New Member in Kentucky
 

All, I found this forum trying to sort out a Parker I now own. My wife went to an estate auction and came home with several antique firearms for my collection! Oh, and she loves watching the NFL, and baseball, and basketball, and will do so even when I'm not home! If she'd only cook she'd be the perfect wife! :rotf:
I was hoping all you officianados could help me with my gun. I spent time on the Parker Gun website, but I'm still lost. Serial number is 104363, so I did figure out it was made in 1901. The barrel grade is "v", whatever that means. It's a 12 gauge, and is a "2" regarding frame size. I noticed there is a "8" near the marking of the frame size, so I don't know what that means. The barrel is not marked with what kind of steel it is. On the barrel lug there is a marking Kf I think, and the 4 to the 1 power is the barrel weight. I'll see if I can post some pictures. This gun is easily 90%, and maybe closer to 95%. I hope my wife did good...I think she paid $1100 for the gun.

Greg in Kentucky

Hopefully a avid member of the "BIG BLUE Nation"; UK!!!!!

THAT, was a condition of marriage. I'm originally an Air Force brat, grew up abroad, but high school was in Georgia after Dad's retirement. On to college and grad school, and got the hell out of the heat upon graduation. Move to Kentucky and met my wife. The rest is history.

Here's some pictures...I hope...
http://img.gg/ogb49ua
http://img.gg/D9Oyzwp
http://img.gg/HYyW7NH
http://img.gg/A9JsVoi
http://img.gg/m9G7Xqy
http://img.gg/zY9DyJO
http://img.gg/FsENQv4

It has a gold shield on the bottom of the buttstock, but that photo did not turn out.

Greg in Kentucky

VH grade, case colors redone, aftermarket vent rib added to the barrels and then reblued. Reblued trigger guard and looks to have been refinished. Looks as if the head of the stock has had a screw/bolt placed through it? Gold shield is probably just finish added over silver colored shield. At least that's what I see.

Welcome. Appears to be a nice serviceable VH-Grade Parker Bros. shotgun. You can't see the rib legend because it has been covered by a Simmons ventilated rib installed on top of the original rib.

Attachment 82718

The Kf marking appears to be the steel type marking on the barrel flat of the early vintage VH-/VHE-Grade guns.

Attachment 82719

From my rather limited observations the Kf marking was in use into the 1336xx serial number range. VH-/VHE-Grades had a V or a V in a circle steel type marking beginning by the 1350xx range.

Attachment 82717

I really appreciate the input. I like the gun, but know nothing of Parkers. Sounds like it wouldn't be sinful to turkey hunt with it! :rolleyes:

It is not in the Parker serial number book so measure the barrels for length. With a vent rib added one never knows if the chokes may have been altered for some type of targets. If you can measure the chokes, do so, but if you can't the old method of a dime not going in the barrel does tell you that it is usually full choke. Anything in 12 gauge around .700 would be full, and less than that the better. We wouldn't want you to go out there after a turkey with cylinder in each barrel. The gun will make a nice shooter and save you from having to refinish anything. Since the gun is not original, the vent rib is a nice feature in my opinion.

p.s. If I had a wife that went out and bought me antique firearms, I would go to chef's school.

Gregory,

I'm between Lexington and Versailles. If you are near I would love to see your Parker once the dust settles from the coronavirus. Do you shoot clays at Kentucky Sportsmans League or Elk Creek?

Kindest, Harry

Harry

The gun will make a great shooter but I can't believe you were so anxious to leave God's country.