Gunsmithing knowledge?

[Aaron Beck]

Appologies for a very brief introduction. I was an interested and somewhat active forum user about 10 yrs ago when I was hunting with a 10 ga hammer gun. 1884- l grade, perhaps I sold it to one of you.
I recently got the bug again and have landed a 16 intended for the Maine woods. I was casting about for a gunsmith in Maine who might advise me during the minimal 3 day inspection but didnt have much success. I did speak with Steve Dalzell who was willing to assist but is on the other end of the state, so I am presently weighing things on my own. I wouldnt shoot this without more info, but as the time is ticking... rst loads if it comes to that of course.

I will attempt to post some photos, but generally the thing ive noticed which is most alarming is at the breech face of the barrels. It appears to be a slightly upset ring of metal where the rim of the shell rattles around on firing. There is also evidence of an outer ring near the barrel od.
The chambers measure .745" and so are somewhat oversized. A regular rst shell does have free play in the chamber.
Im not sure how well the photo evidence will transfer but please have a look and let me know if this is a major red flag. The gun also exhibits some fracturing in the wrist which was known when I bought it but could also speak to heavy use.
Additional photo of green leaching from solder on barrel flats, barrels ring ok.
Thanks in advance

[Bob Jurewicz]

I see nothing unusual in your photos. Lets wait an see if others see anything of concern.
Bob Jurewicz

[David C Porter]

The barrels look like they8been sleeved.

[keavin nelson]

A little more info would be helpful, SN it can be checked against the book, grade of gun, picture of barrel flats. Is it tight on face?
Possible sleeved, but ???? The dogs head seems rather pitted, so maybe the chambers were too, and honed?
The verdigris on the bottom of the barrel is from the brazing corroding, not unusual.
A definite case for inspection by a qualified smith.

[Brian Dudley]

The barrels are NOT sleeved. It just looks like they have been overly cleaned up. and the hard edges on the chamber/rim have been lost.

If you don't like the look of it, then return it. There are plenty of other fish in the sea.

[Aaron Beck]

Were the bores or chambers typically case hardened? I think your opinion is correct, what looks like a sleeve is actually a micro burr, or peening if you will. Assuming that type of thing wouldnt in itself prohibit shooting I would probably keep it, given all the other variables.

[Rick Losey]

Were the bores or chambers typically case hardened? .

no - and the barrels were blued on the outside only

[Craig Budgeon]

The .745 is correct for a Parker 16 ga. The ring you talk about appearing on the rim also appears on the extractor so I very much doubt it is sleeved. The green you talk about is caused by moisture in contact with the silver soldier joint at the breech and is not uncommon.

[Aaron Beck]

If you zoom in on the pictures of the end of barrels you can see another circumferential line near the od. Any thoughts on what to make of that?

[Craig Budgeon]

Nope!

[Ken Descovich]

If you bought the gun from Brian Dudley you should be satisfied as he is a very capable gunsmith that would not stear you wrong.

[Brian Dudley]

If you bought the gun from Brian Dudley you should be satisfied as he is a very capable gunsmith that would not stear you wrong.



He did not. I know nothing of the gun.

[allen newell]

Brian, a question. Can a Parker Repro straight stock be bent to create more drop in the stock without great risk of the stock cracking?

[Mark Britton]

I say Buy Barrels first ! If you have questions now ? You will likely have sorrow later ! And WHAT Brian said

[Aaron Beck]

Returning something you arent confident in is good advice and I will heed as far as practical.
Respectfully, the abundance that you all reference, I have not seen. I may be looking in all the wrong places. Similarly there is a large gap between what's discussed as good pricing here and what exists for sale. I suspect the market looks a lot different when you have several ) frames tucked away in your collections.

[Mike Franzen]

Respectfully, the abundance that you all reference, I have not seen. I may be looking in all the wrong places.

Aaron you are correct. You have been looking in all the wrong places. If you were to spend $40 to become a member of the PGCA you would have access to the Members Only section of this site. There you will see guns offered for sale that are owned by other members. In the many years the For Sale forum has been active I don’t know of one complaint by someone buying or getting stuck with a bad gun. IMHO I think every owner of these historic guns should become a member.

[Aaron Beck]

Mike, Thank you for being so direct.
I will happily, and to others who dangled the same invite in the past, I have only myself to kick for deffering.

[Mike Franzen]

Welcome aboard Aaron! You made a good decision and if there is anything I can do to assist on your journey just let me know.

[Steve Kleist]

I have an “Old Side by Side” question.
Most sportsmen have heard of Gordon MacQuarrie (1900-1956). He was the premiere outdoor writer in the first half of the 20th century. All of us have read “The Stories of the Old Duck Hunters.” I am gathering information gleaned from his stories to assemble a project called the “Guns of MacQuarrie” likely to be presented at the Gordon MacQuarrie Pilgrimage held each late August in Barnes, Wisconsin near his boyhood home. The Pilgrimage is a three-day event. Topics include presentations, demonstrations, displays, field trips, and a Pine Knot Campfire. Most attendees are old geezers like us.
We don’t have much accurate information on the MacQuarrie guns so much is up for speculation, but with a few clues. One of his first duck hunt stories in 1927 titled "Ducks, You Bat You", MacQuarrie was given a sawed-off double with wire wrapped around the forearm and barrels.
Other than trying to wear out my Parker I have little SxS experience. Might any of our Parker members have any experience with vintage (old already in 1927) side by sides with chronic loose or failing forearm problems? While this will not clearly identify the gun, it might help suggest likely makers and add to the MacQuarrie mystique.
Thank you.
Steve Kleist, Ely, MN

[Brian Dudley]

That only narrows it down to anything and everything.

[Bill Murphy]

This is only the second strangest thread I have read on this forum. Well, maybe tied for first.

[Phil Yearout]

I have an “Old Side by Side” question.
Most sportsmen have heard of Gordon MacQuarrie (1900-1956). He was the premiere outdoor writer in the first half of the 20th century. All of us have read “The Stories of the Old Duck Hunters.” I am gathering information gleaned from his stories to assemble a project called the “Guns of MacQuarrie” likely to be presented at the Gordon MacQuarrie Pilgrimage held each late August in Barnes, Wisconsin near his boyhood home…Thank you.
Steve Kleist, Ely, MN

Steve, are you familiar with Keith Crowley? He’s kinda the MacQuarrie expert. He can probably give you some insight on Mac’s guns. He posts mostly on the Upland Journal site. I may have contact info for him; let me know if you need it.

[Kevin McCormack]

Very germane to this thread; I had a great English Setter dog, the best I ever saw on ruffed grouse. When he got too old to hunt I looked into making him a therapy dog for local assisted living facilities. The docents told me, "Oh No! We can't have an animal in here that helped you KILL things!!" What would the residents think, most of them being so close to meeting their maker?" Well, I said, maybe some of them would just like to feel a cold nose and a warm nuzzle on the knee while they waited for the Mah Jong zen master to arrive for the 2PM session, or the 3:30 Podcast on the interpretations of the recent political thoughts of Ted Danson and Whoopi Goldberg.

Those would be the women, who make up the very vast majority of AL residents. More likely the few men there would begin the yarn, "I had a bird dog like that once; best damn bird dog you ever saw..." But they didn't want him; I took him home and poured 2 and a half fingers of highland single malt and asked myself, "What would MacQuarrie do? Side by side, pump or auto? Fixed or Poly Choke?

These are the thoughts that haunt me as I peruse these literary giants. Like the true identity of who killed Cleopatra's sister Arsinoe, we need to know a definitive history of who "Gus" was in the MacQuarrie chronicles; I hope to God he was in the country legally!

[Stan Hillis]

Very germane to this thread; I had a great English Setter dog, the best I ever saw on ruffed grouse. When he got too old to hunt I looked into making him a therapy dog for local assisted living facilities. The docents told me, "Oh No! We can't have an animal in here that helped you KILL things!!" What would the residents think, most of them being so close to meeting their maker?" Well, I said, maybe some of them would just like to feel a cold nose and a warm nuzzle on the knee while they waited for the Mah Jong zen master to arrive for the 2PM session, or the 3:30 Podcast on the interpretations of the recent political thoughts of Ted Danson and Whoopi Goldberg.

Those would be the women, who make up the very vast majority of AL residents. More likely the few men there would begin the yarn, "I had a bird dog like that once; best damn bird dog you ever saw..." But they didn't want him; I took him home and poured 2 and a half fingers of highland single malt and asked myself, "What would MacQuarrie do? Side by side, pump or auto? Fixed or Poly Choke?

These are the thoughts that haunt me as I peruse these literary giants. Like the true identity of who killed Cleopatra's sister Arsinoe, we need to know a definitive history of who "Gus" was in the MacQuarrie chronicles; I hope to God he was in the country legally!

Excellent, Kevin!

[Bill Murphy]

Kevin's post was not a tiebreaker. This thread is still only the second strangest thread I have ever read on this forum. :):)