BH 87337 what to do with it??
 

I bought a bunch of parker parts from a gentleman this weekend and in the rubble was BH 87337.

This poor old fella has seen better days leaving the factory as an original straight grip - 28" - top lever - hammerless - Damascus gun. I got all the important stuff with it so now I just have to figure out what to do. The wood can be saved and the stock has an original pad with widows peak/nib. On the shield it is inscribed "Paratus Sum" Latin for "I AM Ready" or "To Be Prepared" with a Griffin and banner. The receiver and trigger guard can be welded and fixed I think. The forearm latch and tip may or may not need replaced. The barrel looks like it was used to stir a pot of salt water soup. Trigger plate has 3 stags on it, the receiver has pointers on the left and setters on the left. How hard will it be to find Damascus barrels in 28"? What do you think????

I am inclined to think that any B grade should be saved? Maybe $3K to $4K as a budget?

What a find Brian! But... A lot of work!
The best thing you have going for it is that it is a legit grade 5 and that the stock is salvageable, by the looks of it.

The barrels are toast though which is too bad. But, they are standard Damascus (single D). Not fine Damascus (double D). So, finding a set of replacement barrels will be a lot easier.

The significant pitting can be remedied with some work, but all the metal work would mean needing to recut most all the engraving, from scratch likely.

Your budget question of $3k to $4k would likely be all or mostly spent on engraving.

That gun looks very similar in terms of engraving to my BH 87712, not surprising I guess since they are so close. Mine has steel barrels though!

What kind of steel Greg? That serial number is too early for Acme or Titanic, unless it was sent back during the days of the 'dangerous Damascus' scare for replacement fluid steel barrels.

There is a potential for your original barrels to be sleeved with fluid tubes. This would help preserve the fitting, serial numbers, etc. They would, however, need to be blacked. It isn't cheap, but your whole project is not a budget minded notion. The man for sleeving is Kirk Merrington.

I personally would never consider sleeving a BH just for the reason of keeping serial numbers. A set of Damascus barrels could be fitted well enough and numbers re-stamped to where they would appear as original.

Mine shows to be the first fitted with steel barrels. It's too far back in the safe for me to drag it out right now but I think they are Titanic steel.

The more I look at the pics above, it is very similar. The stock especially.

Yup, 87712 is an early Titanic gun.

Unfortunately it looks like a money pit to me if full restoration was considered---what a shame. I guess I would at a max find a new set of barrels and forend iron put it back together and enjoy it for what it is. Now if it was a Fox-----:corn:

Greg, is your BH the one with the extra long forend that was on the market a few years ago?

BH 87337
 

Brian, first I would try to determine if the gun has a significant documentable provenance. Does it warrant the cost of a complete restoration?

If you want to shoot it, clean up the barrels and see if they are structurally sound. The least expensive approach is a "drop in" 20 ga. tube set, followed by used replacement barrels. Even if you used the existing barrels for a monoblock donor, I expect the cost of sleeving, blueing and forearm fitting would be north of $2K.

If you do not want to shoot it, I would not clean it up at all. I would reassemble it as is and clear coat the metal surfaces to prevent further oxidation and hang it in a prominent place. You might consider ultrasonically cleaning the engraved parts before reassembling. It is a nice conversation starter.

I definitely am going to shoot it. At a min I will get another set of Damascus 28" barrels and get it working. The end of the barrel crumbled in my hands but actually would be quite funny showing up at the range with tube inserts in them and shooting it. I am sure I would get quite a look!

If anyone has 28" Damascus barrels I am in the market. I will send off for the letter today.

When you get the letter, I think it will show the stocks were factory replaced at one time.

Tough decision, but i think, like Craig, that I would take it slow, and do what I could to get it into shootable condition first. And if time and pocketbook allow, have engraving done later. I have a friend with a whole lot of old SXS barrels and will ask him if by any chance he would have any Parker 12ga damascus, or steel barrels that might fit a 2 frame
gun--probably not, but I will ask.

BH 87337
 

Brian, how much fell off. You can get tube sets in shorter lengths. They even build them for snub nose guns. :rotf: Seriously, I will keep a lookout for those Dam(n)? 2 frame 28" barrels.

Bill - no, my gun has a normal splinter forend. This is the gun I bought from Cabela's some years ago that HD Kirkover had bought new. It letters as the first steel barreled B grade as I recall.

Don't want to hijack this thread but here are a couple pics of 87712. It's a #2 12/30 straight grip. I ha ve a little bit of a hard time shooting it as the stock is smooth enough that it's a little tougher to hold onto than I like.

I should add that I believe it is the first made with 'Parker' steel barrels and that some had been made earlier with Whitworth barrels.

