CHE

[Christopher Engel]

Gentlemen:

I'm new here, but come from a family of Parker owners. I have a 20 ga CHE with single select trigger on a 0 size frame, which unfortunately apparently had the barrels chopped to 23" some time more than 50 years ago (when my late father purchased it). The barrel length actually "feels" right for that small frame, strangely enough. I was just curious about your opinion of its possible value. Thank you.

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[Dean Romig]

Hi Christopher and Welcome to the PGCA Forum.

It is probably a nice Parker but with the poor quality of the photos an estimate of condition really cannot be made. Try sending a LOT of better quality pictures.

[Christopher Engel]

I know. My kids broke the good digital camera, leaving me the old one which is pretty bad. I'll see what I can do. Other than a "dent" (very old) into the checkering of about 1/8"X1/8" or so, a bit of a brown patina bloom on the receiver, and some unfortunate spots of bluing loss on the barrel from surface rust, the gun appears pretty pristine to my untrained eye. I have done nothing to it since finding it in the back of the closet except take paper towels and Rusty Duck to it. Heartily, but I've used no "abrasives" like steel wool. The gun has been fired less than a box worth in the last half-century. (I recall shooting it as a kid, and it kicks like a mule. My father wasn't even all that fond of it as a shooting piece. I think he purchased it "just because".)

[Dean Romig]

Whatever "Rusty Duck" is - I wouldn't use anything at all on that gun until its condition can be determined.

[Christopher Engel]

Rusty Duck is a basic spray gun oil, like Rem oil or WD40. Rust remover.

[Bruce Day]

Nice good condition original CHE 20ga's have been bringing upwards of $20,000 when they are available. We've posted a number of photos of some recently. The chopped barrel is a significant minus. A correct replacement barrel would be very difficult to find.

[Christopher Engel]

Same garbage camera, but it's nice and sunny today so better lighting.

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I know the 20 ga CHE is quite uncommon, and in a few days of tooling around the gun sites I've seen none with a single trigger.

[Christopher Engel]

OK. The garbage camera is doing me no good. My apologies, gentlemen. I'll try to hunt down a real camera.

[Christopher Engel]

Yes, I know the gun has significant value. Just by my eye, any defects due to age or poor storage can be corrected by a pro dropping his expertise into it. The wood itself is not particularly highly figured. It's nice wood, but that's about it. My 16 ga V-grade, though, you'd have to pry from my dead fingertips. Man, can that thing shoot. ;-)

[Dean Romig]

Tell us the serial number please. There are a scant few original 20" twenty gauge guns on record.

[Christopher Engel]

This is #179238.

[Bruce Day]

The gun originally had 28" barrels. I have no idea where or when a person could find a set of replacement 28" Acmes.

Does it still have a skeleton steel buttplate?

[George Lander]

What a Shame! Perhaps if 20 gauge barrels could not be found, 16 gauge "O" frame might work if you could find them. Otherwise sleeving might be an answer.

Best Regards, George

[Bill Murphy]

I would buy that gun in a minute. I have been looking for a 23" barrel bird gun. I would actually pay a premium for 23" barrels since they are so hard to find. It is a very nice gun. Please don't try to improve it by cleaning it.

[Richard Flanders]

Is that a single trigger converted from dbl ??

[Bruce Day]

I would buy that gun in a minute. I have been looking for a 23" barrel bird gun. I would actually pay a premium for 23" barrels since they are so hard to find. It is a very nice gun. Please don't try to improve it by cleaning it.


Well see, you've heard from our Parker expert. Sounds like he wants to buy the gun and will pay a premium. Last reported sale of a C 20 I heard that I would have been interested in was in the $20k's , so looks like you and Bill are both happy with the deal.

This is what makes this forum so interesting.

[Bill Murphy]

Yup, Bruce, I missed the last set of 20 gauge 23" barrels I had a chance at. That won't happen again. I have a feeling my 32" A-1 Special 20 gauge barrels will click right on that little CHE.

[Christopher Engel]

Thanks for cleaning up my pics, moderators. The gun has a recoil pad, I believe that was factory installed, and I further believe that the single trigger is original.

I was afraid about the barrels. How much does that whack the value?

[Christopher Engel]

And what fool knocks 5" off like that? I don't know how it patterns, but I'd imagine the single trigger is handy for getting off that second shot before the quail get out of range.

[Dean Romig]

Lopping 5" off a set of 28" barrels effectively reduces the gun to a shooter and probably reduces collector value by half.

[Christopher Engel]

Ouch.

[Dean Romig]

I seem to recall Bill offering to marry up those barrels with their 'gun' on several occasions in the past.

[David Dwyer]

I think having had 5" cut of the barrels eliminates any collector interest . This is now a shooter and a marginal one at that. I just happen to have a set of O frame 16ga Acme barrels but only shoot hammer guns these days.
David