Unfired?

[Bruce Day]

Sometimes we hear of or see guns that are said to be unfired, with the implication that being unfired makes a gun more valuable than one that has been fired. If a person sees enough guns, they will see those that have been totally redone with new case colors that are said by unlearned or unscrupulous sellers as " as new, not fired".

I've learned that the best indicator of whether a gun is unfired is the standing breach face. The rings of cartridge bases quickly begin to mark the breach face upon firing and wear off the colors. Filing them out leaves a gap, the barrels are then off face. Re case coloring over them may hide the ring, but it will still be there as an indentation. Case colors in the ring grooves are a give away for re case coloring. Early guns shot with cartridges having corrosive primers often have primer pits; these may be case colored over also. I suppose a restorer could weld over and file flat over ring grooves, but I have not seen or heard where a restorer has gone to that much trouble.

So, here is a gun that has been shot maybe at most a box or two. It has just the faintest of shell rings, you see the ejector/extractor drag marks showing the gun has been assembled and opened and closed, and no ring grooves. Sometimes you can see better detail with an oblique view than a full on photo.

I know this also is old hat to the experienced Parker people here, but it may be helpful to those new to the guns or with less gray hair( or even those who still have hair). Comments and contributions from others are welcomed.

[King Brown]

I knew nothing of this until your post because it has never been an issue with me. The information is important. A lot of this advanced basic is valuable to those of any age (and I've been hunting with doubles for more than 70 years). Thank you, Bruce.

[greg conomos]

I'm all for oblique but I can't even tell what that last photo is.

Since all Parkers were presumably tested at the factory, isn't it fair to say none are unfired?

[Rick Losey]

I understand the issue but a picture clearly showing the breach face would illustrate your point better to new folks.

Nice gun none the less.

[George M. Purtill]

I'm all for oblique but I can't even tell what that last photo is.

Since all Parkers were presumably tested at the factory, isn't it fair to say none are unfired?

Agreed- like RARE, SCARCE, etc and other overly used and abused marketing terms, UNFIRED is abused and an impossibility.
Perhaps the term UNUSED or words of similar concept might be a better choice.

[Bruce Day]

Photo of another for Rick.

Greg, yes, that photo had nothing to do with Parkers and is part of just some old cowboy's hardware store la pistola that he will likely use to shoot snakes with in the Judith Basin come October. The stage from the east will likely bring another one of these days. I probably should delete the photo.

George, I hope you are not implying that gun dealers sometimes overstate the condition of their guns.