Value of no-choked guns

[Jerry Harlow]

As there are so many Parkers out there with either almost all of the choke taken out or hack-sawed bird guns of the same description, I'm looking for as many opinions as possible as to what these are worth?

$0.50 on the dollar of an unmolested-barrel gun?

$0.25 on the dollar of an unmolested-barrel gun?

Nothing but as a parts gun?

Please chime in.

Thanks for your opinion.

[Dean Romig]

A Parker that has had the barrels bobbed or choke opened to cyl/cyl was modified for a purpose no matter how ill-informed it might have been to do so. It reduces the value that would be otherwise assigned for 100% originality but does not necessarily reduce it to merely a parts gun. It will still serve someone well enough as it did for the person who modified it in the first place. Let's say the barrels were cut by 2" - 4" but still left the gun with 26" barrels... it is still a shooter for someone but not everyone. In my opinion the value has been reduced by about 25%... maybe a bit more - maybe a bit less, but still quite servicable for a specific type of shooting. There are other opinions, but that's mine.

[Mark Ouellette]

I have speculated on a couple Parkers with cut barrels at 50% their uncut value.

A Parker without UN-cut barrels but no remaining barrel constrictions (choke) is reduced in value a little. How much is up to the buyer and seller. Also, the gun itself would determine any NO-Choke discount. Consider a 32" barreled 10 or 12 gauge GH with no choke remaining. Discount? Yes. Now, please consider a 28" barreled AHE in 28 gauge. How much of a discount, if any, would be required for a highly desirable gun like that?

Finally, in my less than humble opinion, a classic SxS with barrels that produce patterns of IC to IM is perfect! If I wanted a collectable grouse gun then Skeet and IC or LM woudl be perfect. Once again, choke as a part of a gun's value would depend on its intended use.

Mark

[Rich Anderson]

If the barrels have been cut then the value is lowered by how much depends on several factors. As Dean mentioned a 26 inch length might make a great Grouse gun for someone and there could very well still be some choke left.

If the chokes have been opened and the original barrel length left unaltered I don't see this as a big determent in the guns value if within reason. A 32 in trap gun opened to IC is not the same as a 28 inch gun opened to IC/M.

[Dave Purnell]

First off, I've never gought a gun with known shortened barrels. But, I bought a set of 24" barrels on ebay for $88.00 including shipping. They were Dam-2, originally 28" long. I fitted them to a DH12ga that was original Titanic Full and full. They make a fun set of barrels for that gun. I even had the damascus refinished by Dale Edmonds. As a friend in Georgia at the time named it, "The meat gun". Short barrels can be a lot of fun, FWIW.

Dave

[Jerry Harlow]

Thanks for the replies so far. If I had been more specific, I would have specified lower grades as I understand it is a different game with the higher grades. Also, there seem to be a lot of damascus guns even up to DH grade that were cut. I know quail hunting at the turn and early part of the 1900's was a big sport so I understand the thinking, as that is what I hunted for my first thirty years of hunting and an open double is what one wanted.

Now that we are talking lower grades Trojan, PH, VH, even GH) any other valued opinions?

Thanks.

[Mike Shepherd]

On an O frame VH 16 with original uncut 28" barrels, gun weight of 6.0 lbs, cyl and cyl wouldn't lower it.

On a 3 frame VH 12 with original uncut 32" barrels, gun weight of 9lbs, cyl and cyl would lower the value into the double digit percentages.

My opinion of course.

I own lots of guns that are sub 6 pounds and only own two that weigh more than 8 pounds.

Best,

Mike

[Pete Lester]

If the records show the barrels were cut by Parker Bros. collector value would not be diminished by much. I believe there are a few cases that have been documented.

[Dean Romig]

If factory records support Parker Bros. cutting the barrels I don't believe the value would be affected at all. As such it is a factory gun.

[Pete Lester]

I thought I remembered reading about factory cut barrels.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3411&highlight=factory+barrels

[Dean Romig]

Right Pete, I remember that one.... groan...

I have one too, the Damascus 28 gauge.

[Brent Francis]

Ive read that cut barrels adversely affect the collineation (sp) of the barrels. It wasnt intuitive to me why this would be but wondered if anyone had first hand knowlege of this.

[Dave Suponski]

Brent, I have an old DH 12 gauge that was cut from 30" to 26" and the gun is hell at skeet. Maybe others have noticed a difference but this gun shoots point of aim.

[Brent Francis]

That seems right to me The only way I can figure that the point of aim would change is if the barrels werent bored straight to begin with.

[Dean Romig]

I'll vouch for Daves comments re: his cut DH. He sent it to me as it was originally awarded as a prize in the Middleton MA, Gun Club's competition (don't remember the year but Dave can probably quote it) and I belong to the Danvers Fish & Game Club with club property in Middleton Ma. so it would be a real novelty to shoot it there one more time.

It certainly did it's job when I did mine.

[Dean Romig]

My DHE 28 ga. on an 0-frame with factory 24" barrels shoots high. These barrels were originally longer (maybe 28" originally) and that probably accounts for the higher POI.

[Dave Suponski]

Any time Dean.....Any time..

[Rich Anderson]

Dave won a prize for his shooting:shock: The POI probably has more to do with the stock dimensions than the barrel length for example trap gun are stocked to shoot high.

I have a DHE 20 with 26 inch barrels choked cyl/cyl, my guess is that these didn't leave the factory thast way. It makes a great upland bird gun in combination with my pointers. I wouldn't trade it for anything.