PARKER SKEET CHOKE STAMPINGS

[Stephen Hodges]

I have been wanting a true Parker Skeet Gun and have been looking at one on the web. The gun letters as it appears. VHE Straight grip, single trigger, 26" barrels, twin ivory beads and a bevertail stock. There is no mention of choking in the letter. 1935 Remington gun. Has a Larry DelGrego recoil pad on it. But the choke stampings look real funky. What could they have stamped over? Is this a factory mistake or has the gun been messed with? Blow the picture up and it looks much worse.

[James L. Martin]

Looks like they were double stamped.

[Dean Romig]

Pretty funky looking Steve. Part of DelGrego's business was to upgrade and alter guns from how they left the factory. Producing "skeet-configured" guns from standard issue VHE's and even VH's was a relatively common occurance on 'undocumented' Parker guns.

And then there's the plugged hole in the lug where the extractor rod stop screw would have been..... I thought ejector guns had never even been drilled there...?

I'm not saying it isn't a factory Skeet gun, just cautioning you.





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[Chad Hefflinger]

Here is a pic of the flats of a documented 12 ga. GHE Skeet gun. I agree with Deans comments about the plugged hole for the extractor. This gun had a checkered but treatment. I do have a 16 ga. VHE skeet that has a NoShoc recoil pad that I believe to be correct to the gun, so it is possible that an original pad was replaced by DelGrego but tough to say for certain.

[Bill Murphy]

Does the SB list this gun as an ejector gun? What is the code for this gun in the SB? Serial number?

[Stephen Hodges]

Bill serial # is 237237. Letters exactly as it is shown in the book, with possibly the exception of the DG Pad., ejectors and all.

[Bill Murphy]

The stock book may show pattern information that could document this gun as an original skeet gun. Personally, I wouldn't let the possibility of the stamping being from the Del Grego shop keep me from buying the gun.

[Rich Anderson]

I agree with Dean as there were a lot of guns that were skeet configuration with out being true skeet guns. Is the recoil lug on the barrels the reinforced one? If not thats a dead give away it's not a true skeet gun. Every one I've seen had a checkered butt.

[Dean Romig]

He says it letters perfectly...





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[Pete Lester]

It's in the right era for a Skeet Gun, Serialization book shows extras #14 along with SG and 26" tubes. Both choke markings certainly appear to be double struck indicating to me it was deliberate. As far as the pad goes trap and skeet guns are not one size fits all, perhaps someone took it to LDG & Son and add them change the LOP and they added a pad. If it helps ask them to measure the choke constriction, my GHE Skeet is .004 and .007.

I am guessing the new shed is going to have to wait on this gun :-)

[Patrick Lien]

It appears from the book that they made a run of 19 guns in 20/12 gauge all configured the same. Two of these guns are in G&H records(237224 and 237236). Contact Bob Beach and see if he has any info on if these were skeet guns. Not a definitive answer but it appears to me that they made a run of skeet guns. Also, what does the serial # look like on the barrels? Maybe it is an original skeet gun with replaced barrels.

PML

[Stephen Hodges]

No Pete, the new shed will be delivered on May 14....................:)

[Bill Murphy]

Yup, Bob Beach will tell you if the guns close in serial number to this one are skeet guns. Unfortunately your gun is not in the G&H list. I think it is a legitimate skeet gun and would buy it.

[Rich Anderson]

My VHE 16ga skeet gun is choked .010 in both barrels.