In need of some senior collector advice…

[James Henry Clarke]

As some of you may know I recently sold my 12ga DHE repro after losing the forend on a hunt. Well the wife has graciously allowed me to purchase another gun for replacement given the situation. :cheers:

In roughly 3-4 months I will have about 3-6k dollars to play around with for said Parker. I will be using whatever gun it is for clay shooting and hunting grouse woodcock pheasant etc. so I’d prefer an open choked gun that has 2 3/4” chambers. But that’s just a preference my wife has insisted that the deciding factor on a purchase be that it is a,”good buy”.

I have been looking a lot recently and I’m unsure of what I should be looking for exactly. Another reproduction in 12 or 20ga? Or should I finally look for an original Parker since I’ve never owned one 12 16 or 20ga? Hammer gun?

The only Parker I own at this time is my 28ga reproduction and I shoot it well, I’m in no need of a 28ga.

So my question to you gentleman is this.

For those of you with more than one Parker in the vault, given my budget and situation what would you be looking for and advise me on? What should I look out for and avoid?

Broad question I know but I’m looking forward to hearing from y'all, thanks.

[Reggie Bishop]

You will get a wide variety of responses, so here is my advice. Buy the most original, best condition 20 gauge you can afford. If that falls outside your budget buy the most original, best condition 16 gauge you can afford. Assuming whichever you choose fits you within reason.

[Mike Koneski]

If you will be primarily using it for clays, buy a 12g. Look at solid, good condition VH/VHE guns. Longer bbls add to the price but longer bbls on a clays gun are a good thing. You should then also have enough $$ left over to buy a solid 16g hun for hunting. That too can be a VH/VHE grade or even a Trojan would be a good hunting gun. You might find a deal on a 20g gun that falls within the $$ reserve after the 12g purchase, but it might be a shorter barreled gun. The higher grade guns look pretty, but they don't shoot any better than a Trojan, G, V or D grade.

[John Davis]

If you are looking for something shoot, then I’d start with a gun that fit me and go from there.

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Buy what your pocket book allows, I just bought a 30" V grade 20ga in nice shape for 3500 I am happy with it, and that is all that really matters, Gary

[Bill Murphy]

A very high original condition 12 gauge Trojan or VH or VHE. A very high condition gun will be expensive, but it will go up in value where an average condition gun will not. Don't worry about the condition going down. I haven't seen any deterioration in any of my guns over my period of ownership. Good luck.

[allen newell]

Any sxs that I buy has to meet the following conditions:
1 the stock must fit me well
2. The stock has to be complete and original. No cracks, chips, repairs etc.
3. Barrels must be the length I'm looking for and for its intended purpose
3. Barrels must be original to the gun and Clean.. Ie no dents, uncut etc
4. Must be the right gague for its purpose. Ie; skeet, trap etc
5. And anything else I can think of

[Chris Pope]

1. The Parker is safe to shoot and take afield;
2. When I put her to my shoulder and swing her it feels good. And I will do this a hundred times when considering purchase if at all possible. Half the time I do it with my eyes open and half closed (n.b. obviously this can't be done when buying from a distance but this is where you get to know the dimensions that work well for you and the reason you buy with an option to return to seller;)
3. Before I buy I know that everytime I open the safe I would want to pick her up and check her out, wipe her down. She just makes me feel good. Sometimes I'll want to take her out of the safe and just hang out in the house while I pay bills or futz around;
4. I WANT to take her hunting and if I drop her accidentally and put a nick in the wood it's not the end of the world- it's just another story;
5. Seek advice from one of the experts here on this discussion board. Most are more than willing to offer solid advice.
6. Because I'm not an expert on specs, history and all things Parker, I do bring a checklist of things to know about the candidate I'm considering purchasing, but frankly this is all secondary to 1-5.

Best of luck.

I don't own many Parkers and I'm a user not a collector.

Best of luck!

[Dave Noreen]

While I have spent a lifetime, hitting the big 80 next week, enjoying vintage doubles, a young man doing a lot of hunting may well want to consider a modern gun with barrels that can handle all types of shot the authorities may inflict on us. I bought the Launch Edition RBLs as they came out to handle that eventuality. I've done quite a bit of hunting with my RBL-16 on public lands requiring non-tox.

[Clark McCombe]

What is the feeling on “Upland Gun?”
I came upon the curiosity of their modern hammer gun. I like using my vintage hammer gun on the sporting course, but always worried about it and the ammo for it. I’m not much of a hunter but the idea of a hammer gun in the field is intriguing.

[James Henry Clarke]

Clark, they are interesting American company that contracts RFM in Italy to make custom guns to order for relatively cheap. I have seen the hammer guns they offer as well and would love to know what everyone’s take on them is.

I will say though for now I think I want to focus on trying to get an original Parker it may seem silly but I want something that was made in USA that’s got some history to it. I’ve noticed a del Grego restored GHE 20ga for sale here on the forum. I think something like that is where I’d like to start. Gotta save up some money!

