Throw the choke gauge back in the drawer and request a PGCA letter. The order may tell you what the original chokes were and maybe, if you're lucky, whether the factory had anything to do with the cutting of the barrels or the modification of the chokes. If the barrels turn out to be cut, you may be able to get Tony to negotiate the price. However, I would bet you're near the end of your three day inspection.

This gun was listed by Galazan at $2,750 and the website says 26" and sk & sk, which of course they are. The place I see most lower priced guns is the big Tulsa gun show in the spring, and they didn't have any 20ga Parkers of quality there last spring for under $4000and I saw only a handful of those. We used to see many decent Parkers V 20's for $2500 but I haven't seen that in several years. Maybe the $2,750 price was an accurate representation of value?

The Tulsa show is the only gunshow I attend so maybe I'm not the most current on values. Maybe this gun would be a candidate for those new Galazan barrels if a person did not want the 26" open chokes?

Added:
I was curious about current prices, so I checked Guns International. Most of the V 20's are at $4000 to $5000 asking price. Steve Cobb does have a little VH 20/26 IC& Mod that seems decent at $3100, seemingly a very reasonable price. I haven't seen a clean 20 that low in a while.

Kevin sold a rather decent 30" VHE 20g O frame for me at the Vintagers this year for $2750 (to Ivory Beads so it must have been cheap!). I bought it online for $1250 a year ago. It needed the barrels reblued and some screws fixed. They are out there... just one man's recent experience.

That is certainly open to interpretation. In my opinion cyl & cyl doesn't equate to skeet & skeet. The bores haven't been mic'ed to determine if there is any constriction at all and true skeet chokes have measureable constriction. Nevertheless, it may still be a decent woodcock and early season grouse gun.

Asking price vs. sell price is usually seperated by a significant margin. $2750 would seem a fair value for this gun, considering the barrel issue, if there are no other issues besides normal wear.

Just my H O

Steve Barnett has a nice little VH 20/26 for $2950. Still more than Don's but it has been repeatedly established here that nobody acquires guns as inexpensively as Don. Don has the knack somehow.

I'm just glad to be out of the market, but I do have a long list of wanteds for friends if I run across decent guns. Let's see now, how many on the list for 16 and 20 ga hammer guns?

To wrap up, I got a return authorization from Lou today and he'll have it back in hand next week. As expected, no problem.

It is a delightful, tight little gun, and probably a fair value and one that I would like to have been able to keep but just couldn't. No harm done.

While we're on the subject, the barrels were refinished as expected from their pictures. The finish seemed to be more of a satin black than a rust blued type. Is that a different technique?

Yes, and a poor one at that resulting from inadequate polishing or failing to go through the right sequence of coarser to finer grits.

You have just encountered two reasons why original condition and configuration Parkers are held in high esteem. Find yourself a gun that hasn't been messed with, or if messed with, done properly, which is always more expensive, time consuming or require greater skill than many gunmanglers have or people looking to make money on a quick turn are willing to spend.

I have seen lots of frosted and dull barrels and its very apparent that a bad reblue job was done. May I suggest making the acquaintance of a good PGCA member who knows Parkers and having him help find a gun for you? Come to Vintagers, Sanford, etc and get somebody to recommend a gun for you. I see you are in Atlanta, we have some members who know their Parkers in Georgia. On the plus side, bad reblues are not fatal and there are Parker qualified gunsmiths who can do a good job, $250 was a price I heard.

Weston,Thanks for the update.Remember..like women.. half the fun is in the chase.:rolleyes: and also like women..When ya find a good one they,re a keeper.:)

UH....Did someone say Tiger Woods???? Currently at a stable of four:rotf:

Several years ago Galazan had a VH O frame 16 Ga with 28 inch barrels, it had a Parker D grade stock on it. Price $2800. It sold and was put back on the web site several weeks later for $2200 after being returned. I called them and the chokes were IC and Mod. Made them an offer of $1800 and they accepted. It was what I wanted and I know some of the PARKER purists would throw rocks at me for buying it, but I have not seen one since in as good of condition for less than $3000. You just have to be happy with your purchase even if it is not 100% original. Galazan even told me if I was not happy at that price, please return it. With 1000's of guns going thru their store they cant be sure of everything but they will try to make it right.

PDD