16 gauge BHE

[Kirk Potter]

This has to be pretty rare..

http://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/shotguns/parker-shotguns-reproduction/parker-bhe-grade-16-and-20-ga-combo.cfm?gun_id=100984169

Only 100 20 gauge BHE’s made, can’t be many of those with 16 gauge barrels as well.

[Reggie Bishop]

The Briley tubes would kill the deal for me.

[Rich Anderson]

There out there. When I was at Cabela's we had one and it sat there for a long time. I shipped it out to a new store that was opening.

[Dean Romig]

As I understand it, a lot of the Repro BHE's were engraved with D engraving but this one was not. How many 16/20 BHE's were made? A handful at most I'm sure. It will be a long time before we see another of these for sale.





.

[Bill Davis]

Two things hit me as I looked over this gun!! I've never seen a set of 26 inch 16 ga. barrels. All were 28 inches that I've encountered, including 8 sets of spare barrels I examined some years ago. Could they have been shortened when the Brileys were installed?? The other thing is that this gun is a long way from 98%. Just my observations.........

[Kirk Potter]

Two things hit me as I looked over this gun!! I've never seen a set of 26 inch 16 ga. barrels. All were 28 inches that I've encountered, including 8 sets of spare barrels I examined some years ago. Could they have been shortened when the Brileys were installed?? The other thing is that this gun is a long way from 98%. Just my observations.........

I think you’re right.

[Greg Baehman]

As I understand it, a lot of the Repro BHE's were engraved with D engraving but this one was not.
Dean, to my knowledge, two and only two BHEs with D-style engraving have been found. Both of these are .410s on the 0000-frame, one of them was the subject of with pics shown in this thread, a pic of the other was also shown in this same thread:

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12472

If you know of others please bring them to light.

[Dean Romig]

Nope, sorry Greg, I've only seen pictures of one.





.

[Bill Murphy]

Cut at Briley's, end of story. We're not going to live long enough for 26" barrels to become interesting to collectors, especially not when they are cut.

[Gary Laudermilch]

Maybe not to collectors, but I know more than a few shooters that like them - today.

[Paul D Narlesky]

Now the very rare 16,20 combo with cut barrels and briley chokes. (thanks for those close ups), who would do that to perfectly fine gun that is a pretty tough bird to find ? you know the phrase "people never cease to amaze me". Also I like the story and mystery of the rare .410 Repros. I wish there were more out there so one could actually consider buying one to shoot.I think I would. Thanks & Best, Paul

[Kirk Potter]

Cut at Briley's, end of story. We're not going to live long enough for 26" barrels to become interesting to collectors, especially not when they are cut.

I’m agnostic when it comes to a barrel length of either 26” or 28”.. is 2” really going to make a difference? I think the idea some people have of that extra 2” getting caught on something is pretty funny. If I’m in that thick of cover for that to happen it’s either going to or not.

As far as aesthetics though, I don’t care for 26” in a 12 gauge. The proportions just look wrong and it looks bulky. MO of course.

I wouldn’t let those barrels stop me from buying this if the price was cheap enough and I was in the market.. But yeah, no collector value really and the price would have to be a lot less.

[Todd Poer]

Kirk I mentioned the other day that my Parkers with 28 inch barrels are very close in overall gun length to my modern doubles that I have that have 26 inch barrels. I guess its the overall length of gun that really makes the difference for me. Its also the weight of the gun and how it balances between the hands. Some like the extra length for sight plane and weight for the follow through on swinging targets. My VH 16 28 with light barrels feels comparable in handling in my hands compared to the modern 20 ga and 28 ga Dehaans with 26 inch barrels. Very balanced between the hands, I think that is what makes more difference than overall length for fast action in tight cover. It comes at a price though, not enough weight forward and gun feels whippy. I am with you its not the so called length of gun.

It also used to mean before screw in chokes longer guns had more choke and if you wanted less choke you needed shorter barrels. We know that is a misnomer but hard for a good myth to overcome fact. And if you don't believe that then I have some ghost and bigfoot stories to tell you and some Parkers with lopped off barrels.

I am with you on aesthetics as well even though I like the way the modern sxs feel and shoot there is something about proportions of the Parkers that look right and feel right.