10 ga.

[Tony Mandile]

Several years ago, I inherited a 10 ga. from my grandfather when he pased away. Although it all seems to be original with matching SNs on the barrels, forearm and receiver, it's unfortunately not in pristine shape.

It was likely rusty at some point because it appears the outer metal was perhaps polished clean with maybe a wire brush or steel wool. There are no actual scratches but there is some pitting left. The hammers, firing pins and triggers are intact and work just fine, as does the lifter release.

Here's a quick description:

Exposed hammers, lifter-type action and 35 1/2" (36"??) Damascus barrels. It has a small silver shield behind the tang and minimal engraving -- just scroll work, no birds and such. So I guess it's one of the lower grades produced.

The buttstock is walnut with a very nice figure to it. It has a silver metal butt plate. Slight crack between tang and the shield and the checkering has been worn down a bit. Forend also is cracked along the entire length except for about an inch at the front. It is still in one piece, however.

The SN is 18884. Other numbers I can find are a Patent of April 19 (or 12), 1876 and the number 9761 under the barrel. There are also a 4-1 and 3 stamped where the barrels fits to the action. The Patent on the buttstock is March 16, 1875.

I looked at the list of SNs here and see it was seemingly made in 1880.

I've pretty much resigned myself to continue using it has a decoration in my trophy room because of the sentimental value but wonder as to the real worth of it. Any guesses?

[Bill Murphy]

According to the Serialization Book compiled from Parker Brothers stock books, your gun appears to be a rare Grade 2 36" Damascus steel barrel ten gauge lifter action Parker with straight grip stock, unfortunately in abused condition.

[Jack Cronkhite]

We would enjoy viewing some pictures of your family lifter.
Cheers,
Jack

[Tony Mandile]

Thanks for the info so far. So "rare" means what -- i.e. like how many were made?

Here's an older photo of it hanging in my trophy room. I'm under a couple tight article deadlines right now, so I'll take some detailed close-ups, etc. this weekend.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=257&pictureid=2562

[Bill Murphy]

Yes, rare, like not many made in that configuration. It makes Parker guys like me just go crazy. There were 12 ten gauge Grade 2 lifter Parkers made with 36" Damascus steel barrels according to our Serialization Book reference. There were 13 ten gauge Grade 2 lifters of all barrel types made with 36" barrels from a total ten gauge lifter Grade 2 production of 1854. There were 21 Grade 2 36" barrel lifters made in all gauges. These totals were extrapolated by the authors, but not neccesarily accurately.

[Milton Starr]

How rare is a.hammerless parker 10 ga with 36" barrels q local.shop.has.one.for.15000$

[Bill Murphy]

Probably not rare enough to be worth $15,000. We need more details.

[Milton Starr]

http://www.kevinsguns.com/index.cfm?PageListing=Detail&item=2683

[Tony Mandile]

How rare is a.hammerless parker 10 ga with 36" barrels q local.shop.has.one.for.15000$


GULP!!! :eek:

BUT...that one looks nothing like mine.

It also appears to be in much better shape, while mine is probably older and maybe rarer if it fits into that only 12 made niche. Maybe we'll know more once I take some pics and post them.

[Bill Murphy]

That is a rare and wonderful gun. If it were priced at $5000, he would still have a bit of a time selling it. Yes, we need many pictures of your gun to evaluate it.

[Milton Starr]

I think 32s are the longest id ever want maybe 34s but that's starting to get out there

[charlie cleveland]

milt just for the heck of it wouldnot care if i had a set of barrels that were 48 inch on a 10 or even a 16..i think some one posted here a while back that somebody had a parker with 52 inch barrels that was ordered from parker bro s...you talk about long.... charlie

[Milton Starr]

You buy a cardgun and.you can get.one.of.those.48" barrels I seen alot of.them on card.guns. I seen a maroon m55 with a 48" barrel custom project

[Tony Mandile]

Okay guys I finally got around to taking some photos of my rare inheritance. I'm getting ready to sell it but thought you all would like a better look at it. The one below is the only one I've uploaded to a site, but I have a bunch of close-ups too that I'll get up as ASAP.

https://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/uploads/monthly_2021_01/PB1.JPG.797f404a9cf77023b4e2f0d72dfdf33f.JPG

[Tony Mandile]

More photos....

[Mike Franzen]

Hey Tony, glad you brought this back up. The value of your gun is largely dependent on the condition of the barrels. If the barrels are salvageable the rest of the gun could be brought back to shooting condition with enough time and money. If the barrels are beyond redemption about the only thing you have is a few parts and sentimental value. If I were selling it I would have the barrels evaluated by a competent smith. If good, you have something of value.

[Tony Mandile]

Mike,

Thanks for the reply. I was beginning to wonder if everyone went on vacation.:rotf:

I took a quickie look with a bore light, and there appears to be only minimal pitting. But I haven't tried to clean it at all either. In either case it seems as if a polishing hone would work magic. I bet a copper wire brush would make a big diff even.

Now...I can't imagine getting this gun in condition to be a shooter. So to what end is "salvageable" in regards to the barrels??

[Bill Murphy]

Honing out most of the pitting and still have a minimum wall thickness of somewhere above .035 considering the remaining pits. If all the pitting disappears, .030 should be fairly safe. You also must consider the pitting on the outside. Sorry we left you alone on the thread, but Milton's mention of Kevin's $15,000 gun left us unable to type. The price didn't surprise us, but Milton's mention did.

