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coleivanoff
03-05-2022, 07:50 PM
Hi all,

My father recently gave me a Parker Bros shotgun in 12 Gauge, but I need some help identifying whether these are factory barrels (measures at just about 18.5 inches) and what it may be worth as well as its year of production. I believe this is a dollar grade due to its serial number (6391) I have attached 5 photos for reference, please reach out if I can send more.

Here are the key specs and info I've found thus far:

-14" Length of Pull
-Walnut stock and forend
-2 Hammers and 2 triggers
-Top rib reads, "Parker Bros Makers Meriden Conn Stub Twist"
-Barrels appear to be twisted steel
-Some color-case hardening remains on the receiver, but is still very present on the inside of the forend
-Forend reads, "PATD MAR 26 1878"
-Receiver reads, "Parker Bros" on both sides
-Underneath receiver reads, "PATD NOV 13 1866" & "MAR 23 1875"
-Underneath barrels marked "2" and also marked "T2" (I understand this means #2 frame size)
-Possible 1875 manufacture, serial ranging from 4260-6748 (according to The Parker Gun: Identification & Serialization)
-Possible 1866-1868 manufacture according to TPG by Baer Beinfeld
-Twist steel is one of 1983 according to TPG: IS
-It appears that these models came in 30-inch barrels, so curious why mine is 18.5-inches


I've used two sources to find this info so far Parker Gun: Identification & Serialization as well as The Parker Gun by Baer Beinfeld

Any and all help here would be greatly appreciated, would love to know what I inhereted! Also, if this post is not allowed please let me know and I will remove. Thanks - Cole
Dean Romig
03-05-2022, 08:26 PM
Unfortunately someone has reduced that Parker to a “cowboy action gun” or home defense gun by lopping the barrels off to an otherwise useless configuration. This happens more often than it should.
Those barrels were originally 32” which would have been very desirable.




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Harold Lee Pickens
03-05-2022, 08:55 PM
Ouch, what would have been a great gun reduced to a couple hundred dollar--if that .
Barrels still retain nice pattern. Oh well, get some light loads and have fun with it.
Keith Sirmans
03-08-2022, 12:51 PM
It wouldn't have much swing but it would be great for flushing up birds and puddle jumping ducks
Mills Morrison
03-08-2022, 02:24 PM
The others are correct. You could try to find another set of barrels. You would probably need an expert to fit them, but you would have a good working gun then. As is, skeet and grouse are options.
Brian Dudley
03-08-2022, 03:03 PM
The gun is in great condition in all other aspects except for the 13.5” of barrels that are missing. That is a shame. Well, I hope that the gun at least chased away som burglars in the past, or made someone feel like a cowboy for a day.
Mills Morrison
03-08-2022, 03:17 PM
You can order a research letter on it and find out more about it. Wells Fargo used Parkers with similar length barrels and that would up the value a bit
Mike Koneski
03-12-2022, 11:21 AM
You can order a research letter on it and find out more about it. Wells Fargo used Parkers with similar length barrels and that would up the value a bit

Mills, if I'm not mistaken if it would be a W-F gun it would be marked as such. I don't think this is a W-F gun especially w/o markings and the gap between those muzzles.
Dean Romig
03-12-2022, 11:35 AM
I don't know if I've ever seen a bona fide Wells Fargo Parker. I've seen a lot of Parkers and other old doubles spuriously marked as such though.





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Mike Koneski
03-12-2022, 11:53 AM
I don't know if I've ever seen a bona fide Wells Fargo Parker. I've seen a lot of Parkers and other old doubles spuriously marked as such though.





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Spuriously!! A bona-fide $10 word!! Looks like you've been dipping into the "Tool Man's List of High-Falutin Words" category!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Dean Romig
03-12-2022, 11:57 AM
I dunno Mike... at the time it seemed like the appropriate adjective... :corn:


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Mike Koneski
03-12-2022, 12:10 PM
This just make the "Skinny" list?! :rotf:
Mike Poindexter
03-12-2022, 05:28 PM
You know, whoever cut and finished those barrel ends appears to have had some skills. Nicely beveled at the top and bottom ribs and the solder joint is smooth and clean. With the barrel length 18.5 inches, it makes me think this was cut sometime after the original NFA was enacted in the 30's, in an attempt to comply with the new law. I would keep it as my bedroom gun, if the chambers checked out at 2 5/8. Very nice lifter.
Dean Romig
03-12-2022, 05:41 PM
I noticed that too Mike, and I agree.





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Arthur Shaffer
03-12-2022, 07:47 PM
You know, whoever cut and finished those barrel ends appears to have had some skills. Nicely beveled at the top and bottom ribs and the solder joint is smooth and clean. With the barrel length 18.5 inches, it makes me think this was cut sometime after the original NFA was enacted in the 30's, in an attempt to comply with the new law. I would keep it as my bedroom gun, if the chambers checked out at 2 5/8. Very nice lifter.

If they didn't, you could likely find 1 box of 2-1/2" shells somewhere. That would likely be at least 23 more than most people would actually ever use in their lifetime (allowing 2 shots for test firing).
:rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf::rotf:
Mills Morrison
03-12-2022, 09:05 PM
I would need a letter from Chuck to believe it was a Wells Fargo gun
Keith Sirmans
03-13-2022, 01:32 PM
I would get a letter as well. In the meantime I would enjoy shooting it
Jim DiSpagno
03-18-2022, 09:11 AM
Go to EBay for a barrel and forend that might work for you
Jay Oliver
03-18-2022, 09:32 AM
I used to do Cowboy Action Shooting many years ago. Before I had my first Parker. If I every got back into it this would be the shotgun I would use...a short barreled lifter.