Serial Number History
 

Curious if anyone can tell me the history of a Parker that my father owns. The Parker serial number is 102751 and is located on the barrel lug and tang on the trigger guard. The receiver looks like 102754, but might be 102751. Damascus barrels, 20 gauge, 28”, double triggers, and has Meridian, CT on the barrel rib. The bottom of the receiver looks like two snipes, one side has ducks in grass and the other side has a bird with a feather on its head, maybe a blues quail. Any info would be appreciated.

serial number 102751 lists as a 12 gauge VH

there would be only simple border engraving

the book has been wrong on occasion

could you post some pictures of you gun?

102754 is a 16 ga. GH with 28" Damascus barrels and a capped pistol grip.

Correction, serial number is 102754 and it is a 20 gauge. Attached are several pics and one showing a 20 gauge shell in the barrel. We would not be shooting modern ammo in Damascus barrels, ONLY to show it is a 20 gauge. My father said the story behind the gun included Jay Gould, but he passed away in 1892 and the gun serial number puts the mfg. date at 1901. So doubt the story has merit. Thanks for helping me with this....

Any body know what that small pin is underneath the rear bite.

That is the drift pin that retains the replaceable wear plate.

Apparently we have seen another error in the Serialization book. 102754 is shown as a 16 ga. GH

but seeing it as a 20 is a nice surprise

nice family treasure

It's possible it was built as a 16, but returned for new barrels in 20ga. Looks like it has been ridden hard.

Thanks Dean. Is that something that was done as a repair to the bite. This is the first one of these I have seen.

This particular one was done at a later date. The wear plate pictured is the 1910 version and the gun is much earlier than 1910.

The gun is a GH-Grade with an 0-frame. 102754, was from well before the replaceable bolt-plate of 1910 design. So, the fact that it has the new style bolt and bolt-plate is a big clue that it was returned to Meriden sometime after 1910. The fact that the barrel address is "Conn." rather than "CT, U.S.A." suggests before 1918.

Methinks it would be well worth your time and money to join the PGCA and order a research letter on the gun. A straight-grip hammerless 20-gauge Parker is a desirable gun, probably worth a quality restoration.

Researcher, thank you for your response. We decided the gun was in need of preservation to say the least. Rust was developing and the wood was horrible. My grandfather supplied lumber to the railroads and I think he may have applied railroad tie gunk to the wood. After three gallons of acetone this is where I ended up, were happy with the outcome. We wanted to keep the gun in as original state as possible, just wanted to preserve/protect the gun. Although the gun would have looked new had we sent it to NY, this was not our intention.
Link on my reassembly of the receiver and steps I took to preserve the steel and barrel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HxJinAtZpE