Please HELP ...Low Serial 10ga Parker

[David Rios]

I’m in need of some advice I have a Parker Brothers 10g Shotgun and a gentalmen approched me at the range and asked if he could purchase it. It’s been in my family for over 50 years. It still fires on one barrel the firing pin is broken on the other barrel I can change the firing pin to the other side and it will fire. I just don’t know what the value would be. I really don’t want to sell but I would rather someone enjoy it. It’s always kept in my climate controlled safe it has a in excellent condition and all is matching numbers perfect fitting no wobble or cracks on stock or rust. i will add pics here is what I know I don’t know if it’s worth anything either I just want to be fair to me and him. I just can’t really find any online this low in numbers.

Model/configuration – Model Grade 0 Stub-twist double-barrel shotgun, 10 ga., with 30 inch damascus bbl., and case hardened/blue finish.

Serial Number – 6153 mfg. circa 1875.

Additional Information – side hammer, under-lifter action (barrel release in front of trigger guard), walnut stock. Just need someone’s help and thank you in advance.
Any information is helpful also if there is something I’m missing please let me know I’m a Newbie here.

[David Rios]

Please point me in the right direction if I posted this in the wrong area I greatly appreciate you guys like I said I’m new on this site.

[Mills Morrison]

Looks to be in decent shape for its age. The stock looks like a replacement to me, but that is better than a broken stock. New firing pins are available

[David Rios]

Hello Mills thank you so much for answering. I don’t believe the stock has been changed. Is there anyway to find out it’s all one piece with the reciever correct? This was my Great Grandfathers so I don’t know what he has done to it but as far as I know the stock has not been changed it least according to my late Grandfather also Where can I find the firing pin? How can I place a value on it ? Is there a appraisal place for Parker’s? Thanks again and god bless you for your response brother.

[Dean Romig]

Brian Dudley has replacement offset firing pins for your gun. Send him a PM.

I too believe the stock is a replacement. Not much about th contours and checkering look like original Parker work.





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[David Rios]

Like I said I really don’t know is there any possiable way to find out by taking apart just everything looks perfect screws and settings no gaps. If there is something I can do and take more photos to really get in depth with finding out the authenticity. This is in beautiful shape is there anyone in the Orlando Fl area I can take it to that anyone knows of ?

[Steve Huffman]

The screws in the Buttplate don't look Parker Brothers to me nor the buttstock, whats the forend look like ?

[David Rios]

I’ve sent a bunch of photos to a firearms expert online and this is what he stated he is a expert in the Parker,Winchester and Remington. The forend has matching serial numbers with the rest of the shotgun. Please see photo..

[Mark Ray]

Shouldnt there be a medallion on the wrist?

[Steve Huffman]

You can order a letter for your gun there are records on hand for it This may help you answer some questions .

[David Rios]

Thank you so much I plan on doing the letter. To answer the medallion question her is what the expert told me just now.

[David Rios]

Yes I will do that for sure order a letter thanks so much. The question on the medallion this is what the expert told me see photo

[Steve Huffman]

Please ! I do believe The Experts here are giving you better info then you care to believe . The medallion in question is a Shield on the wrist behind the tang .

[Steve Huffman]

I have a lifter #3469 with a shield which is earlier then yours .

[David Rios]

Is yours the straight stock or pistol grip stock do you have a pic I just want to see what your inquiring about like I said I’m trying to get info myself. Thanks brother.

[Steve Huffman]

Ball grip and no picture you can go to the home page and go to the links and I think there are some pictures of the different grades . Im going to go out on the limb and answer on of your questions about value if bores are sound and barrel wall thickness is shootable $575- $700 But your stock does not help at all . These guns are not rare Condition is . Others may Chime in

[Jim DiSpagno]

All of the older Parkers I’ve encountered, both underlifter and top lever, had theserial number stamped into the wood under the trigger guard. I presently have # 9595 and so stamped

[David Rios]

Absolutely I’m a comic book collector and other gun collectibles as well and I know all about condition that’s how I am so successful in what I do and your right but I’ve seen worse shape ones then this go for more than that. I believe the stock is of the period with out a doubt. My grandfather was not the type to take his guns to get redone he always preserved his own. Like I stated this shotgun has been in my family over 50years I’m not really sure exact but since I was a little kid and I’m almost 50years old this shotgun has always looked the same. I just never really looked at it but since my grandfather has passed many years ago I finally went and shot it this past weekend and it shoots beautifully. Now I can see why it’s been in my family for so many years. Time will tell when I request a letter they have records.

[Steve Huffman]

What loads are you shooting ?

[David Rios]

Buffalo arms black powder loads really nice Ammo if you haven’t tried them.

[David Rios]

I will check under the trigger guard thanks for the info your awesome.

[Dean Romig]

If you carefully remove the screw securing the trigger guard to the stock and carefully lift the trigger guard strap from its recess in the wood and rotate it in a counter-clockwise motion you will see the gun's serial number stamped into the wood.

But keep in mind that a few savvy restockers knew enough to stamp the serial number there to make it look original. If there is no serial number stamped in the wood there you will know it is a restock.
If the number is stamped there the question of originality still remains.

