! Great turnaround time. The letter states my gun left the factory as a 16 gauge with Damascus barrels. Since the gun actually has Vulcan steel barrels, is it possible someone decided to convert it to a twenty rather than a sixteen? Current barrels are the same length as original sixteen Damascus barrels which were 28". The barrel flats are stamped Parker proved and have a HTA, V in a circle and a weight of 3.1, lug is marked 20 and 0. Any thoughts are appreciated.

[Jim DiSpagno]

Any Remington repair codes on the left barrel flat and do the serial numbers match the frame?

[Rick Losey]

Are the barrels serial numbered to the gun?

I think there have been several factory rebarreled guns discussed in the past

[George M. Purtill]

Maybe the letter is wrong. The documents that Chuck works with are not exactly clear- in fact they are downright fuzzy.

[Bill Murphy]

Yes, check with Chuck for a confirmation. It is not unusual for a Damascus gun to be retrofitted with steel barrels and not be documented in factory records.

[Brian Dudley]

The style of buttplate on the gun (if it still has one) will help confirm original gauge.

0 frame 16g guns used a larger buttplate than 0 frame 20g guns. So if your plate is the larger "1" style, then it was originally a 16g.

[David Penland]

There are no repair codes. The serial number matches the gun. Will try and post a pic of butt plate.

[Eric Eis]

Yes, check with Chuck for a confirmation. It is not unusual for a Damascus gun to be retrofitted with steel barrels and not be documented in factory records.

Yes I have a AHE like that, 20/28 gauge barrels fitted for it by Remington but born with 16 gauge barrels.

[Brian Dudley]

Dave,
That is the number 1 size buttplate. So, that would mean your gun was built as a 16g originally.

Your gun was either rebarreled by Meriden. Or maybe later on by someone else. I have seen some guns before that were rebarreled by Lefever Arms in the 1960s and 70s. They had a lot of left over parker parts inventory as well as a lot of factory equiptment and they were well equipt for rebarreling Parkers with NOS barrel sets.

[David Penland]

Thanks to everyone for all the information. Even thought the gun started life as a 16, it shoots and handles awesome as a 20!

[Eric Eis]

Thanks to everyone for all the information. Even thought the gun started life as a 16, it shoots and handles awesome as a 20!

Can't ask for anything more......

[Harry Collins]

I have a GH who's Damascus barrels were replaced with Vulcan Steel barrels. A dear friend has his great-grandfathers 1897 AAH that came with Whitworth Steel Barrels and had an additional four sets of Vulcan Steel barrels fitted to the gun over a period of about 15 years.. One set were open choked short barrels and the rest were variations in constriction for live bird shooting.

[legh higgins]

I have a 20 that used to be a 16 and would love to compare notes...
:eek: