This gun and I are both very old.

[Joe M. Frank]

The gun is marked Parker and belonged to my Grandpa (1857-1940) then to my Pa (1892-1968) and at age 86 I’m fixing to pass it to my son and grandson. It can’t be an expensive gun because Grandpa raised 4 kids in the log house he built near the present “Boon’s Lick Historic Site” in the hills of mid Missouri. They raised most of their food and a little tobacco for cash crop and I think he used this old blunder bust to help put meat on the table.
Like me it’s a wall hanger and I guess it’s a 10 gauge (I measure .80” bore) and with 31 ¾ “ barrels I would sure hate to pull both triggers at the same time. I want to find out is it a true Parker Bros. gun and when was it made before I pass it on. Any info would be appreciated and also, if it is a Parker would purchase of the book “Parker Gun, Identification & Serialization” be worth while for info on this specific gun.
Thanks for any help

[Dean Romig]

Hello Joe and welcome to the PGCA Forum. In answer to your question of it being a true Parker Bros. gun I can inform you that it definitely is not. However, it is about the nicest non Parker Bros. "Parker" I have ever seen.

[greg conomos]

Sorry, it appears to be a knock-off, not a real Parker Bros.

[George M. Purtill]

Agree with Greg and Dean but I want to tell you that is a nice old gun and should be proudly passed down WITH ITS HISTORY before its history gets lost.

[Bill Murphy]

Nice gun, exceptional buttplate.

[Russ Jackson]

These Fellows know what they are talking about and it really is a nice gun ! It's amazing a gun or any thing else can stay in a Family that long ,you are very fortunate to have it and your Son and Grandson are fortunate to be receiving it ! Before my Uncle Passed ,he contacted me and said ,My Aunt would be coming home to visit from Mt. Rannier Wa. and she would have a package for me ,I was to take care of it and then pass it along down the Family line ,it is a Model 99 Savage, Take Down ,Chambered in the 300 Savage Caliber and purchased Brand New by my Grand Father ,although it has been drilled and tapped for a scope and I have only carried it a few times ,I can say ,it is one of my most cherished Firearms ! I can't even imagine ,how my Grandfather felt the Day he picked it up, Brand New while running a small Farm , Black Smithing and raising a litter of Kids !

[Paul Plager]

Joe, that is realy cool. The history of the family with your gun is great. You might just want to wright it down lest we forget. I'm not as old as you but my wife says that I'm forgetting stuff all the time.:whistle:Have the gun checked out and keep the history alive.

[Rick Losey]

certainly not a Parkers Brothers shotgun but still a nice piece of family history - i would not use the words "knock off" to describe it,

there was a W Parker who made guns in the UK starting with muzzleloaders- and I see early Birmingham proof marks as well as barrel makers initials. It is hard to be making "knock offs" if you predate the product being copied. people making junk didn't bother to sign their work.

what I see here is a decent - certainly not top - quality gun made for the export market - that was a big part of the Birmingham trade of the 1800's. the 13 tells me the barrel as proofed measure to the 13 guage level- although the chamber will likely be 12's.

I would bet great grandpa laid out what was to him a considerable sum to step up a level from the typical Belgium clunker that saturated the rural shotgun market.

clean and oil it, have a wall plaque made for it and let the future generations know about the man that bought it and fed his family with pride.

and - as to age - hard to pin down - but if you made me guess - 1870's or 80's

[greg conomos]

That settles it - it's a real Parker. How could I have been so foolish?

[Rick Losey]

That settles it - it's a real Parker. How could I have been so foolish?

:rolleyes: right you are - just not a Parker Brothers :bigbye:

[Gerald McPherson]

I'll bet Parker Bros got some ideas from this gun. Maybe Parker Bros is a knockoff of this gun. Gerald.

[Steve McCarty]

From what I can see of it, the gun has nice lines and I'd say it was in "pretty high" condition. I agree, it is not one of our Parker Bros guns, but a nice one nevertheless. I also agree to the dating of between 1870s and 80s.

That is a wild butt plate! The wood looks nice too. Depending upon various factors that I'd have to check out first, I'd shoot it, with proper loads of course.

[Joe M. Frank]

Thanks for the quick and concise replies. I sincerely appreciate it.
I think you can understand, the real value of the gun did not change a dime for me. Parker Bros. or not, it remains a significant part of our family history. The only problem for me is I will probably not be able to establish the details of its origin that I had hoped for.
My sincere thanks to all.
Joe Frank

[Steve McCarty]

Thanks for the quick and concise replies. I sincerely appreciate it.
I think you can understand, the real value of the gun did not change a dime for me. Parker Bros. or not, it remains a significant part of our family history. The only problem for me is I will probably not be able to establish the details of its origin that I had hoped for.
My sincere thanks to all.
Joe Frank

Well, I'll tell you Joe we all enjoyed the excellent photos of your gun.

Say, you have two first names, Joe and Frank, that has to be confusing. You aren't related to Anne are you? What a shame. I've read several books about her and visited her hideaway, etc...

As you read this site you will find out reems of info on all kinds of Parkers and other fine guns too. Join up, we'd love to have you.