Dee, I have the same comment about this fine gun as did another poster. "Oh my". On another note, don't do anything to this gun yet. We are not quite sure whether this may be a piece of Texas folk art that should be preserved as is. Truly, we have not seen anything quite like this great gun.

Dee, is there a foregrip that goes ahead of the action and clamps to the bottom of the barrels? If so, we need pictures of that part. We also would like to know how long the barrels are from front to back so we can determine whether the barrels have been cut.

No worries there Bill.....it would take a lot of budgeting for me to do something with this gun right now. So, I will keep it tucked safely away back in the gun safe.

Yes, I've attached pictures of what I think you are talking about and the barrels are 28 inches.

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:crying::crying:

I'm reminded of a west Texas rancher who hauled hay bales and calves in the back seat of the Cadillac for many years.

The gun has been rode a bit hard.

I know the gun is in very bad shape, but it is what it is. I'm thankful to have came across it, researched it, and know what I know now thanks to all of you. Regardless of what condition it is in or the value, it was my great grandfather's and again I am proud to hold it in my hands today.

Dee ,I must disagree with Bill as to the value of the gun if it was in fine condition. I collect C grades and searched for a nice 16ga for several years and finally paid $20K+. During that time I saw a high condition one sell for $40K.
Turnbull has,had?, a completely restored one for sale for $35K,but it has been for sale for years. If it was restored by Brad Bachelder, I would guess a value of $15K-$18K. JMHO
David

I agree. A nice C grade 16 can have values in multiples of the 8 to 12 that I mentioned. Let's say 8 to 40K, although I would have to see that 40 gun that the poster described to believe the price. The good news is that there are no surprises in the picture of the forend. It is all there and matches the rest of the gun. The Turnbull price is bogus. Doug is a friend, but the price on that gun is off the scale. He doesn't expect to sell it for that price. Also, Dee, don't send the gun to Doug Turnbull. He will send you an estimate that you will find unfriendly. Some day he may restore that gun, but for someone else, not you. I am not criticizing him, he has done wonderful favors for me.

I agree with David. I collect C's and have a handful of 12's and small bores, including a couple 16ga's. A nice CHE 16 ga just sold for $11,500 at a well known and watched public auction. This gun, if in good condition, would be in the range of the recent sale and what David mentioned.

The gun, as you know, has not been treated well. I believe a small bore C is always worth carefully looking at with an eye toward bringing back to presentability. This gun is going to take a lot of careful and skilled work, and how far it goes is always up to the owner. Pits in metal can be TIG welded and smoothed so that they are indistinguishable. Wood can be repaired or in extreme cases replaced. The bolts are not right but damage to the screw holes can probably be repaired by a machinist, new screws made, timed and installed.

I understand the sentimentality of your grandfather's gun. On my grandfather's gun, I had to steam out lots of dents, gouges and barbwire grooves, rechecker the forend, reblue the barrels and replace action springs. It's still the old gun I usually grab and go with. Many of us have ancestral guns that we treasure.

Bruce, thank you for bringing Dee back off of the 35K to 40K cloud. Dee, even though I admitted that there are guns that are out there at high prices, Bruce stated correctly that normal C grade 16s in average original condition normally sell for the 8K to 12K that I originally stated. Guns returned from abused condition sell for less. I'm sure the "C Grade" poster has good intentions, but he is not telling the whole story. I know these guys and they are not trying to steal your gun, or even buy it, but you have to separate the wheat from the chaff in value. We're going to get you where you want to go. Don't give up on my comment about "Texas Folk Art". That may be the best solution for you and future owners of this gun. Personally, I am a folk art aficionado and would be much more interested in returning your gun to working condition without touching its evidence of use and abuse. A shiny new finish on this gun would be like a goose turd on a collard leaf.

Rest assured I have never once stepped onto any "price cloud" so to speak. I may be young, but I am aware that there are numerous factors that come into play concerning old collectibles and antiques. My mindset per the dollar figures go to the extent of commenting WOW! and a simple gaping mouth in awe, not the usual "let me run out and sell this thing pronto" kind of thing. Yesterday before I knew anything about this gun, It didn't own a pricetag, and today with what I do know, it still doesn't own a pricetag. I'm soaking every bit of advice and information I have been given in and letting it stew.

...or the Mona Lisa on black velvet.

Hey, hey hey. Watch it! I'll have you know that one of my prized possessions was a hand painted Elvis on black velvet painted in the shrine of fine art Juarez, Mexico. My oldest son is a higher official in D.C. now and he has the painting in his home office.

So I hope your comment about the Mona Lisa was meant with all possible esteem.

P.S. I'm not trying to buy any more guns. I'm into high end art now, and hand painted black velvet is getting rare.

I just wanted to share a few photo's of my Great-Grandpa (George Marion Durham) and my Grandpa (Marion Andrew Durham), so everyone here can put a face with the users of this gun. The first 3 are of Great-Grandpa and last 2are of Grandpa:

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So were they getting in the car to go see Bob Wills?

