Help with a Parker that won't break open

[Michael McClung]

Hello All,

I am a new member to the forum and recently in possession of a Parker 12. I have already made a dumb mistake with it, and I am hoping someone can guide me a bit:

The gun is serial #63532. from 1890 according to this website. Appears to be a 12 ga. with 30" Parker Twist barrels. I think it is a PHE from what I have read so far, but I could be wrong. Everything about it seems to work perfectly well.

Another barrel and foreshock came with it, from another gun. That serial number was 82295 and the barrels are 16 ga. Damascus Steel, also 30".

Since the 12 ga. and the extra 16 ga. barrels came to me together, I assumed they were interchangeable. I put the 16 ga. barrels on the receiver (and it seemed to fit perfectly) but now the gun will not break back open. The lever on top will not move to the right to release.

I don't want to force it of course! Does anyone know a way that I can break it open and put the correct barrel back on it? I am happy to post pictures if that would help?

I apologize in advance for this foolishness!

[Richard Dow]

Michael: I'm probably the last guy that should comment but until the experts see your post I would try this. Tap the butt of the stock on the carpeted floor a few times to see if that helps. Good luck.

[Michael McClung]

As a quick follow up, I have already solved my own issue. There were snap caps in the chambers and they just needed to be bumped a little bit away from the receiver. Naturally I had to reveal my dumb move to the internet before figuring this out.

Let me change my question to this: Am I correct that the gun is a PHE? Can anyone help me with a value for this gun? I will post pictures below. Thank you!

[Michael McClung]

Thank you Richard - that is exactly what worked!

[Michael McClung]

Hopefully these photos will upload...

[Michael McClung]

...and a few more:

[Michael McClung]

..and the last ones:

[Richard Dow]

P grade. Glad your with us.

[Michael McClung]

Thank you, Richard. Glad to have found this forum. My reading led me to believe that the gun is hammerless and has ejectors, and would thus be PHE. Is that the grade, or is it simply P grade, and the other designations are not part of the grading? Sorry if this is a dumb question. I am enjoying learning about it though.

[Richard Dow]

Yes. The E is for ejectors

[Jeff Kuss]

Michael,
Your gun is a PH. It has an extractor and not ejectors. The H is for hammerless and the E is for ejectors. Your gun is too early to have factory ejectors unless they had been returned and retro fitted with them.

[Michael McClung]

Thank you - have a terrific Labor Day weekend.

[Richard Dow]

Thanks Jeff. I should have looked a little closer.

[Steve Huffman]

Buttstock looks to be a replacement also

[Michael McClung]

Thanks Jeff - That makes perfect sense. I was conflating the terms extractor and ejector. When you mention that the butstock is a replacement, you mean the rubber pad at the end of the stock that softens the kick to one’s shoulder, correct? In other words, the wooden part of the stock seems original?

Also, is it possible that the replacement butstock was installed over the original which may still be under there? Wishful thinking probably...

Do you have a sense of the value of the gun?

Many thanks,

Michael

[Richard Flanders]

The stock is not likely original.

[charlie cleveland]

but your gun is not a ejector gun thus just a ph grade....charlie

[Michael McClung]

Thanks everyone - shame about the stock, but I am happy to know what I have and that the gun is a PH.

If anyone has guidance about value, I would appreciate it. I will request the research letter now.

My Best,

Michael McClung

[Brian Dudley]

The whole buttstock (wood) is not original. That style of grip was popular with some trap shooters over the years. But will never be seen on a factory Parker double. Also, the cheeks, comb, checkering is not correct. The head is too full as well.

[Bill Murphy]

Our comments about the stock not being original are not neccesarily negative. Aside from a bit of overlap at the receiver and the non original shape of the grip, it appears to be a very attractive stocking job that will not detract from the value of a gun that has no value beyond that of a shooter. As a shooter, you probably have a very nice example of an early hammerless PH. We apparently don't know the frame size of the second set of barrels, but a picture of the bottom of the rear lugs on the two sets will clear that up.

[Michael McClung]

Thanks Bill -The 16 ga barrels are definitely from another gun with a different serial number but I will get some pictures up today.

[Michael McClung]

Here are some photos from the 16 ga barrels. Should this be interchangeable with my 12 ga barrels?

[Justin Julian]

If you are going to shoot that gun with those twist and Damascus barrels, I would strongly encourage you to have them inspected and measured for wall thickness first. If they have been bored too thin to remove pitting at some time in the past, they could be dangerous to shoot. If you do get the OK to shoot them, stick with low pressure RST Falcon lite shotshells. You can order them directly from RST's website.

[Michael McClung]

Duly noted, Thank you!

[Brian Dudley]

There are a few things about the look of that barrel set that concern me.

Nothing is truly interchangeable on a Parker unless it was made that way from the factory.

[Dean Romig]

There are a few things about the look of that barrel set that concern me.


Right - like why are the forward and rear lower surfaces of the lug peened like that?? And the extractor stop-screw buggered so badly?





.

[Brian Dudley]

Right - like why are the forward and rear lower surfaces of the lug peened like that?? And the extractor stop-screw buggered so badly?





.

And standing up too. It may interfere with the closing of the barrels. Also, look at the impression in the bottom of the locking lug from the trip! There is no reason that the metal should actually be deformed like that from contact with the trip. I have never seen that before on any set of parker barrels.

[Michael McClung]

The original 12 ga gun is in pretty reasonable condition, but the 16 ga barrels are not in good shape at all. The forestock has seen a lot of abuse too. With no receiver and stock that matches it, I’m not sure it is worth having around. Do people have a need for items like this, simply for spare parts?