Parker Reproduction "Production Chart"
 

Wouldn't it be a great feature to have a Parker Reproduction "Production Chart" made as a sticky on this page of the forum or be reinstated with access via the Home Page?

I believe the Production Chart could easily be revised and updated to be as accurate as our collective knowledge allows. And going forward, as additional information comes to light, further revisions be made at that time.

What do you think, do you agree or disagree?

I agree completely Greg.
The Parker Reproduction by Winchester is definitely part of Parker (shotgun) history and deserves space, as you say, on this website. JMHO





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I have been watching this thread hoping that someone or (s) would explain the concept or content of such a "Production Chart".
I must say I don't understand.
Bob Jurewicz

The below is an example of a Parker Reproduction "Production Chart" that several of us know to be inaccurate and in need of updating.

Production numbers:

DHE 28 Gauge 4,203
DHE 20 Gauge 5,800
DHE 12 Gauge 2,137
DHE 12 Gauge Steel Shot 350
DHE 12 Gauge Sporting Clays 125
DHE 410 Gauge 33
BHE 28 Gauge 7
BHE 20 Gauge 100
BHE 12 Gauge 100
BHE 410 Gauge 9
A-1 Factory Engraved, All Gauges 150
A-1 Custom Engraved, All Gauges 300
A-1 28/.410 Combo 16
Plus 500 16 Ga barrel sets that fit on the 0 frame 20ga DHE

If we just want to put some production numbers to be in-the-ballpark in the Production Chart then fine, but I believe we owe it to ourselves and to those coming after us to do better. I, and others; have questioned the number of DHE and BHE .410s produced, there also appears to be issues with the number of DHE 20s produced, the chart shows 5800 produced, but in Nick Sisley's interview with Jack Skeuse, Mr. Skeuse reported there were actually 6050 built.

As far as the Custom A-1 Specials are concerned I would agree Gournet did the lion's share of those, but if just his numbers are used in the chart there's a bunch more out there. I can name several other engravers like Baer, Koluch, Hurst, Strosin, Griffiths, Gamradt, Churchill and others that have completed custom in-the-white Parker Repro A-1 Specials. A few of these engravers have done multiples of them.

Like I had said previously: "I believe the Production Chart could easily be revised and updated to be as accurate as our collective knowledge allows. And going forward, as additional information comes to light, further revisions be made at that time."

OK!
Now I understnd. Except how do we make this chart more accurate other than learning if more guns in each catagory were produced, by members entering higher S#s?
Bob Jurewicz

Greg - I agree completely with you on all points. It would be very nice to see a chart created from your collected data produced as a link from the left column of our Home page. It could be edited and/or added to as valid, verifiable info arises.





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Bob, there could be and there are more catagories than what is shown in the above chart I posted such as: 28/.410 bi-gauge sets in DHE and BHE grades, factory 3-bbl. sets, etc. When we talk about lowest/highest serial numbers, etc. that also opens up the possibility for a "Parker Reproductions Found" chart.

OK!
So lets do it.
Ask John D to post Greg's initial chart at the beginning of the Repro Catagory as a "sticky" with request for added info.
Bob Jurewicz

The below Production Chart is copied from above is known to be in error, in need of updating and then reinstated as either a sticky in the Parker Reproductions sub-forum or accessed on the "Parker Reproduction by Winchester" listing via the "Parker Grades" from the left hand column on the "Home page".

DHE 28 Gauge 4,203
DHE 20 Gauge 5,800
DHE 12 Gauge 2,137
DHE 12 Gauge Steel Shot 350
DHE 12 Gauge Sporting Clays 125
DHE 410 Gauge 33
BHE 28 Gauge 7
BHE 20 Gauge 100
BHE 12 Gauge 100
BHE 410 Gauge 9
A-1 Factory Engraved, All Gauges 150
A-1 Custom Engraved, All Gauges 300
A-1 28/.410 Combo 16
Plus 500 16 Ga barrel sets that fit on the 0 frame 20ga DHE

The below are some things to consider when updating the Production Chart. I believe frame sizes ought to be considered when updating the chart.

* 16 A-1 Special 28/.410 sets were produced--these obviously were built on a 00-frame.

* 9 BHE .410 guns were produced--no frame size is listed, but it's assumed these were on a 0000-frame, right? If we assume Sisley's reporting is accurate -- as he did interview Jack Skeuse for the article, we know at least 33 0000-frame guns were completed, but we don't know what grade they were finished out in. From a pic which was previously posted we see that it is a 0000-frame BHE and it is #52, so it can be assumed there are at least 52 BHEs, or more, on a 0000-frame out there--and there were 100 more 0000-frame guns at the time of Sisley's article that were started. We do know that Gournet engraved some of those as A-1 Specials, but we don't know how many he finished or if he, or other gunsmiths, finished them and in what grades.

