Briley thinwall VH price check

[Mark Parela]

I seem to be getting into these Parker Gems. Here's what I have on my plate this week, 1931 VH 32" vent rib, Beavertail forend, Miller trigger, Vent rib and ejector. This P shooter was done up be Del Greco then sent to Briley for thinwalls.

I have only seen pictures of this gun, by weeks end I will go look at it, price is what has me thinking. Before we get into the gun is ruined with the thinwalls, my thinking is to me it's perfect, I can shoot it at just about anything I want. Sporting clays, skeet, live pigeons, waterfowl, starlings over chit pits. I have no desire to get into keeping fair weather safe queens.

The owner has a price what he thinks is fair value for his gun. He's stressed to me that the over haul has increased the value, the Briley job has made it more desireable. He's also is one of these anal wierdo's who talks non stop on the phone, keeps a log of every shell he's fired through the gun, how he got his masterclass sporting clays............ then after all his ranting tells me he did what Browning, Perazzi, K gun do install choke tubes. All while I am thinking to myself how am I going to get this guy to come down on price and he doesn't take it personally.

Bottom line is I think I would like to own this gun, but I also don't want to get deep into something that I could build on my own. The restore job does nothing for me maybe even turns me off since I like the looks of a worn funeral grade. As long as it's mechanically sound, tight on face and the choke work mic's out.
Is there a % that I should knock off his asking price and why?

[John Dallas]

I've not seen any instances where adding screw-in chokes increased a historic gun's value. They're a breakeven proposition at best. Once the gun has been altered, I would not pay anything more for the alleged restoration. If I were trying to buy the gun as a shooter (and therefore the chokes were a plus) it sounds like my opinion of value and the seller's would be a mile apart. Without pix of the gun, and knowledge of his asking price, I don't think it's possible to give a percentage discount. Good luck

[Mark Parela]

Right now I know of the same gun that just got back from a well known Smith out in PA. Gave it the green light asking price was 4900 of course no restore job. Now the gun with the restore and chokes he's asking 6600. So my thinking was go in at 5500. He says no deal I walk go get the other gun and can get the briley job for 600... total 5500 no blue or stock work. I don't know if it's worth to meet him half way for a shooter at 6k.

[Bruce Day]

You are going to be looking at the refinish job (it may not be a true restoration) every time you look in the gun safe and every moment you pick the gun up. If you don't like the looks of the gun now, its not going to get any better with time and you will dislike the gun more.

Unless a gun is really compelling to you, pass it by. And if a gun is truly compelling to you, I would not be one to dicker much on price, provided it was fair. I have seen and handled many Parkers, some wonderful guns, but so few really jump out at me such that I would like to own them.

[Rich Anderson]

I wouldn't pay 5K for a non ejector, redone VH shooter let alone 6K. The Briley's are a big turn off for me.

If you want a double to shoot clays with and have choke tubes installed in it there are thousands of O/U's out there specifically designed for that purpose.

[Chris Travinski]

5k seems crazy to me. There was a nice VHE 12 32" on gunbroker for weeks for $2000. The stock was refinished, barrels 90% and action 50% were original and nice. I would keep looking, you can add Briley's to any gun if it's what you want. I wouldn't buy a high grade gun with choke tubes, but they wouldn't bother me on a V grade. I just think with a little patience you could find what you want for much less.

[Eric Eis]

I agree with Rich walk away. A VH 12 ga is worth what at 50% condition because a redone gun is worth about the same or a little less (now I am talking a high grade restoration not Joe's Gun Shop) So what would you expect to pay for a VH 12 ga in 50% cc and 80% blue and stock finish? In my mind I am a long way (south) from $5000..... Oh and the tubes take away value (to me big time to others less) so he's not getting any value for those... Just my thoughts. Eric

[Mark Parela]

I failed to mention it is an ejector gun. OK find me a 32" vent rib, beavertail, miller trigger, ejector and I will buy it.

[Eric Eis]

I failed to mention it is an ejector gun. OK find me a 32" vent rib, beavertail, miller trigger, ejector and I will buy it.

Mark they are out there...And still what would you be willing to pay for a VHE with those extras? If 5K is your price then do it if not then walk away. Eric

[Chris Travinski]

Sounds like you want it! If you do, then buy it. You are the only person you have to convince that it's a good buy, and if it's exactely what you want than maybe it is. Vent ribs, beaver tail forends and single triggers are sometime difficult to find, it could be years before you come across another one so if you want it...

[charlie cleveland]

you never pay to much for a gun that you like.... charlie

[scott kittredge]

you never pay to much for a gun that you like.... charlie

yup, i've done it, and more than once :p scott

[charlie cleveland]

never have known the feeling for giving too much for a gun.... charlie

[Jeff Kuss]

It's not hard to find out. Just try to sell it for what you have in it! It becomes apparent in a hurry.

