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To Restore or Not to Restore
All:
Please forgive if this sounds like a noob question. I inherited a Remington Made Parker after my dad died last December. Dad loved shotguns of all kinds and he held onto this one thinking it might be worth something. The gun is post Remington #237XXX VM 16 GA. The "Parker" is on the bottom of the Receiver and not on the side. The bluing on the barrel is gone. The flame treatment on the receiver, if there ever was any, is gone. The receiver and barrels are engraved. There is a duck/goose engraved on the left inside a circle. The circle on the right side is empty. The butt stock has some issues. One of the previous owners carved his name just above the butt plate. Overall to me it looks like a neglected old gun that you usually see at the swap meet. The real question I suppose is - Is this a diamond in the rough or should I sell it at the next gun show to somebody looking for a gun to use as parts? Please forgive me if that sounds too matter of fact. Dad raised us around shotguns and rifles our entire lives, and we have our own collections. Now we are tasked with sorting dads collection of 20+ shotguns of various manufacturers and actions. Is this old girl worth refinishing? What is the market or value of a refinished Remington built Parker? |
welcome Shawn
the "flame treatment " was case coloring- not propane- it wears off with use if you could post some pictures we could help you identify the grade but- sounds like a diamond in the rough to me |
From your description of the engraving it sounds like you have a higher grade than a V grade. Just because it has honest wear it doesn't always warrant restoration. In fact it may be worth more as it is. Please post photos the more the better.
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What you have there is a custom engraved VH grade. The original VH zig zag border engraving is there still, but someone tried their hand at adding some additional engraving to the frame and the barrels.
This would not be considered any sort of an upgrade since it is not trying to replicate an actual Parker grade. Restoration would technically mean putting back as a proper VH, which would mean very extensive work and money which would not realize itself in the end in regards to market value. The wood had also been replaced with something to be intended to be more fancy as well. |
So what you are saying is it is a worthless "put together". Worthless in collectible value, but not worthless as a shooter if I choose to refinish it and shoot it.
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As Eric suggested. Any money spent on cosmetic restoration of the gun would be putting good money after bad so to speak. Unless you are doing the work yourself. Then your labor is free.
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I actually like the gun just the way it is. Has a lot of character. Kind of classy.
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The "value" of this gun is two-fold. First, as a testimony to its long life as well as some previous owner's concept of "enhancement." Many American double guns from the 20th Century carry such handiwork. They are artifacts of times past.
This does not mean the gun lacks function. It will still perform well with moderate ammunition. But the real value of this gun is that it was your father's. Even if simply by his purchase one day in the past. He saw worth in it. And as a piece of your father's memory, I'd say the gun has special value... |
Shooter
If you like it, use it. What is the actual serial number?
It is a Remington gun, undoubtedly. While it may not be a beauty, what could you buy better new for the price he probably paid? Nothing. |
This Parker got in the wrong hands of a real hack of an engraver,not very classy to me. J.J.
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Looks like and electric pencil job. If not too deep I would have it polished out and recolored or browned with barrel browner and rubbed down to give it a used look. I do it alot with old tools that are rusted/pitted and it looks more natural than a bright surface. My buddy just did it on a 76 Winchester that someone had taken sandpaper to and it looks great with the "worn" brown patina.
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if this gun was my fathers it would be priceless...charlie
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I agree Charlie, I would stop and think about him every time I picked the gun up, It obviously meant a lot to him, every man is an artist in his on right, Gary
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