I wonder why you came to us asking for answers if you're not willing to accept them?





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[David Rios]

I definitely accept all the input and I’m not undermining anyone just with everything we all learn something new everyday no one can be 100% when it comes to firearms. That’s why I am going to take your advise and check that. I’m absorbing all you wonderful people’s input even the firearm expert that I paid for to do the research for me. I’m just going to get the the info from Parker and that will answer a bunch of questions also. Like I said I’m just learning about this particular firearm so I appreciate all the information.

[Mark Ray]

Astounded Brian has not commented. But as he recently commented on a gun of mine, the chekereing borders are not mullered. And , I have a gun from around the same era, with the metal in similar condition to this gun, but my wood is markedly more worn. Although not an expert, if the wood Is original, it is significantly refinished, and re checkered. It does not look correct. And again, there should be a shield (aka medallion) on the top wrist of the stock. it is important to know, that it is no disgrace to own a gun that has been re stocked, because, as one member already said, that is far better than had the gun suffered a broken stock, and the owner disposed of the gun. Photos of the entire gun will provide you with a plethora of info from this group.

[Bill Murphy]

I hope the advice you are getting from the "expert" is free. That is about what it is worth. He is not an expert on Parker shotguns.

[David Rios]

Good morning I wanted to add some pics to the post so everyone can take a look.

[David Rios]

Thanks for that pic of the forend I see the serial number I didn’t notice before here are the pics and I placed upaside the stock to show the color of them both. Wow great info. I noticed in the pic of all the shotguns not all shotguns had the shield.

[Chuck Bishop]

David, please accept the opinions of the real "experts" on this site. The buttstock is not original or if it is, it's been so highly modified so as to not look like anything Parker made. The forend is probably original judging by the age of the wood on the underside. A grade 0 gun would not have had checkering. Also, most of these guns in that serial number range had straight stocks. One last picture of the trigger guard tang with the serial number may help to find out if it was a pistol grip originally.

If you order a research letter, it will not answer any of your questions. All you will find out is the gauge, barrel steel, barrel length, and weight. You know most of these things already.

Most here don't like to place a value on guns but your gun isn't worth much. If it were mine and it's a heirloom handed down from my great grandfather, I'd want to keep it in honor of his memory.

[David Rios]

Thank you so much for the info again I am learning. I will check for the serial number on the stock is this difficult to do I don’t want to get into something not knowing should I take to a local gunsmith for verification? The pic that TX provided I see that a couple look very similar the pic is not clear. Would anyone happen to know a member in the Orlando area that I can get a hands on look at the firearm. I know sometimes pictures don’t do justice. Or is there a place I can ship to for a evaluation. I may just keep it is a beautiful firearm and shoots well. Thanks for the info your awesome.

[Jay Oliver]

Hello David,

I am glad you are excited about your Parker and are shooting it! I attached pictures of one of my Parkers with a serial# in the 9000's. It is a grade 0, 10 gauge with Stub Twist barrels. The stocks are not checkered, though there is a medallion. This is what your gun probably looked like when new back in 1875. If yours did originally have a pistol grip stock(which may be possible) it would likely not be checkered and have a different shape.

There should be a medallion behind the hammers/tang regardless of stock configuration. I have Parker# 1219 and it has the medallion. By the way the bottom picture you mentioned by TXhuntermn(Mark) without the medallions on the tang are not all Parkers. He just has alot of awesome hammer guns :)

At some point someone cared enough to fix your gun or replace the stock so they could keep on using it. It might take away from the value, but not the character. I would buy another firing pin and keep on enjoying it.

[Mark Ray]

"The pic that TX provided I see that a couple look very similar the pic is not clear. "
I just added that last pic for perspective. there is only one Parker gun in the pic, and it is the one on the far right.

Keep, shoot and enjoy the gun! Every one of us here, at one time or another, have thought we had acquired a really valuable gun, and then found out different! But, in my case, some of those "disappointment" guns are my favorite shooters!

[Mark Ray]

Absolutely I’m a comic book collector and other gun collectibles as well and I know all about condition that’s how I am so successful in what I do and your right but I’ve seen worse shape ones then this go for more than that. I believe the stock is of the period with out a doubt. My grandfather was not the type to take his guns to get redone he always preserved his own. Like I stated this shotgun has been in my family over 50years I’m not really sure exact but since I was a little kid and I’m almost 50years old this shotgun has always looked the same. I just never really looked at it but since my grandfather has passed many years ago I finally went and shot it this past weekend and it shoots beautifully. Now I can see why it’s been in my family for so many years. Time will tell when I request a letter they have records.

One more “perspective” comment. You state that thr gun has been in your family for 50 years, so,even if has been in your family for 70 years, it was around 75 years old when your Great Grandad got the gun......that is a lot of unknown history, and undoubtedly that gun has had a storied life!! Oh, by the way, I’m still waiting for some long lost relative to hand a Parker, of ANY ilk or condition my way, ahhh but hope springs eternal!