[Tony Mandile]

But that .30 is if it were supposedly restored to shooting condition, no?? If this is truly one of only 12 made, I can't imagine someone wanting to shoot it again.

[Jay Oliver]

Posting these recent pictures helps with the evaluation. This looks like a major restoration that may or not be possible no matter how much money you put into it. You might be disappointed with the price/offers. I would keep it given the family connection.

Even if someone doesn't shoot it...it needs to be in shootable condition to have any real collector value. Just my opinion and I wish you luck on it...

[Brian Dudley]

Man that gun was rusted! That is the deepest pitting on a frame that I have ever seen.

Sure, rare in barrel length, but that is where the fun stops.

Ask Harold Pickens here about his experience with another very rare long barreled hammer gun...

[Mike Franzen]

Mike,

Now...I can't imagine getting this gun in condition to be a shooter. So to what end is "salvageable" in regards to the barrels??

The only thing which would make the barrels useless is if the wall thickness has been degraded to a point deemed unsafe to shoot. Just about everything else could be replaced or repaired. However, lower grade guns like yours usually end up costing more than the gun would ever be worth.

[Mike McKinney]

Tony, what you will eventually do with your relatives gun is a decision you will make. My experience would say that most collectors whether pure collectors or shooters typically don’t collect guns only for rarity if they are not in good shape or cannot be restored in a financially rewarding way. You might because of the sentimentality. Guns are bought and sold everyday for more than most will pay, but selling like that can be exasperating, I’ve heard. Generally folks on this forum collectively, won’t steer you wrong.

[CraigThompson]

If I were to be of a notion to make an offer on that gun or one like with similar distinctions in present condition going by the pictures my offer would be in the three digit area . But if I offered and acquired you can bet your backside I’d get it so I could shoot it and would shoot it but maybe not a lot . Now with all that being said with the present state of the possible change in power in this country that gun and many more the rest of us posses may become completely worthless in financial terms if they do what I believe they have a mind to .

[Richard Flanders]

Reminds me of the "chicken coop gun"....

[Dean Romig]

Reminds me of the "chicken coop gun"....


Yes indeed Richard!

No wait - We're thinking of the "Oregon B Lifter" not the Chicken Coop Gun...


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[Dave Noreen]

Reminds me of the "chicken coop gun"....

The first D.M. Lefever double I ever held in my hands, back in the spring of 1968, was leaning against the wall inside an old chicken coop at a college buddy's Grandmother's place near Fisher's Mill, Oregon. It was rusted solid.

[Dean Romig]

My previous post edited.





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[Ken Descovich]

Wow Dean someone did a excellent redo on that one.
Ken

[Tony Mandile]

I just turned 79 in Nov. and have severe COPD, which has had me on O2 24/7 for the last 10 years. Last March, I spent a month between the hospital and a rehab joint with a bout of pneumonia. At one point, they had me sign a DNR form. The short of it all- I ain't going to be around too much longer.

Knowing that, I'm now selling a 60 yr. accumulation of hunting, fishing and camping gear, as well a lot of memorabilia I have stowed during my career as an outdoor writer. And before you ask...all my kids are in their mid-50s and have no interest in owning any of it. They would much prefer good old money. :)

So...the topic of this thread will get sold to someone somewhere in the very near future. I'll probably start by listing it on Guns International or Gunbroker for what I think it's worth and go from there. The worst that can happen is it won't sell. But I'll keep trying.

Lastly, I really appreciate all the input from the members here. Thanks for that.

PS: I ran a copper brush with solvent down the barrels and they look like they're in decent shape. Also, for some reason the pitting in the photos looks a lot worse than it does to the naked eye or to touch. The worst is on the tang. Regardless, I'll let whoever buys it worry about it.

[Richard Flanders]

Tony, yours is not a rare story. I'm "only" 70 and am considering some serious thinning of the herd here soon. May the winds be at your back from here on.

[Milton C Starr]

Honing out most of the pitting and still have a minimum wall thickness of somewhere above .035 considering the remaining pits. If all the pitting disappears, .030 should be fairly safe. You also must consider the pitting on the outside. Sorry we left you alone on the thread, but Milton's mention of Kevin's $15,000 gun left us unable to type. The price didn't surprise us, but Milton's mention did.

Seeing as this thread goes back to 2011 , when I first discovered Parkers I was 18 and now and almost a decade later I can say it wasnt a passing phase and I still love these old guns . For me it doesn't get much better than seeing a long barreled 10 gauge .

[CraigThompson]

http://www.kevinsguns.com/index.cfm?PageListing=Detail&item=2683

I think Kevin is a bit “to proud” of his stock . I’d never base my selling prices on his . I’d like to see how many if any sell for the listed price .

[Milton C Starr]

I think Kevin is a bit “to proud” of his stock . I’d never base my selling prices on his . I’d like to see how many if any sell for the listed price .

Kevins is a local place , I havnt been to the Thomasville shop but have been to the Tallahassee one . The guy behind the counter said he keeps most of his goodstock at the Thomasville store . Though when it comes to Parkers the best place to find one is here on the PGCA .

I was looking at a repro he had on the rack I think it was 6k , came home and found a identical one on GI for 5k . Not that I would buy one just a observation I made .

I rarely buy guns locally because of sales tax :rotf: .