Phillip, you say your a shooter, not a collector. If that's true, this Parker doesn't belong on a wall, it belongs in a safe waiting for it's next trip afield or clay target range! Perfectly shootable if the barrels check OK.

This gun has been used but is in no way 80% condition IMO. No case colors left, stock chipped, and minor pitting in the bores. It's a nice honest 16ga Parker and deserves to be shot with low pressure loads.

I bet he has got many... It's a great project gun at this point. Something I would leave to others with deeper pockets than I...

This is getting personal and way off task. "Trolling" was not my term. Seems that you guys have a pretty tight cliche going on here. I am simply a guy looking for some advice and opinions about a Parker from "the experts". Is that a crime? It would be nice if I you all would stay on topic rather than being critical and sarcastic. As far as PMs go - yes I have had some. Is replying to them a violation of the rules of the forum?

Thanks for the constructive comments Chuck. Would you tell me what you mean by "case colors"? It is becoming clear that I need to have this looked at by several qualified individuals as determining condition can be somewhat subjective and also important with regards to safety if shooting the gun is being considered. Will investigate my options here in Houston.

Photo of the PGCA exhibit that several of us did at the Houston NRA show, May 3-5, 2013. There were some nice articles about the Parker exhibit in the Houston paper , which people mentioned.

We answered lots of Parker questions from attendees.

Next year's NRA convention will be in Louisville in May and I believe that there will likely be a Parker exhibit there. Or there will be the PGCA annual meeting in Sept this year back east. For a person who wants to know about and see Parkers, these might be good opportunities.

Phillip,

You have to realize that we get many posts such as yours asking "What is my Parker worth" That's not a problem, just difficult to judge value from a description or photo's. Then, during the gun being discussed, the owner puts in that he wants to or is thinking of selling the gun, just as you did. That is not allowed by the PGCA unless you are a PGCA member. In that case there is a forum for PGCA members to sell guns. Only PGCA members can see this forum. I don't think you were being sly about saying it may be for sale, you just didn't realize it was against the rules. Usually when it's mentioned for sale, the owner gets PM's from PGCA members and non members, who are interested in the gun.

As far a case colors and what they look like, look at the receiver water table and the underside of the forend metal. You can see traces of this color. The entire receiver and forend metal should look like this. The bone and charcoal method of case hardening imparts carbon into the metal and adds color. The case colors are only a few thousands of an inch thick and can be worn off by handling and shooting the gun.

I have to say some of the initial comments would probably lead a novice astray. Is it a nice gun? Sure. Is it a great gun or a wonderfully original example of a Parker? No. It has various condition issues and could have cared for a tad better over the years. It's probably in what one might terms 50% condition - half the Parkers you see are better, half are worse.

Here is what he wants IMHO. $1500.00 As is with no other issues. Gerald.

Philip, a 16 gauge, 0-frame DH with original barrel length of 28" and the original wood and skeleton butt is a very desirable and valuable Parker... to say nothing of the top lever still being well to the right, indicating it has been used regularly but not to the extent that parts have become excessively worn. As I said previously, all it needs is a good cleaning - NOT a refinish - and then leave it as is. Shoot it and hunt with it and you'll never want to part with it.

And how does Gerald come up with this information?