[Clark McCombe]

Agreed ! I have my eye on a 28 ga Parker before I’d want anything else..

[Daryl Corona]

Agreed ! I have my eye on a 28 ga Parker before I’d want anything else..

Great idea. You'll wonder why it took you so long.:)

[Bill Murphy]

James said in his first post that he has a 28 and that he "has no need for a 28". I would like to hear more about the Del Grego 20 gauge that he mentions.

[James Henry Clarke]

Bill, Kurt Densmore is the seller it is listed as 20ga GHE skeet configuration. Great pictures of the gun are listed as well. If I had the cash already I’d have messaged him!

I have yet to shoot a beavertail Parker but I think I’ll enjoy one. I have shot a lot of my fathers model 23 classics and they handle great.

[Bill Murphy]

The GHE 20 has Parker Steel Barrels. A GHE should have Parker Special Steel barrels. I would ask for an explanation about this mystery and pictures of all views of the serial numbers and barrel flats. Also pictures of the water table and grade markings.

[James Henry Clarke]

If he’s still got it posted and nothing else comes up that’s more intriguing to me between now and when I’m in place to buy. I’ll be sure and get the full story on that gun, thank you for the advice Bill!

[Dave Noreen]

It also does not have the reinforced forearm loop a beavertail forearm gun should have.

[James Henry Clarke]

See this is exactly the kinds of things that I am unable to recognize as a novice and why I asked for help. Not that there’s anything wrong with the GHE in question but as Dean warned me on a vhe 20 I came across I don’t want to stumble into a “frankenparker”
One thing I like about that GHE a lot is the checkered butt.

The reproductions are very safe for someone like me as they rarely are altered and have the skeleton butt stock that I find desirable, something about a pad on a Parker that I’m not into.

[Dean Romig]

It also does not have the reinforced forearm loop a beavertail forearm gun should have.

Not unusual for a DelGrego “Skeet” gun upgrade.





.

[allen newell]

My preference for an upland gun would be 16 or 20 ga with 26 or 28 in barrels

[James Henry Clarke]

I believe I’ve found the gun there is a Parker reproduction 20ga on GI its specs are as follows.

Straight stock, splinter forend
28” barrels with q1 q2 choke and 3” chamber

Gun is in perfect condition with original case hardening and bluing and it’s at a price I can afford….. but

The screws have been rotated and the seller description indicates that this is from previous owner disconnecting the automatic safety, should I be worried by this or not?

[James Henry Clarke]

I’m hoping that the gun being opened up is not a deal breaker as these barrels and this format is exactly what I’m looking for.

Reproduction in question linked below.

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/shotguns/parker-shotguns-reproduction/parker-reproduction-dhe-grade-20-gauge-3-chambers-in-original-case.cfm?gun_id=103322357

[Reggie Bishop]

That is a rare configuration. But that gun doesn't appear original to me. I am no expert on Parker Reproductions so I will let someone else chime in. You would want to closely examine the choke markings on the barrel flats. There have been some reproductions that were altered to have more favorable choke markings.

[James Henry Clarke]

Reggie, what stands out to you about this gun? I must be missing something

[James Henry Clarke]

By looking at the photos posted on the sellers website Hallowel & Co, the serial number is clear as 20-3428 maybe there is a record of this gun to tell wether the barrels are authentic and unaltered?

[Greg Baehman]

I’m hoping that the gun being opened up is not a deal breaker as these barrels and this format is exactly what I’m looking for.

Reproduction in question linked below.

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/shotguns/parker-shotguns-reproduction/parker-reproduction-dhe-grade-20-gauge-3-chambers-in-original-case.cfm?gun_id=103322357

That gun was brought up in this discussion previously. I had questioned what others thought of the case colors. Another poster opined the case colors and wood was redone. I would not have any concerns that the auto safety has been converted to manual; in fact, I prefer my guns be converted to have manual safeties, saving the safety push rod to be converted back to automatic if a future owner prefers it that way.

https://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=45176

[Bill Murphy]

I'm sure Hallowell would rather not have that gun in his inventory. Make him an offer that you consider fair.

[James Henry Clarke]

Bill, what would be considered fair? I hate to ask that but I’m new to the buying and pricing of these guns. the only Parker’s I’ve owned are the two reproductions and they were traded/gifted to me from my father. Gun is priced at 5450

[Dylan Rhodes]

That gun has some red flags to me. Someone who isn’t an expert did work on it, and that means who knows what you are getting into.

The colors are definitely redone, and not well considering they appear to have either missed the entire back of the recieved or accidentally polished if off while refinishing the stock. Screws aren’t timed….

Just my opinion

[Bill Murphy]

I am not a fan of this particular gun either. The colors on the metal and the wood are strange. It may be a trick of the camera, but I don't know. Sorry.

[James Henry Clarke]

That’s alright, back to the drawing board!