#1 frame 20 guage guns

[Dan Steingraber]

I'm sure it's been covered before but a couple searches provided too many results to efficiently check. How "common" are #1 frame 20 gauge guns?

[Dean Romig]

Very UNcommon.






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[Dan Steingraber]

Thanks Dean, I’m the incredibly proud recent owner of a beautiful 20 on a #1 frame with 30” barrels and thought it was a bit uncommon.

[Reggie Bishop]

What grade is your 1 frame 20? I have a VHE 20/32” on the 1 frame. As Dean stated they are seldom seen.

[Dan Steingraber]

Reggie, it’s a BHE. That 32” VHE sounds beautiful. I’d love to have one.

[Reggie Bishop]

Wow! A 30” BHE 20 on 1 frame! Sounds wonderful!

[CraigThompson]

Are the chambers 2 7/8” in the BHE ?

[Garry L Gordon]

Thanks Dean, I’m the incredibly proud recent owner of a beautiful 20 on a #1 frame with 30” barrels and thought it was a bit uncommon.

Now, where the heck is that darned "drool" emoji when you need it!?!

Even a lightweight toting bird hunter like me would like a BHE 30" 1 frame gun. I would predict the demise of a pheasant or two...and maybe an early season teal...:bowdown:

[Keith Doty]

Pictures, Dan, Pictures! It's just plain mean to not post some good pics! A BHE 20 will make a bunch of us drool! With 30"ERS.......WOW

[Dan Steingraber]

A Galazan gauge indicates 3”. I’m assuming they’ve been extended. I’m waiting on a copy of the letter from the seller.

[Dan Steingraber]

Unfortunately when dismantling for shipment one of the ejectors fired and won't re-set so I can't attach the forend until I get it fixed but here are some pics:

109024

109025

109026

109027

109028

109029

109030

109031

[Keith Doty]

Gorgeous! Serious drool here, love 20s and that's a REAL nice one....AND, as Dean said, very rare on a #1 frame. Can't wait to get that one to the field I'll bet. Is the ejector damaged or just tripped? Seems like I have seen conversation here on that subject and there is a "manipulation' to reset other than the operation of the gun.

[Garry L Gordon]

I can’t see the engraving well, but it looks to be a latter gun, yes?

[Dan Steingraber]

1925 I believe.

[Dan Steingraber]

It’s not catching when you push it back. Something is out of wack. Unfortunately lots of parts in there.

[Dean Romig]

A Galazan gauge indicates 3”. I’m assuming they’ve been extended. I’m waiting on a copy of the letter from the seller.


I'd be willing to bet serious coin that your 30" 1-frame 20 gauge with those 3" chambers are original and likely to letter as such. Have you got a Research Letter on it yet?

You might even discover it was shipped to California.





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[Dan Steingraber]

That’d be awesome Dean but the seller indicated the research letter indicated something other than 3” but I don’t remember if it was 2 5/8 or 2 7/8”.

[Daryl Corona]

Mine is a 32" DHE 20 on a 1 frame with 2 7/8" chambers as per the letter.

[Dean Romig]

2 7/8" is considered to be for 3" shells.

I recommend you order a letter.





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[Dan Steingraber]

You have some amazing guns Daryl.

[Dan Steingraber]

The seller is forwarding a letter he just got a week or so ago.

[Chuck Bishop]

Dan's been keeping me busy!

[CraigThompson]

That’d be awesome Dean but the seller indicated the research letter indicated something other than 3” but I don’t remember if it was 2 5/8 or 2 7/8”.

I’d suspect it’s 2 7/8” , I would think any 1 frame 20 would have long chambers . A 20 that’s able to shoot 3” intrests me I cannot however say the same for a 12 .

[charlie cleveland]

I sure hope this gun is a 3 inch gun.....charlie

[Chuck Bishop]

Remember the order books end in 1919, Dan said this gun was made in 1925.

[Dave Noreen]

Years ago, at one of the Vintage Cups at Sandanona, when Kevin and I were doing the PGCA booth, the display had 32-inch 20-gauge guns on 0-, 1- and 2-frames. For a while I owned a set of 1-frame 32-inch 20-gauge barrels, but when I got my 2-frame gun those barrels took a plunge in the river of commerce.

This BHE 32-inch 20-gauge visited the booth there --

109042

It was said to have been owned by Clark Gable. When it was new, he was selling neckties at Meier & Frank in Portland, but I suppose he could have picked it up second hand.

[Reggie Bishop]

Dave is this the straight grip with mourning doves? This one would be my dream 20!

[Dave Noreen]

As I recall it had a full pistol grip and the trigger plate engraving was of a shaggy English Sheep Dog. All I have are two poor quality snap shots, the one of the other side is so light struck one can't make out the bird. Maybe I dreamed it all, but that is what I recall

[Dean Romig]

It was said to have been owned by Clark Gable. When it was new, he was selling neckties at Meier & Frank in Portland, but I suppose he could have picked it up second hand.


Depends on the commission Meier & Frank paid him per necktie :whistle:





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[Randy G Roberts]

Congrats on a great find Dan. That's a grade/gauge/configuration not likely to come along again any time soon but you already knew that. I really like the 32" 20's and am fortunate to have a couple. I prefer them but I could and would definitely make an exception for this one. I hope that your letter will support the 2 7/8" chambers. Nice, really nice !

[Dan Steingraber]

I received the letter from the seller today dated July of 2022. The gun letters as 2 5/8 chambers and otherwise as found. That must have really been a unicorn with the 1 frame and 30" barrels. I can't wait to shoot it.
Other Parker news today incuded receipt of a work order tag for a gun I bought at Hausmans this year but the tag was not from the seller. A nice condition VHE 16 that is a great shooter. A very generous prior owner found out I owned the gun and sent it to me unsolicited. Just another example of the quality of the folks in the Parker community.
I have another nice story unfolding re: a gourgeous little VH 28 I picked up at Jaquas from the large collection they are selling.

[Daryl Corona]

A VH 28. Now you're in the tall cotton. You will enjoy that gun more than most.

[Dan Steingraber]

A VH 28. Now you're in the tall cotton. You will enjoy that gun more than most.

I need one of those 32 inchers you've got. That's the tall cotton territory.:rotf::rotf::whistle:

[Daryl Corona]

Patience grasshopper. It will happen. 32" 28ga, only in my dreams.:)

[Bill Murphy]

I have owned my VH 28 for 62 years now. For the first 15 years or so, it was my main skeet and bird gun. I guess it is broken in now.

[Randy G Roberts]

We all had a chance at a 32" 28 bore about 4 years ago, the Gable gun. Came with a price of course. I have not seen nor heard of such a long legged 28 bore since.

[Dan Steingraber]

I have owned my VH 28 for 62 years now. For the first 15 years or so, it was my main skeet and bird gun. I guess it is broken in now.

Wow, That's a long time to own a gun. I'm sorry to hear it's broken. I hope you can have it repaired. My hope is to own 5 VH 28's. One for each Grandchild to learn to shoot and remember me when I'm gone.

[Dan Steingraber]

:shock::whistle::bowdown: