Rich Merrill
01-04-2012, 05:34 PM
Greetings, all.
My Parker is #207996, 12 ga, A Vulcan Steel, V grade (grade 0 from what I have read) and a 1 frame. On the site I read that it was made in 1925.
My grandfather gave it to me back in the mid 60's. (I actually carried it broken down in a canvas case under my seat on a plane back home to Florida. Amazing thought now-a-days.) I believe my grandfather was the original owner. I even have three brown paper tags that came with the gun. They have "directions" and two cut-away views showing lube points (Signet Oil recommended). And one has the test fire info: 30 inch target at 40 yards, Left barrel 250 pellets and Right barrel 150 pellets. (suspiciously round numbers?) I'll have to scan and upload these tags later.
Interestiing stuff: My grandfather was born and grew up in Lyman, Maine, near Wells. Family homestead was on the corner of Alfred Rd and Day Rd. Nothing left but a cemetery. He gave me the gun because I was the first grandson and I was born in Meriden, CT.
When I got out of college I lived in Texas and did a lot of duck and dove hunting. And shot skeet and trap. I used my Parker often, never suspecting that it was such an important gun. UNTIL one of the guys at the skeet range offered me a matched pair (12 and 20 ga) Remington high grade, 1100's for it. No deal, too much sentimental value. Later I learned that it may be worth more than that. I moved back north in the 70's and have only fired it occasionally since then. Took my grandson shooting last summer but that is about it. I clean it every year. Now I'm retired on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with lots of shooting opportunities. Should I be shooting it?
I'll be posting photos and some more questions later.
My Parker is #207996, 12 ga, A Vulcan Steel, V grade (grade 0 from what I have read) and a 1 frame. On the site I read that it was made in 1925.
My grandfather gave it to me back in the mid 60's. (I actually carried it broken down in a canvas case under my seat on a plane back home to Florida. Amazing thought now-a-days.) I believe my grandfather was the original owner. I even have three brown paper tags that came with the gun. They have "directions" and two cut-away views showing lube points (Signet Oil recommended). And one has the test fire info: 30 inch target at 40 yards, Left barrel 250 pellets and Right barrel 150 pellets. (suspiciously round numbers?) I'll have to scan and upload these tags later.
Interestiing stuff: My grandfather was born and grew up in Lyman, Maine, near Wells. Family homestead was on the corner of Alfred Rd and Day Rd. Nothing left but a cemetery. He gave me the gun because I was the first grandson and I was born in Meriden, CT.
When I got out of college I lived in Texas and did a lot of duck and dove hunting. And shot skeet and trap. I used my Parker often, never suspecting that it was such an important gun. UNTIL one of the guys at the skeet range offered me a matched pair (12 and 20 ga) Remington high grade, 1100's for it. No deal, too much sentimental value. Later I learned that it may be worth more than that. I moved back north in the 70's and have only fired it occasionally since then. Took my grandson shooting last summer but that is about it. I clean it every year. Now I'm retired on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with lots of shooting opportunities. Should I be shooting it?
I'll be posting photos and some more questions later.