I was once able to observe "Babe" DelGrego as he evaluated/determined the originality of a magnum 12ga. According to Babe the barrels for a magnum 12 would have no swamp at the breach. I believe this is also mentioned in Parker Story. I asked Babe directly if such barrels were marked and stamped in the late 20's and he said yes. I am curious to know if anyone has or knows of a gun that is so stamped, original, and earliest year built.

I wonder if guns stamped for 3" that swamp at the breech have been legthened and stamped after they were built?

M21 Pride-maybe because of limited production?
 

[QUOTE=Andrew Thompson;4453]Good luck is right. Been looking for an HE or long range for 4 years and they are proud of those 21's. On another note, 3 inch shells can be brutal to the shoulder. I have had good luck with 2 3/4 3 dram loads. I still have a gunsmith check my guns every year to make sure everything is closing and staying closed when it should.[

Andrew, good post: I had an HE, sold it to a brother waterfower (built like Dick Butkus) who had been after one for years- Great gun indeed (over and above the Nash Buckingham/Burt Becker mystique)- but very heavy, and at .750 Nom. BD a 11 gauge (somewhat).

At my age (near 70) I went to a Smith 12 with 3" chambers, 32" Nitro Steel with factory ventilated rib, DT, AE- 8 lbs. even and I shoot the Cabela offered Classic Doubles non-toxic no. 4 loads in it- BUT, only the 2.75", NOT the 3" Magnums.

I agree, M21's are "pricey"- perhaps that's due to the shorter span of production- 1931-1959 then Custom Shop special order- Parker= 1869-1940? LC Smith- 1880's (?) then Hunter- 1945- Marlin- 1954? AH Fox 1905-1929 then Savage until 1940?

I have seen a few M21 12 gauge 3" DUCK guns advertised with Briley tubes on the various auction sites, I don't know enough about that to advise you. Good luck with your search for a 12 double waterfowler, whatever the make, and good shooting this Fall on "dem webfeets"!!:bigbye:

I have had a number of early heavy 12 gauge (and one 20) Parkers on 2 and 3 frames mostly "pigeon guns" that lettered with either 3" or 2 7/8" chambers. Not one of them had any external markings indicating chamber length...not one... I always found Babe Delgrego to be a helpful and delightful fellow but occasionally a bit dogmatic. The marked 12 gauge for 3" shell gun I viewed yesterday along with professionally trained gunsmith, Russ Bickel caused us both to remark how even on a 1 1/2 frame the barrel breeches could not be said to be "straight sided". I even put a straight edge against the breeches and it appeared to be very slightly swamped but perhaps somewhat more forward of the breech than a normal 1 1/2 frame gun. I wish we could have measure the BWT at the chamber ends.

I believe there is a Fox model H Super Fox on Guns America . Is has just been priced reduced to $5400. I purchased my LC Smith Long Range for quite a bit less than this but I would love to own the Super Fox one day.

Seventy years of gunning tells me there may be places for a 3-inch magnum but I haven't found one where I was at a disadvantage with 2 3/4 12 gauge shells. Magnums are noisy, expensive, punishing and, in a sense, abusive of fine guns. Parkers are fine guns.

Ivory Beads had a 3" mag VHE 12ga. for sale at the Vintagers. The gun is not yet listed on their web site and when I left the Vintagers today it was still available.

Yup, a VHE for more than ten grand. I would rather shoot a ten. Super Foxes are the hot lick lately at half the price of the 3" Parker at the Vintagers. Even a Model 21 Duck us usually not near the Parker price.

I believe a 3" Parker is pretty rare which would account for the higher "asking price".