Looked at a couple of Parkers down here in Georgia this afternoon

[will evans]

One is listed(by the auction house) as a 10ga G grade that turns out to be stamped with an N instead, serial number 59682. Just a little scroll engraving. No game scene. I will notify the auction house of their mistake on the listing tomorrow morning. Apparently in their minds "Good overall condition" actually equates to a set of bores with what I swear appears to be mold growing inside. TERRIBLE bores. I don't know how else to say it. It was a toss up between this Parker and a LC Smith as to which gun had the worst bores out of about 1000 guns.

The other Parker in the house is a V grade with an "added beavertail forend" - The listing says "very good overall condition with thinning blue..." No mention of the several spots of pitting on the exterior of the barrels that have been 'nearly' polished out. Nearly, but not quite.

I was excited to have a few Parkers going on the block near me, but very disappointed to find the huge discrepancy between their descriptions and the actual condition of the guns. What's the point? I'd like to give someone the benefit of the doubt by thinking they probably had too many guns to look at to actually open the action and peer down the tubes of every gun. Caveat emptor, I guess.

[Bruce Day]

See Steve Barnett at Barnetts Fine Guns in West Point MS. He has fine Parkers , knows his guns and you won't be looking at junkers.

[will evans]

There's also something to be said about the thrill of the hunt. Finding the needle in the haystack, so to speak. These guns can be seen online, so a little bit of my post was a warning to anyone who might have been watching them, particularly that g grade 10 ga. Most of the Parkers I'm seeing sold in onsite live auctions are going to offsite Internet bidders, so I kind of assume at least a member or two frequent those same online auction houses. This gun is a straight up loser.

[Mike.Smith]

Last weekend I drove two hours to Lexington, NC for a big 250 gun auction. There were many assorted doubles there, and I think five or six were Parker's. the main reason I went....a 20ga VH, and a 20ga DHE! The 20ga VH turned out to be a 12ga that was monoblocked to be a 20, and was in awful condition. The DHE turned out to be a GHE, in horrible condition and sporting a non original Beavertail and Vickers steel barrels. I didn't even stay long enough to see what they went for. I was high on the Auctions at one time, but my enthusiasm is dwindling.

Mike

[Chuck Bishop]

Will, I just got back from the Baltimore gun show and I'm too tired to get out of bed to look at the records but the "N" grade was used for a period of time to designate a 10ga gun and it could have been the Grade 2 10ga so the "N" could be correct.

[Dave Suponski]

Chuck, Go get some sleep.....:rotf: Grade 1 10 gauge guns were designated N grade and grade 2 guns were designated E grade. And I know you knew this....:)

[Dean Romig]

There's also something to be said about the thrill of the hunt. Finding the needle in the haystack, so to speak. These guns can be seen online, so a little bit of my post was a warning to anyone who might have been watching them, particularly that g grade 10 ga. Most of the Parkers I'm seeing sold in onsite live auctions are going to offsite Internet bidders, so I kind of assume at least a member or two frequent those same online auction houses. This gun is a straight up loser.


Hey Will, I appreciate you using my quote as your tag line but what you posted above, which I have highlighted, is not something I would have posted even if I agreed with you.

Best, Dean

[Joe Wood]

I recently stumbled across a 1928 VH 12 bore with 26" barrels on a 1 1/2 frame that was priced about like a well used Trojan. Turned out it is virtually new. Barrel blue and stock finish at original 99.9%. Screws have never been turned. Case colors faded but there. Striking marks still on breech end of barrels. Perfect untouched bores. Buttplate doesn't look like it has ever been on dirt. Stock dimensions of 14 3/8" X 2 1/2" X 2 3/4". Needless to say it now resides with me. Point is, keep up the hunt--they're out there.

[will evans]

Hey Will, I appreciate you using my quote as your tag line but what you posted above, which I have highlighted, is not something I would have posted even if I agreed with you.

Best, Dean

I think I understand that thought. The auction house sold the gun to an internet bidder even after I told them the listing was incorrect. The gun was listed as "good condition" in the online description. I am not exaggerating when I say that this gun had the absolute worst bores of any gun I have EVER viewed with my own eyes. I wouldn't have been surprised if the barrels broke in two if they were dropped on the floor.