GH 16ga Pristine
 

An attempt at Parker appreciation. Its for those who are interested in pristine Parkers and indicators of originality.

Here is a substantially unused, original condition GH 16ga. These are the case colors that are so difficult to duplicate and the blue-black nitre bluing.
Note the standing breech, which is a dead giveaway to use. Shell ring marks appear on the breech face after use and and they and primer pits will show through re-color case jobs. If an attempt is made to file out the rings and pits, then poor fit will result. This gun shows few marks on the breech face, demonstrating its little use.

Also, look at the barrel breech ends for the radial filing ( damascening) marks. All grades of Parkers that I am aware of were finished this way. These marks wear with extensive opening and closing of the gun. They can be refiled during restoration but it must be carefully done or else poor barrel/face fit will result. Even V's were done with radial filing; I don't know about Trojans.

The case colors show better on a lower grade gun; that is, one without lots of engraved surfaces. Engraving does not hold the case colors well. Correct Parker case colors are light, almost translucent, and enhance the engraving rather than hiding engraving.

The left barrel looks like its been fired a few times, the right barrel not at all.

Bruce: could you please post a high resolution ultra close up of the standing breech for a PictureTrail example of an "As new" condition gun and thanks!

Question: How many would shoot that gun, or keep it in the safe as strictly a collector piece. I'd have to shoot it, being the philistine I am about such things.

I don't own this one, a close friend does; however I own a high grade Parker in about the same condition that is substantially unshot. Here is our thought process, and I believe I can speak for my friend on this.

If a person owns just a few Parkers, he wants to shoot them all. However, there are those rare Parkers that show little or no evidence of use and the responsible collector needs to preserve those in high condition for future generations. Its a caretaker philosophy, that those who own those few guns are preservationists for others. Its also economic, in that those few unshot guns bring high value and taking them out and shooting them can reduce value but more likely is scratching them on the car door or other damage. He has explained that shooting them would be selfish and we have other guns to shoot.

But most importantly, my buddy has told me if I ever shoot the one I have, he would find out and I would be in deep...........

Ed, I'll never shoot mine :nono:

I would shoot it once, because Bruce stated right barrel looked like it had been shot before then make it a safe queen or trade it down the road.No sense in making it another well used Parker.

But - thanks for letting some of us shoot it when you weren't looking.......




:shock:







:bigbye:





;)






John

OOOOO YA :rotf: scott

Bruce and Dean, I can respect that. If I ever come into one like that I'll trade for a couple really good shooters. I promise I won't shoot it before it gets to the right hands.

Nope... just looked at it again and guess what?..... You guys are jerkin' me around :bigbye:







.

I don't know Dean..Look at all the "discoloration" on the standing breach from all those fired shells....:duck:

After Scott & I finished shooting it, we cleaned it up "real good" and Scott had a small file and cold blue in the back of his pick-up truck - so we cleaned up the breach with those... She cleaned up pretty good, huh???

;)

JD

Dean, better check the bores. Pretty sure I heard Dunkle say he was shooting steel BB's...just warming up for big rabbits!

:rotf:
_______________ :rotf:
_____________________________ :rotf:

Now - that's GOOD!!!

;)

Actually - I was shooting rifled slugs at skeet targets - but......

;)

John

-but that's when you noticed the hair line crack in the stock!

Scott & I fixed that with a dab of J.B. Weld.. "Can't hardly see it"...

:)

JD

. . . . . * * * *

Dean, the color is green. Green with envy. Thank goodness, you, Bruce and others are keeping a few examples in pristine condition so future generations can admire what craftmanship from the good old USA looks like. Thanks, George

Ahhh, true gentlemen among rascals... it does the heart good. Thank you George and Tim.

Bruce,
Many thanks for posting those pics of a spectacular gun. I have a 12g GH that was well restored and lacks but the barrel finishing. The case colors from Turnbull are faithful to your pics.

Thanks again
Chuck

Pictures, please. Everyone likes to see pictures. I have seen some nice work from Turnbull.

There are a surprisingly ample number of original, pristine Parkers in collections. I know of around 100, maybe an equal number more. Out of total production of about 242,000 thats not a lot left. Kind of like cars, where somebody would buy a Corvette, Cadillac, Chevy convertible, an expensive car and then just put it away in the garage to admire and never or seldom drive it.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...kerwphez-1.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...ftsidercvr.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...iggerguard.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...ttshowside.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...tockshield.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...y/DSC_6274.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...y/DSC_6277.jpg

I did end up having to re-lay the ribs after the gun was finished and now have yet to refinish the damascus.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...elingsetup.jpg

But, I've since done some practice on a damascus sample and I should be able to do them myself as well. Just need to get a-round-tuit.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...rmanyrusts.jpg

Very nice, great checkering job. European or claro? I have difficulty telling the difference. Are you a gunsmith? Maybe tell about your work and how you do it?

Bruce
It's a nice piece of English from Pachmyr's probably near 35 yrs ago. It's just a bit on the dark side, but very nice. I bought this wood and this wood below from a friend maybe 5 yrs ago. (don't tell the PGCA bbs police that's not a Parker)
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...y/DSC_0040.jpg

Chuck - You had to relay the ribs after Turnbull finished with it? What's up with that? If you have the skill to relay ribs you can refinish the damascus barrels. Nice gun.

Chuck, very impressive work. And I certainly won't tell the Parker bbs police----those wascals.

Ed,
The metal colors are by Turnbull, the stock and metal prep is by a friend. He also did the barrels himself. When I got it back from him I noted a bit of seepage from the ribs and we had discussed it before he finished it. I knew they were not in the best shape, but we went ahead. I ended up not liking it with a rib starting to come loose and decided to learn the art of rib work. (I already knew how to do a mean babyback, and yes, I had stayed at a Holiday Inn Express:rotf:)

Bruce, are the triggers on your friend's 16 case colored or blued? Its hard to tell from your pics, but it looks like they might be case colored. That would be a significant thing, if true. Thanks.

Bruce,
Nah, not a real gunsmith. Me and my mutt just like the doubles.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...ovehunters.jpg


I did do it for a number of stores for a couple yrs when I was out of work. I had a machine shop and did all kinds of work. Mostly repairs, 1911 work, pads, etc.. The trade is interesting in that it takes so many different skills to just do decent gunsmithing, let alone gunmaking. I find learning a skill to be the fascinating part. Loose ribs are normally a death card for most buyers of doubles. With this skill in my pocket, it could open up some opportunities on guns that are otherwise desireable and at a great price. The damascus finishing was being tossed around quite a bit a few yrs ago on the doublegunshop bbs and I took an interest in it. I failed a couple attempts and a couple yrs later, I tried again based on a review of some old emails with Dr Gaddy, his articles and some banter on the dg bbs

Bruce
I liked the cowboy hat better!
David:bigbye:http://parkerguns.org/forums/images/smilies/xyxwave.gif

Looks like a Rand from Billings.

Bruce, what an incredible eye! Yes, it's a Rand.


What about those triggers? CC or nitre?

I'll get photos.

The river, left, is a little south of Billings.