Sounds good! I've been thinking that I may have bitten off more than I can chew with this one. I have contemplated selling it but will still be attending the event.

I have moved over a couple of Scott’s pictures of the forearm to show this gun has the newer Anson and deely latch and 1878 patented date even though the gun serial number calls it a 1877. I found in the Parker story where they believed the earliest gun with this type of forearm latch is in the 11,631. Any thoughts?

It does not seem like it would be transitional. It may have been sent back and the latch updated at that time.
The first patent latches were short for the first few years. That is the later longer style latch.

A good number of Parkers were updated at the factory with later forend latching systems.





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That was my thought as well. The factory would have to have done some changes under the barrels to make this work but in reading about the early style there must have been issues with the keys popping open and the forearms coming off.

It is just a matter of people wanting the latest and greatest options.
And some may see the benefit of the patent forend being easier to remove. Although the keyed forend is more secure. But it was certainly a little dated to earlier days in firearm development.

The only change needed on the barrels is to swap out the forend lug.

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Would it be prudent to clean the gun (deep clean and re oil the stock/forend and clean the action/receiver back to silver).. i cleaned the old grease off and wiped it down with rem oil to prevent rusting.

Do not clean the action/receiver back to silver. It was not originally silver.
It would have been color case hardened I believe.

Scott, I use to live in Southport, moved to Southwest VA in 2000, my 3 boys still live and work there, I am going down this weekend for a short visit, and some business. Gary

If your going to the Southern, have the barrels checked for wall thickness by Jon Hosford. Assuming the barrels and all other things are OK, shoot the gun with low pressure loads.