[Mark Parela]

It's not hard to find out. Just try to sell it for what you have in it! It becomes apparent in a hurry.

Aint that the truth.:shock:

[Francis Morin]

In my experience, guys that are always bragging about their shooting prowess on clays (or live birds, even grackles, barn pigeons etc.) to seel an over priced gun- I'd keep my wallet/checkbook close to my vest and walk away and NOT look back. Let's see what you want in a 12 Parker for your shooting program: a ejector gun with a Miller single trigger, 32" barrels and ventilated rib, pg, beavertail, and possibly different chokes in each tube.

Having a shootable VH(E) Parker "restored" is owner's choice- as I subscribe to what the later Ernest Hemingway once said about his guns: "A gun is to shoot", 90% case colors, barrel blue, etc. don't 'float my boat" Good stock fit and balance for my shooting styles, whether afield after Roosters with a flushing dog, or in a blind waiting to pass shoot Canadas- good mechanics: safety, triggers pulls, ejectors in time- I tend to favor 12 gauges with 30-32" barrels, but my GHE and Smith 3E have 28" barrels and I shoot them quite often.

Briley is indeed a master barrel and choke man, I do not care for Poly-Chokes or Cutts on my Model 12's, and screw in chokes on any side-by or over-under- I shoot the chokes put in my guns at the factory by the old masters, long before all this variable business came out. Clays shooters like to 'tinker" to maybe get one more target on the score card, I am NOT a clays man, I will use spreader loads on occasion.

If I found a Meriden 12 VHE with Miller trigger, original factory rib and factory beavertail ( those two options would make it a mid-1920's era gun) with 30 or 32" uncut barrels and unaltered chokes- NRA good to VG but not "restored or refinished"-- and it fit me and I could kill birds with it- maybe $4000 Top dollar in todays' soft gun market. Mike McIntosh described a restored V grade quite well in his 1989 book "Best Guns" page 268, third from last graph. Words of wisdom in 1989, and still today.:bigbye::bigbye:

[Mark Parela]

O&R don't forget Hemmingway killed himself with a WC Scott pigeon gun.

[Francis Morin]

O&R don't forget Hemmingway killed himself with a WC Scott pigeon gun.-- rumor was that his wife then, Mary Welsh Hemingway, claimed it was an accident while he was cleaning it. But his father also took his life in 1928 with a Civil War Colt that Ernest Hemingway's Grandfather (paternal) carried as a Colonel in the Union Army in The war of northern Aggression! Hemingway is spelled with one M, like Remington. What a great writer- and his best short story- IMO: "The Short, Happy Life of Francis MaComber" again proves the reason why women don't belong in the man's world of hunting and guns-- If only MaComber had taken the bolt out of that Mannlicher-Schoenaur 6.54 mm carbine before he and Wilson left to finish off the wounded buff. That story had always made me want to own a .505 Gibbs on the Mauser 98 Magnum action- close, but no cigar- I have a .416 Rigby with express sights instead, and will use it some day in Alaska for a Kodiak- my dream hunt. If that doesn't happen, I will devastate some of the feral pigs in Mecosta Co. with it-- like Jim Rikhoff once said to some society broad at a fancy-schmancy NYC cocktail party, when asked by her why he liked to hunt and shoot large animals- his laconic reply- "I guess I just like to hear the smack of large bullets against some solid flesh and bone"--

Hemingway is proof however, albiet in a most tragic manor, of the truth in Aesop's words: "Those whom the Gods bless with great gifts, they also curse with a great and exceeding madness". Have you read Art Wheaton's stellar review of the new book about Hemingway and his guns yet?:cool::cool:

[Dean Romig]

[QUOTE=Francis Morin;37346Have you read Art Wheaton's stellar review of the new book about Hemingway and his guns yet?:cool::cool:[/QUOTE]


Yup, read Art's review and agree with him... I've read the book too and it is evident that Calabi (et al) did a marvelous job of researching the Hemingway's Guns subject matter.

Nice job Art!!

[Rich Anderson]

If I have to find you a 32 inch Vent rib, BTF, SST then I'll buy it myself! Just for perspective I have three DHE 12's one a 26 inch skeet (so this doesn't really count) a 28 inch bbl and a 30 incher ALL with vent ribs, BTF, SST and all in original condition for $7000 or less. So we are talking DHE VS VHE thats redone and had Parkers wonderfull chokes reamed out for Brileys:nono: for a couple of thou more.

Its easier to buy a gun than it is to sell one...at leat and recoup your investment.

You seem to have made up your mind already and the only person you have to please is yourself:bigbye:

[Mark Parela]

Well as the day went on, someone turned me onto a DHE 32" Vent, Miller. ejector gun, with the beaver. We struck a deal. The internet did some good today. LOL