Wow...great info her. The reason I ask this question has more to do with originality than function. I have been wanting a hi condition graded small gauge....they are expensive! I wanted to know and be informed about this issue for value perspective. One of the guns that I looked close at has .010 over normal bore only in one barrel the other is correct. Most all the guns I buy are shipped to me after buying, no in hand inspections. As stated above when bores are not the same the flag goes up!??? I would prefer them to be the same, normal spec and still be choked properly. When old guns are priced 10-20K a feller has to know! Im still on a steep learning curve...(-: Buying is easy...selling with-out a big loss can be very tricky. Like John Wayne said...Life is hard and its harder if your stupid!!! Thanks all SXS ohio.............................

Kenny, .010 variance from left to right bore diameter on a small bore is excessive and should result in a very steep change in value and price for a graded gun. Let's put this in perspective. I have two nice DHE 20 gauge bird guns that I bought for about $2500 each. They would be $6000 guns except that the stocks are short. If the barrels had bore variances of .010, and original length stocks, the guns would be worth even less than they are with the short stocks, in my opinion.

I would think the balance of a Parker would move behind the hinge if a barrel has been back bored. Let's not forget that the balance of a Parker is a large part of the brand mystique. What's wrong with just weighing the barrels? Does actual barrel weight match what is struck on the water table?

Opinions will vary, but I'm not sure I agree that a back bored barrel is more of a detriment to a cut stock. Both would upset the balance, but only an experienced buyer is going to measure bore diameter. If I were concerned, then barrel thickness would be my determining factor.

Balance isn't the critical factor in how back-boring might affect the gun's value - but barrel wall thickness most certainly is.

Unfortunately not every buyer of these old guns is an "experienced buyer" and those who are not are more likely to get burned by their own ignorance. I do not use the term 'ignorance' disparagingly but we all started at that state and I have made some 'ignorant' gun purchases in the past and I very quickly became an "experienced buyer".

I was thinking balance might be used as an indicator. The VH 1-frame 12ga I have beside me right now balances perfectly with one finger directly under the hinge. I am below a neophyte in terms of Parker experience, but I would think the balance point would be moved back toward the stock if one or more barrels had been back bored. A variance in bore diameter AND a rearward balance point might lend itself to further suspicion. ???

Will,
Removal of a few thousands from the bores will lighten a gun by a surprizing small amount. Chances are that the balance would not noticably change.
Mark

And if Parker Bros bored a barrel oversize or back bored it and the gun no longer balanced and felt as it should, I'm pretty sure they would have invisibly remedied the situation. Of course we can't say as much for an aftermarket back boring job by someone other than the factory.

When gun shopping, I would rather be equipped with a bore micrometer than a scale. A smallbore Parker with .010 variation in bore diameter from left to right has been screwed with, end of story.

I don't believe back in the day 5 or even .010 difference in bore diameter made a big difference. It's just now, many years latter, that many of us want to believe everything was kept perfectly the same. Cut stocks or barrels - barrels too thin - yea, that makes a difference. A couple of thousands difference in bore diameter - not.

Bill is right, .010 difference in barrel ID probably means the barrel has been reamed. I say probably in that I understand Parker factory would clean up barrels at customers request. That would'nt be a deal breaker for me. I agree with Paul; cut stocks and barrels along with thin, less than MBWT, is a concern.