Gun Smiths

[TerryFisher]

Can anyone recommend a good Gun Smith in SW Florida that know Parkers??

[TerryFisher]

Maybe one day someone that know this stuff can put together a list of Gun Smiths by State that works on Parkers.

[Randy G Roberts]

Cole Fine Guns and Gunsmithing comes to mind. I cannot recommend them as I have no experience with them at all, I only know they are a recognized name in the industry. You might try going to the home page FAQ's where the very first topic is "need a gunsmith". You can actually search that thread individually by using the "Search This Thread" feature in the tool bar. Maybe you will get lucky.

[TerryFisher]

Thanks.. I am new to all of this site and to researching my gun as of today. I am trying to learn all about my Parker.

[Randy G Roberts]

Consider posting some pics of your gun and any questions you may have about it. Odds are good someone here will be able to help you out with it.

[John Dallas]

Cole's is a very reputable outfit. They are specialists in Berettas.. My only experience was a Beretta which was fixed in 6 hours. Rich Cole also has the most amazing sleeve of tattoos you'll ever see

[Dan Steingraber]

Thanks.. I am new to all of this site and to researching my gun as of today. I am trying to learn all about my Parker.

Terry, If you post some photos and include some that show the serial #, barrel flats and the water table you will likely learn more about your gun than you ever imagined. The body of knowledge of these folks is mind boggling.

[TerryFisher]

Thanks for the advice. I took a bunch of pics last night, where would be the best place to post them, so that others can look at them. I am going to send in to get the history report also. My ser# is 20084 no letters. So from what I have been able to find out that it was made in 1880. Think it's a 0 grade with ejector.

[Randy G Roberts]

Terry you can post your pics right here within this thread. Go to the home page and scroll down to the bottom of the FAQ's where you will find a tutorial on posting pics, it is not that difficult.

Your gun appears to be a plain twist lifter, 12 gauge, 30" version and it most likely has an extractor and not an ejector mechanism.

[TerryFisher]

Not sure if this will work.110076

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[TerryFisher]

110085

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[TerryFisher]

110088

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[TerryFisher]

Well That what I have. It has been in a safe seen 2008 when my friend passed away this was his Grand Fathers that purchased it new, or my understanding. This gun was in their family when they lived on Mound Key in Florida for years. As all these guns they have history..
Should I take it to a Smith and have it restored?
I believe it works but the hammers I haven't drawn back.
Thanks for your help..

[Dan Steingraber]

You’ll get some good advice soon. Could you take the barrels off and share picks of the action and barrels where the numbers, letters and other markings are?

[TerryFisher]

Well i know this may sound funny but never taken it apart and will have to find out how to.. I'm sure somewhere on here there is a Parker disassibly for dummies.

[Dan Steingraber]

Well i know this may sound funny but never taken it apart and will have to find out how to.. I'm sure somewhere on here there is a Parker disassibly for dummies.

Take the forearm off and push up on the plunger looking thing (that's a technical term) sticking out of the bottom of the action and the gun will open and the barrels lift right off. The "plunger looking thing" functions like a top lever to release the barrel lock up.

[Aaron Beck]

Anyone read killing mr watson? A interesting story and reminder of how rough things were (in places anyway) during some or most of the parker era.

[TerryFisher]

Well that was easy. Got a group of pics but uploading is to slow at home tonight. I see no more letters or numbers on any of the pieces. Will keep trying to send pics.

[TerryFisher]

Well that was easy. Got a group of pics but uploading is to slow at home tonight. I see no more letters or numbers on any of the pieces. Will keep trying to send pics.

[TerryFisher]

Well I found some stuff.

[TerryFisher]

One more

[TerryFisher]

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[TerryFisher]

Take the forearm off and push up on the plunger looking thing (that's a technical term) sticking out of the bottom of the action and the gun will open and the barrels lift right off. The "plunger looking thing" functions like a top lever to release the barrel lock up.Did you have a chance to look the pics?

[TerryFisher]

Did you have a chance to look at photos?

[Robert Luttgen]

I am new here on the forum, but I just did some research on my Parker and might be able to steer you in the right direction. I had a little trouble reading the serial number, but I believe that it is 20084. If so, then your gun was manufactured in 1880. The other markings to too hard to read, but they are all explained in this website. Just go to the home page and look for "Parker Identification". You will find a step-by-step guide to reading the markings, and how to interpret them. I found out that your gun (assuming serial number 20084) does have Surviving Factory Records. I just paid the $42 dollars for a Parker Research Letter - you might consider doing the same. Hope this helps.

[TerryFisher]

Thanks Robert, I have done some more exploring and found a few more things. I was going to do that research submittal. I found some more markings that I don't know what they mean Like the T with a curved line over and under it. THINKING maybe it mean Plain Twisted???? Also a symbol that looks like a fat red cross symbol and some additional numbers. Well Guess I will send in my request too.. Thanks again..

[Mike Koneski]

If you want to refinish those bbls contact Breck Gorman in Beaufort, SC. He may be able to finish the action too, but you'll need to ask him. He does excellent finish work.

[Robert Luttgen]

Chuck Bishop just sent me his preliminary research on my gun. I am not sure if you read it, but in my "introduction" post I mentioned that my Parker was brought home from Japan at the end of WWII by my father. Sure enough Mr. Bishop found the word "Yokohama" in the Parker order book. Apparently my Parker was part of a larger order shipped to Japan on March 14, 1918 that included "5 GH's with Damascus barrels, 3 PH guns with Parker Steel barrels, and 2 VH's". That little bit of information just made my day - I highly recommend ordering the Research Letter.

[Robert Luttgen]

And I forgot to mention it, but I am from the Miami area and have been looking for someone to work on my Parker as well. The general consensus for a gunsmith of this quality near Florida seems to be:

Bill Schwarz
767 Brushy Top Rd.
Unit 6716
Ellijay, GA. 30540
(706) 276-7668

I am trying to get hold of him now.

[John Cleveland]

Robert, I can unequivocally recommend Bill. About 2 months ago, I picked up my 1879 hammer uplift from restoration by Bill. I went to him after several recommendations here.

He did an amazing job. I could hardly believe it was the same gun. In the thread below, Richard Flanders commented, “This gun will most certainly reset the standard of whether someone will get what seems like a total wreck of a gun restored or not.”

The thread linked to below was my initial post about my gun, with before pictures and after pictures.

https://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=32865&highlight=Waste+time

I think that comparing the “before” and the “after” pictures would answer any concerns about his work.

BTW, a big thanks to all the forum members who helped me out in my quest to restore “Lazarus”, as Todd Allen called it. Robert and Terry you are lucky to have this resources available.

You can only get Bill by phone. He does not do computers. You almost need 4wd to get to his house—-not really, but “almost” because I did it in my Tesla, but with the suspension at the highest level and creeping in places. :). Totally worth it! Fortunately, I only live about an hour and 20 minute drive through beautiful mountain roads from him. You may want to ship from MIA, …or not. It would not be a bad drive from ATL (non-rush hour), and you could spend some time in the mountains. Just up the road in Blue Ridge there is some great trout fishing, if you enjoy that too.

[Robert Luttgen]

Thanks John. I am going to take a road trip to Georgia this month and personally deliver my Parker to Bill. Will take some time to see the mountains of Northern Georgia before heading back to Miami.