Is my Parker safe to shoot 2 3/4 12 gauge shells?
 

Hello and thank you for allowing me to join your forum! I just was given this 12 gauge parker side by side and all I know is information that I found here on this website. It has Titanic steel barrels, 30 inches, weight 4.9 but I'm not sure how to find out the chamber length. I plan on shooting it tomorrow morning so I don't want to blow it up, or me up in the process if it's designed for shooting 2.5 inch shells versus 2 3/4 shells... Was planning on buying some low recoil low power 2 3/4 shells on my way to the range tomorrow morning. Here are some pics I just took of it, any information would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you!

Where someone in the past had stamped MODIFIED on the right barrel flat I would suspect ‘something’ has been done to the chokes and if the chokes had been worked on, maybe the chambers have had something done as well.

Before shooting any 2 3/4 inch ammo I would highly recommend you have the chambers professionally measuresd as well as the very important wall thickness at the juncture of the chamber and start of the forcing cone.





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Thank you very much Sir! I was really curious about what the "modified" stamp indicated as well as I haven't been able to find any other images of Parker Shotguns with that stamp. I believe I will take your advice and not shot it until I have it professionally measured or checked out and make sure its safe for 2 3/4 inch loads. With that being said, would I be risking anything shooting 2 1/2 loads out of it?

If everything checks out to safe specs, a low recoil shell will be more than satisfactory to shoot out of that DHE 12. Looks as if the stock has been modified as well. Nice Parker.

Thank you! What does "DHE" represent?

DHE is the designation for a grade 3 (D) hammerless shotgun with automatic ejectors.

A DH gun has extractors but not automatic ejectors. You won't see DHE stamped on the gun, but that is what your gun is.

Thank you! Wow, I am so glad I found you guys and this forum! Is it worth it to become a member? I have no plans of selling this gun, my 12 year old is already obsessed with it and that's why I wanted to shot it tomorrow but I figured I better check it out first. How much might it be worth ballpark? It was given to me by a family friend who's husband and original owner passed away 20 years ago, probably the last time it was ever used as well. The only ammo he had in the safe was 2 3/4 length but he also had a browning A5 that went to another person. So I figured this one should also be able to shoot that length shells.

Adam:

Both you and your 12-year old son should join. I can only imagine the outdoors-related technical, social, and cultural riches I could have enjoyed with my father, when he was buying a few Parker guns back in the late 1950s-early 1970s, had there then been a PGCA.

If I am reading the serial number correctly (131572), the PGCA has factory records on your gun, which would enable our Research Chairman to issue a letter on it.

The fee for such letters is discounted for dues-paying Members to $40 per letter.

Yes! 131572 is the correct serial # located on two spots of my Parker. What do the factory records offer? I'm just worried that the modified stamps were done outside the factory. Is that a possibility? How much is the yearly membership versus lifetime? Thank you,
Adam

Adam:

Annual: $40
Life: $500

Membership includes receiving the annual quarterly publication, PARKER PAGES.

Awesome, thank you! I believe I will start with the year membership and go from there but the lifetime one is very inticing as I hear it pays off in about 12 years. Can you give me some more information on what a factory letter would contain? Thank you

Generally, the higher the grade of gun, the more information; and within grades, it varies.

There may be information on: From what retail vendor it was sold; the configuration of the gun (helpful when comparing originality to any later modifications), i.e., barrel length, weight; stock configuration; chokes; length of pull.

I learned that my father's DHE 12 was ordered by and shipped to William Reed & Sons, of Boston, MA in 1916, a sporting goods store now gone that was about 21 miles from the local sporting good store from which my father acquired it, second hand (at least), about 40 years later.

I order research letters on any Parker gun I own, and in a couple instances, when I was merely curious, such as for possible buys, and in one case just because I was captivated by the story behind it and wanted to learn more.

Adam, that is a 2 frame gun with fluid steel barrels and doubtless has had plenty of modern ammo fired thru it. I would stick to 1 oz loads around 1200fps until you can get it checked out.

Nobody can tell you over the internet if your gun is safe to shoot or not.

Adam.... the serial number of my VH is less than 100 from yours. it's a 1904 if that helps. I'm just curious as to where you are going to buy 2 1/2" low pressure shells on the way to the range? could you get me some too? (jk).