The pictures almost don’t even do it justice, it’s even better looking in person.

I would be interested to see some nice outdoor photos if you get the chance to take any Kirk.

Reading through the posts in detail, I learned that the gun is a repro. No matter, Brian made it look like a real Parker. When the first repro’s starting coming out a few folks were touting them as better than the originals. True they use more modern steel but the gun was lacking in the checkering and stock finish areas, in my opinion.

When I bought mine, the first thing I did was to make it look more Parker. I struck the Winchester logo on the barrels and redid them. Then I went to work on the stock finish which is harder than hell to remove. It is one tough finish. I wanted a traditional oil and varnish finish. After that was completed I went to work on the checkering which is abysmal on all the DHE repros I’ve seen. Cross overs, lines deeper than others and no mullered border. I fixed that but eventually sold the gun because it wasn’t a real Parker to me.

They are undoubtedly nice guns with great wood on most. I can understand why many like them and use them. But I am a total traditionalist and so the repro wasn’t right for me personally.

I agree with Tom. Repros are nice guns, for what they are, but I don't think they are worth making them look old. Same thing with the A1 Special upgrades. While i am in awe of folks like Geoffrey G, to me it's like asking Michelangelo to repaint a '53 Chevy.

Hey... what is wrong with a ‘53?

Yeah, with that fire-breathing 6 holes. BTW, I edited my original post to include Brian next to Geoffrey, but somehow the edit apparently didn't take

Coming onto a guys thread to basically say, "nice try" strikes incredibly distasteful to me. JMO

Is a Remington era Parker a "real" Parker?

Scott, not sure what you are saying in your comment. If I have offended anyone with my repro comments, it was unintentional. I think Kirk’s gun and the work Brian did on it is stunning. The wood on that gun is better than most original DHE’s. Anyone would be proud to own that gun. Everyone has their personal preferences. I was just stating mine, although in retrospect, I shouldn’t have done that in a thread about Kirks gun.

Remington Parkers are real Parkers for sure. Some of the Meridan people worked on them. I also like upgrades with the engraving done by Runge. Although I think the cyanide case hardening is lacking. If I owned one of those guns I would have the colors re-done.

So its all just a matter of personal preferences. I am in awe of the manufacturing period in which Parker guns were done. It’s a taste of pure Americana that is not lost on me and so I prefer guns that were made in that period. It’s that simple and doesn’t diminish the worth of more modern guns.

Take it from me, the cyanide colors on a 16 that Delgrego refinished wore off. Im having Bachelders re case it with bone charcoal.

The only thing wrong with a '53 chev is that it isn't a '55 or '56.... you're welcome!

I hear you there richard. I like the 55s best of the tri-five cars. The 57s are kinda gaudy in my opinion.

I own a 53, which is an old family car. So i am kind of partial to the shoeboxes.

When I was in my early twenties I had a customer, a lady who at the time must have been in her early seventies, who's daily driver was a stripped '57 two-door sedan, maroon in color, with the "power pack" package - V-8 (265 I think) with dual exhaust, and a Rochester 4-bbl. she was a widow for about eight years. Her husband bought the car just before he died. It was his first new car and he loved that car. The old lady said she would never sell it to me... or to anybody else.






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Pretty sure a '57 would have been a 283

The 110 hp 265" v-8 was used between 1955 & 1957 but they also had a 115 hp 283" during those same years so the Power Pack probably used the 283.





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In ‘53 the “blue flame” straight six (in the powerglide cars) was 115hp and it went up to 125hp in ‘54. Ratings on the standard trans six engines was a little lower (108 and 115 if i recall).
It surprises me that he first chevy V-8s were lower hp than the I-6 engines.

the 6 clys were not higher in hores power than a v8 the power pack v8 283 was rated at 220 horse in 1957.....charlie

Wow Charlie, I didn't know that. Thanks for the education.

The horsepower ratings I gave for the 265 and the 283 came off the Internet. I'm not surprised the Internet is wrong... look who invented it - the inventor of 'fake news'.






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Just wanted to revisit this thread to extend my thanks to the board for the great tip; using glass to remove an old finish.

I'm no expert by any stretch but I have refinished my fair share of gunstocks. The glass trick (w/Zip Strip) is far and away superior to anything I've ever tried. The effectiveness, with one treatment is fantastic and very little sanding, if any in some cases, is required. Seems there was a pc w/just the right profile for me no matter the requirement. Stock was stripped within minutes, literally.

Love the old-school ways..