* 33 DHE .410 guns were produced, but we don't know what frame size they were built on--were they on a 00 or 0000-frame?? Where did this quantity of 33 come from, was it the Sisley article?

* Do we know how many stand-alone Repro .410s were built on a 00-frame? I have asked this question several times and never received a response from anyone that has actually seen or heard of one.

* Do we know the number of DHE 28/.410 00-frame sets that were built?

* Do we know how many factory same gauge 3-bbl. sets were produced? I know of at least one shown in this forum, there could be others. How about bi-gauge 3-bbl. factory sets? (I personally have a problem considering a 20/16 3-bbl. set as being "original factory built")

Maybe there are no answers to the above, but if you're like me and enjoy the hobby, you'd like to know. At the very least, it appears the production chart could use a little help. Again, it's our collective knowledge that can provide that help.

There are several things we have learned and found concerning Parker Reproductions regarding the Production Chart above:

1. We now know and have seen pics of at least three 0000-frame BHE .410s produced that have DHE-style engraving. I believe these ought to be noted in a revised Production Chart. I believe everyone would have to agree that this is rare, odd and unusual -- even in the world of Parkers.

2. The Parker Reproduction Production Chart above states that there were 9 BHE .410s built. We have seen pics of B .410-0045 and B .410-0052 (both of these and another of which I don't have the S/N) happen to be built on 4/0 frames. It appears from these serial numbers that there were at least 52 built -- and there's probably more out there. The Sisley article corroborates these findings.

3. There are no BHE .410/28 sets mentioned in the Production Chart. We now know there is one and only one BHE .410/28 set ever produced. This is documented by a copy of a type-written letter by J.T. Skeuse, the President of Parker Reproductions to Leslie Blumberg.

4. The Sisley interview of Jack Skeuse stated there were actually 6050 20-ga. DHEs produced, the chart above shows 5800 built.

5. Commemorative and special editions, i.e.: the NSFL, BBHS and SSS guns ought to be listed separately as each series were assigned their own set of serial numbers.

Given the above, I respectfully request that the Production Chart be reinstated, revised and updated to show these Parker Repros found. And going forward, as additional information comes to light, further revisions be made at that time.

I agree Greg and if anyone has more information on the Skeuse Parker Reproduction project than you do it’s got to be someone named Skeuse or someone who worked with or for Tom Skeuse.





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I sent John Dunkle a PM requesting the above mentioned action.
Bob Jurewicz

I must say, this is nothing that would even be on my radar as I'm not a numbers guy, but seeing the passion in your posts and the desire to find the exact numbers behind the repro guns is truly heart warming! Nice to see you guys getting the ball rolling on this project, I hope enough collectors chime in and add to the list and that someone who was close to the Skeuse project might even be able to shed more light on the numbers and keep "matriculating the ball down the field". This might even make a neat Parker Pages article, "The Quest for the Repros". Just sayin'.

It would be nice if thru this thread we could also unravel the mystery of the "P Guns", those with serial numbers prefaced with the capital P. Maybe in addition to the information requested by Greg we could ask members who own such guns to contribute info on their characteristics.
I own P-00415 it is a 20 GA DT, PG/SPLT with 14 15/16" LOP and two (2) sets of 16 GA barrels all housed in an original Repro Leather 3 barrel case and cover.
Bob Jurewicz

I would like to see some owners of #0000 frame .410s to come forward with their serial numbers.

If what David Trevallion reported in his featured article "A Parker Repro Collection - A visual feast of rare smallbores" that appeared in the Jan/Feb 2021 issue of SSM is accurate, one collector (I think we all have a pretty good idea who that is) owns 11 of the reported 41 .410 Parker Repro smallbores ever made. If this one collector came forward with serial numbers of his 0000-frame .410 collection, it would go a long way in answering your request.

I would assume there are many DHE 00 frames with 28 and .410 barrels with the .410 barrels installed later. Maybe all such sets have .410 barrels installed later. My assumption is that many of the total 28 gauge production was before the first .410 barrel set was made. Only Mr. Skeuse could tell us how far along 28 gauge production was before .410 barrels started to become available. If we knew that number, we could at least guess whether a gun was an original 28-.410 set and which ones had retrofit .410 barrels.

...and then there were two...or were there three?

Robin Hollow Outfitters has recently listed two Parker Reproduction BHE 28/.410 bi-gauge sets on GI that appear to be original-from-the-factory little jewels S/N 28-0026 and 28-0030. Prior to this listing we thought there was only one in existence. Never say never.