Hahaha! I honestly have no idea! :)

Bruce; Almost guaranteed ,if you love Parker guns ,you have to love Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys !

Great old family pictures Dee - what a treasure!

Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys was about the best band ever!!

Thank you! I have a few more, but didn't want to overload the site with non Parker related photos. Some with old cars and trucks and the house my Great Grandpa built on the farm. Pretty interesting.......

Dee,

I must say a C grade Parker is something to brag about. There is a gunsmith in Kerrville, Texas named Kirk Merrington. I have not had work done by him, but a friend of mine has. What I've seen is very impressive. On the PGCA home page you will find him on our "Links". Brad Bachelder has done work for me. What he did was excelent, priced fairly and the turn around was prompt. I am sorry for your loss and wish you all the best in life. Please keep us in mind if and when you do anything with this treasured old Parker.

Kindest, Harry

We've got nothing better to do.... go ahead and post the old cars and trucks and the house.

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Hello Dee ; I haven't commented on your gun ,I have just been following along ! I think it would be great to have an old Family Parker , I do have my Grand Fathers guns although they aren't Parker guns ,I really enjoy just owning them and thinking of my " Pap sitting along the old fence row waiting for that old Buck to come along ! Whatever you decide to do with the gun ,take your time , should you decide to sell it , ,it is gone and part of your Family History goes along with it ! All the best in your decision ! Russ

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Russ, I agree! I've found myself sitting there thinking about similar things, and wonder what my Great Grandad is thinking when he is looking at me holding his gun and admiring it and in a perfect world possibly shooting it myself. I also inherited sever other guns, some pistols from a Colt .45 1911 down to a Colt .25 1908...an American Gun Co. shotgun and the rest are various rifles. I normally deer hunt with a 22-250, but since inheriting all of these, I will try my hand at my Dad's Marlin 30-30 this next deer season. And while I sit in my stand waiting for that big buck to find himself in my sights, I'll be able to pass the time thinking about how my dad would sit with the same rifle and wait for the big one.

What part of the Lone Star state? I have friends in Lewisville and Childress, used to do business in Plainview, flew jets out of Abilene, temporary duty at Carswell AFB in Fort Worth, San Antonio and Biggs by El Paso, hunted around Shamrock and Wheeler, cousins lived in Borger.

The photos look like west Texas but not enough dust.

I am in the DFW area, but we are from Canton, Tx. I have found old war documents of my Grandpa's listing Deport, Detroit, Lamar county, Red River county, and Manchester, TX

Ahhh, east Texas. That's why I don't see any dust storms in the photos.

For years, there was a famous Parker dealer in Terrell TX, Herschel Chadick. Tom Chapman was a great gunsmith and was with Herschel. Tom is mostly retired now I think, and lives maybe 20 n of Terrell. Tom was very good with Parkers. If a person could get Tom to work on a gun.......

Or as mentioned, Merrington out west in Kerrville is good. Pretty in the spring out there. Old Air Force buddy of mine has a little old family ranch of 8,000 acres out at Frederick that he runs a few head of cattle and collects oil royalties.

That would be nice wouldn't it?! My nephews live near Terrell....maybe they've heard of him....hmmmmmm

Kids
 

Dee, I missed kids heads sticking out from under the porch. Tom

The old Chadick number is 972 563 7577. They lived on Ninth Street in town and on weekends went out to his ranch east a little ways. If Mrs Chadick answers, she might have Tom's number if he still works at all.

Whatever you do, don't sell the gun to somebody from back east. They get all the good guns back there and leave us with nothing out here.

That would have been the perfect shot huh? But only if Grandpa was holding the Parker in his hand along with it (a clear picture of course) :)

Dee, some of those other guns might have some significant value - the 1911 Colt for one. If in good condition and the right range of years and ser. No. could be valuable.

I can assure you that it is in PRISTINE condition. I took it to the gun range and shot it, and must say it shoots very nice!

Bruce now you know all the good guns don't end up east of the big M I recall a nice 16 C grade Bernard that resides in KC

Dee

Sorry for your loss of so many loved ones in such a short span of time.

Would there be any Millers in your family line? Looking at the pictures of your Great Grandfather, I thought I was looking at my uncle Ammon.

Cheers
Marcus

Thank you for your condolences....I do not have any Millers in my family. It is all Durham, Grimmet, Jones, and Head. :)

Hi Dee,
I think the gun is cool just like it is. The skins he had looked like maybe coons muskrat hard to tell the way they r hanging. best ch sorry for your loss as well. The ol fellow was the real deal, a hunter trapper who did it to put food on the table. Unlike us who just do it 4 fun.

Bruce: Do you know if Herschel is still living? I still see his ads in Shotgun News. Is he still in the old bank building in downtown Terrell? I was there years ago and tried to buy a Parker once owned by Jim Corbett (so marked on the barrels)

Best Regards, George