Kent,

I believe your story mirrors quite a few of us here. I have several family guns that started with the 20 gauge Trojan my father found new under the Christmas tree when he still believed in Santa. That gun is going to his first grandson whom he mentored and I've added a Trojan 12 to the mix. There are two VH's, a 20 and 16, that were Uncle Bill's as well as a set of 12 gauge Damascus barrels I had fitted to a VH frame. A cousin gave me a cased VH two barrel set and from his father in law's , my Uncle Taylor, estate is a 10 gauge lifter Parker from 1881. I believe this gun came from his uncle, Col. E.H. Taylor, Jr. (think bottled in bond bourbon whiskey). Some of these guns were restored before they came to me. One didn't have a stock and was missing internal parts. All are in working order and get their turn at clays and game. Other than that I believe the character of these guns were acquired from the hands of of my relatives and I don't want to change that history. You are indeed a lucky man to have your grandfathers Parker.

Kindest,
Harry

Dean, I'd definitely appreciate that; I've never gotten a chance to definitively determine those measurements.

Harry, I definitely agree that the character of these old shotguns is unmatched; to me there's always been something special about an inherited gun.

Welcome Kent and congratulations on such a fine shooter, better yet your grandaddy's! I'm a purist, I would leave it as is and shoot it. Each ding, scratch, etc... is a testament of the gun's times in the field. I own a couple VH 20s. One a 1905, not very pretty, the other a 1910, very very pretty, a Del Grego make over from the 50s? The pretty one I bought it that way, it's my quail gun with IC/IC. The not pretty I use for dove with IM/IM. I would take the not pretty over the pretty any day. It was passed down through 4 generations. Unless needed, I never touch mine. I would rub a little Dembarts checkering oil in to seal the wood, very little. Yes, leave it as is and reflect on it's times from the past each time you hold and admire it!
Chris
Tempe, AZ