In conjunction with the above BHE 28/.410 bi-gauge sets Robin Hollow has also recently listed two Parker Reproduction A-1 Special 28/28/.410 3-barrel sets, S/N 28-036 and 28-047. There hadn't been any listed in the old production chart. Any 3-barrel set is an extremely rare bird, here are two of them:

And the price they're asking is on par with an original

Is Mr Skeuse still alive?

His son is.

The 3 sons are. Or maybe there were 4.

One missing figure on the Repro chart is the number of A-1s by gauge rather than just the 150 total. Mr. Skeuse probably has that figure or a close estimate.

Does that 150 count include those that were “in the white”??





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Yes, Dean, I would guess that the Gournet .410s were included in the 150. However, I don't believe the 150 figure. If there are 150 A-1 28s and .410s, where are they?

No Bill - I was asking about the unengraved “in the white” A-1 Specials.





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The "Gournet" A-1 .410s were the "in the white" guns, but not 150 of them. Geofroy probably knows how many he was given, the rest, who knows?

Geoffroy was the in-house engraver for Tom Skeuse and worked in that position for many years… I’ve heard something like 10 years.
But many were sold actually in the white to allow buyers to have them engraved to their specifications by an engraver of their choice.





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The recent Sept. 2023 Guyette & Deeter, Inc. auction featured two Parker Reproductions that are truly rare birds -- at least to myself and likely many others.

1. We all are aware that Parker Reproductions were produced in DHE, BHE and A-1 Special Grades in 12, 16, 20, 28ga. and .410 bore, as well as several commemorative editions. But, were you aware Parker Reproductions were considering an AAHE Grade offering as well? This Parker Reproduction AAHE 20ga. 2-bbl. set shown below is likely to be one-of-a-kind and the only one in existence. S/N 20-241. Sold for $19,200.00.

2. We are also aware that the Sporting Clays Classic model in an edition of only 125 was originally offered only in DHE Grade as a 12ga. w/28" bbls. But, the Sporting Clays shotgun shown below in BHE Grade is the first one I've ever seen or encountered. (Note: G&D, correctly, did not identify this as a Sporting Clays Classic model.) This gun was made up with 32" non-original Parker Reproduction barrels having Briley choke tubes. S/N 12-0063. Sold for $4,680.00.

Yup, they are both very rare guns that any of us would love to own.

Here's yet another 12ga. Parker Reproduction BHE, S/N 12-0056, claimed to be the only BHE Steel Shot Special ever produced.
https://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...n_id=102445366

The buyer of this gun will certainly be purchasing a rare gun as we don't often encounter a 12ga. BHE w/28" bbls., 3", IC/M with double triggers. However, it is not the only BHE claimed to be a SSS ever produced, there have been others as well. One of them, BHE 12-0098, was previously discussed in these threads:
https://parkerguns.org/forums/showth...&highlight=BHE
https://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=19537

Pictured below are a couple of pics of BHE 12-0056 currently listed for sale on GI:

(Note: This gun does bring up a couple of questions:
1. Why no "SS" as part of the S/N?
2. Are the choke areas chrome lined?
3. Are the choke leades longer as has been reported of the SSS than those of standard Repros?)

Greg, I thought I had read on a Parker Reproduction brochure that all Repros had chrome-lined barrels…?





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You may have read that they have chrome-lined barrels, but we're specifically talking about chrome-lining through the choke area -- which has been reported as being unique to the SSS.

Mr. John Allen special ordered one and his thoughts were that it was the only one to his knowledge. I think it may have been the gun that Jaqua's has listed. But I can't say for sure. John stated that the one he ordered had IC/Mod chokes and that the other BHE guns had M/F. Again, I am speaking based on recall so don't hold me to anything.

I found this---

https://parkerguns.org/forums/showth...l+shot+special

Yep, that is the exact same gun, BHE 12-0056, that Mr. Allen sold and is now again for sale listed on GI by Jaqua's.

And here's another BHE 12-0098, supposedly a Steel Shot Special which sold at a Rock Island Auction:
https://www.rockislandauction.com/de...barrel-shotgun

Jaqua has had that gun for quite some time.

I saw 00060 SSS this past weekend.Considerable cc wear but nice gun with case, sleeve and snap caps.

At the time it was ordered number 0056 was the only BHE produced in a steel shot configuration. I am sure that others were made later. It is not marked SS because it was a special order gun. The SS marked guns were part of the initial order of 350 guns placed by Jaegers. They were marked SS so we could keep them separate from the standard 12 gauge repros. I have serial number 12-00026,which was the first 12 gauge produced and was the prototype steel shot special. It is not marked SS because it was the prototype.