Help Please GH Model

[John Couch]

Hey guys,
I am new to the Parker world and was looking at making my first purchase. Then gun I am looking at has a serial number of 101902. Above the serial number is a G and below it is a 2. I think this is the case. It is a hammerless gun and the barrels are labelled "fluid steel". It has two barrels that are with the gun. One is 20 gauge and it states that the chambers are 3" in length. The other is 12 gauge and the chambers are listed as 2 3/4" in length. The barrels look immaculate except for the very end of the 20 gauge has some pitting. Otherwise the barrel color is very smooth and between and brown and black color. The side of the gun has pheasant on one side and ducks on other. There are also pheasant on the underneath side. One thing that is slightly unusual is that on the barrels about 6" from where it locks in is a circular engraving. I didn't pay much attention to it when I first inspected the gun but as I having been looking at pictures online I haven't noticed this characteristic. The gun and all forearms have matching serial numbers. The person selling the gun isn't that knowledgeable about them and has it listed for $3000. I have no idea if that is good or not. Does anyone have any idea aobut the type and grade I might be looking at and what value I might should expect. Thanks for reading my rambling.

[Dave Suponski]

John, Is it possible to send us the link to the pictures? That would be a great help in determining value.

[Daryl Corona]

John,
Your gun left the factory with a set of 28" damascus barrels. What, if anything, is written on the top rib of the barrels. Dave is correct in that photos would be a great help in identification of the gun.

[John Couch]

Thanks for the quick replies. I actually visually inspected the gun last night. I don't have any pictures. I will try and get pictures. I know the top of one of the barrels had the Parker Brothers branding. I assembled both barrels and they fit the action perfectly.

[Dean Romig]

I don't recall ever seeing a set of original Parker Bros. barrels marked with "fluid steel"

[Bill Murphy]

Sounds like a gun with aftermarket barrels.

[Angel Cruz]

Two bbl set for 3000.00 with one being a 20ga. Unless it's all beat to hell, it sounds like a hell of a deal. I say jump on it while you can. Just my two cents...

[Linn Matthews]

Does a "circular engraving" on the barrel suggest a sleeving at some time?

[Steve Huffman]

That was my thought but I was waiting for pictures.

[Brian Dudley]

Thanks for asking your questions. They are all very good ones.

It does sound like your gun is fitted with aftermarket barrels of some sort. Pictures would be very helpful. But based on your description, it sounds like that is the case.

If they are aftermarket, the collector value of the gun is out the window, but if all is in good condition, I would say that the asking price is fair for a shooter. And it sounds like you would have a lot of functionability for a shooter with that gun and what it offers.

[John Couch]

Okay. I have just gone out and taken the pictures of the gun that I think you guys would like. I will try and post them up tonight, but here is what I know with your help. Both barrels have the Parker Brothers etching on top, but the word damascus had been marked out and steel placed afterward. This is on top. On the part of the barrel that connects to the gun it is marked with a d (which I have read stands for damascus) and a mark that represents 3 pounds 10 ounces and 6 ounces respectively for each barrel. On the part that attaches to the gun it is labelled a 1 on both. I think whoever was looking at the resleeving was dead on. The forearms, and gun all have matching serial numbers.

[Angel Cruz]

I still say it's a good deal. Jump on it.

[Brian Dudley]

Is there a viable line around the tubes just in front of the chambers? This will tell you that they have been sleeved.

[John Couch]

Yes, I am 100% sure they have been resleeved after you told me what to look for. I have read about the monoblocking and some other types. I don't know which one of those was used but it is definitely redone.

[Andy Kelley]

I agree that the gun would be a great shooter and as the others have said unless there are major issues, I would be outside the store with cash in my hand. Aside from the forearms matching what condition is the stock in? You appear to have a nice gun and with the two sets of barrels ,it should serve you well

[edgarspencer]

Krupp used a circular, or slightly oval 'signiture' engraving, in which it may say fluestahl, or some such wording. Krupp barrels are perhaps the highest quality European manufactured barrels. Krupp's metalurgy was lightyears ahead of the British and American for a long time, and are still premier steel manufacturers.

[John Couch]

Here are the 12 gauge barrel markings, buttplate, and the gun itself and the end of the 20 gauge barrel.

[John Couch]

I am noticing a few more markings that I hope can lead to who might have redone the barrels. I am still confused by the marking of G and not GH. In reading the literature it says that a G model should be a hammer gun. I think it is a frame 1. Opinions please. I also have more pictures if there is something specific.

[Steve Huffman]

Are both sets of barrels sleeved ? If they are,I may be way out here but I would have to think if I were going to spend that money I would put it into a different gun. Sorry JMHO

[John Couch]

Yes it seems both are sleeved.

[Chris Travinski]

I have to agree with steve, $3000 is way out there for a gun with sleeved barrels. There are alot of nice original GH Parkers with fluid steel barrels for sale in that price range.

[Chris Travinski]

http://www.gunsinternational.com/PARKER-GH-DAMASCUS-12-GAUGE.cfm?gun_id=100271736

http://www.gunsinternational.com/PARKER-GH-12-GAUGE.cfm?gun_id=100271735

http://www.gunsinternational.com/Parker-Bros-GH-28-M-F-Damascus-1-1-2-frame-1900-Man-.cfm?gun_id=100264505

http://www.gunsinternational.com/PARKER-GHE-12-GAUGE-SHOTGUN.cfm?gun_id=100260556

[Brian Dudley]

The sleeving job on the 12g. barrel set is nicer than the 20g. The seam in the rib is less visable and the profile from the new tubes up into the monoblock is nicer. Too bad that they removed the Damascus marking. These sleeve jobs was most likely to make Damasucs barrels "shootable" again.
Anotehr thing about sleeve jobs that bugs me is when they put an engraved ring around the joint to dress it up. A very good sleeve job will just show a line that should not stock out like a sore tumb if the profile is right.

Anyway... If the quality of the sleeveing and the bluing on the barrels was better, I would say that $3k is not all that bad for a gun that has the versatility that a 12/20 set with modern chambers would have. But you might be pushing it in it;s current condtion. The rest of the gun looks nice from my house. hard to tell for sure.

[Jim DiSpagno]

About 5 years ago, I sold a sleeved 2 barrel set for $2,100.00 in a Jeff's outfitters canvas & leather case with all the extras. It was a G grade hammerless 1 frame damascus that both sets of barrels were sleeved by Westley Richards in England @ 1932 as proven by the import papers on the case it was shipped back to the US in. Ir was a 12-16 comba and in 100% better condition barrel wise than this gun. Pass and wait for something better in that price range IMHO Jim D

[Steve Huffman]

John, I think your seller may be a little wiser than he is showing you .

[John Couch]

Guys thanks for all of your help. If nothing else I have gotten a great education on these guns. It is amazing what I didn't know a week ago that is stuck in my brain now.

[Bruce Day]

GHE Damascus

[charlie cleveland]

jim in my opion the gun aint perfect but its gonna be a long time before you see a 12 and 20 set together at a price of 3000...sure its a shooter but thats what there made for... charlie