Wow!

Absolutely stunning!

Greg ,What a Wonderful Gun !!!!!!!!! I wonder what the engravers were thinking ,Deer "Stag " on a shotgun ,My BH Has the same ,wish mine was a beautiful Setter and a couple of Grouse !!!!!!!!!!

Looks fine to me! Put'er together and shoot it!!! :)

Brian, I have a set of 2 frame 30 in barrels if that would be anything you would be interested in. Call if you are. 804-761-6046. Carvel

I don't know????? the more I look at these barrels maybe they can be saved with some micro welding....just kidding!:knowbetter:

Carvel....... I will call you tomorrow on the barrels, I don't like to bother people after 9pm.

The new letter requester widget is pretty darn nice! Even I figured it out!

Outstanding find!!!

Whatever you decide to do, you have a very neat piece of history. If I were you, I think I would spend as much as I could afford in stages to bring it back to it's original beauty.

PopPop

I would take time and build it. What a find and just imagine when it is finished! To me it is a piece of history and a once in a lifetime chance to own such a beauty even though it will cost. Compare it's value when finished to what a similar gun would cost on the market if one was available. If replacement cost of a similar gun is much more than the restoration cost, I would say it is a worthwhile project, provided the finished gun would have the value to justify the project. I know you guys know what those numbers would be, what do you think? Please share your thoughts, I would love to know what you think for all of us who can only dream of owning such a piece.

I would get some replacement barrels and just clean up the rest of the gun. It deserves to be brought back to shooting condition.

Brian, My reaction to this thread when I read it was what a find. I didn't have much emotion except a good laugh when I saw your " I think I can bring back the barrels with microwelding" photo.
However, last night I had several horrible nightmares that my Parkers had developed horrible bulging spongecake rust under the bluing that would come out in wet gobs.
Good luck with your project.
Erick

If you were in the Deep South, you could try duct tape.

I would do that barrel like a pups tail. Take a little off at a time until I thought it looked good.

I have seen some barrels that were pretty bad before but I beleave those are the worst I have ever seen. Even duct tape won't help. What a shame.

Barrels
 

Mills: I saw a photo in one of Dean's post where he has a set of barrels taped. The New England folks are learning from us southern boys:rolleyes: Bob

"Duct tape won't fix that" Said no Southerner ever.

I have an E Grade lifter with a terribly cracked stock that was fixed by duct tape. It is not too pretty, but will do until I get some other projects out of the way.

I am probably going to use Dean's method on my 8 gauge this weekend. The barrels on it are shiny and big

Donor guns are out there. I bought about three before I found a suitable set of barrels for my #3 frame World's Fair BH 10. I fell in love with every gun I bought and didn't return any of them, even though the barrels were not suitable. Who can resist "another #3 frame"? However, one gun had the barrels that fit and were in great condition. Now I will have two back ends that will work with the donor barrels. They will also work with the original 18" barrels, which I may have sleeved, maybe to 40". My retirement checks go directly to project guns. Nothing left over.

I think even Charlie Cleavland would recommend Hose clamps, sheet metal and perhaps a little bailing wire.

I think she's a Diamond in the rough ! All good suggestions so far ,If it were mine ,I would start cleaning the best parts , find a good set of barrels have them fit and think I had just STRUCK GOLD !!!!!!!!!!!!

In defense of Southerners, I seem to recall seeing a Parker with a fairly new radiator clamp on it pictured on this forum and I immediately thought, "These guys are all right, you see that on better guns down south all the time!", and I thought duct tape was recognized as a standard repair method by the PGCA even though bailing wire works better in some cases.

UhUH HUM I Beg Your Pardon but , Duct Tape is only considered to be the Proper repair on a Parker Brother's shotgun , providing it is an Expensive Roll of Duct Tape ,Applied by an even More Expensive Gun Smith :rotf:

Well I found solid steel at 21 1/2" so I have rare Wells Fargo BH coach gun now. At 22" I could push a screwdriver through the barrel.

I put all the parts back in the receiver and it locks up tight, cocks and fires. All the internal parts that have serial numbers were with the parts I received. If you have never been inside a B (I had not) everything is polished and finished to perfection, very nice! After a very close inspection the gun is not that bad!!!! and it is going to get brought back to its glory.
The bolsters need welded but the transition to the sides and tang will allow you to blend it.
The hinge pin area on the left needs welding and can be blended with the recess.
The upper tang needs welded and it can be blended.
The forearm iron and release would best be replaced and engraving duplicated.
The trigger guard needs welded and blended.
The face of the receiver will take somebody that can machine the repairs back to flat perfection. I think that will be a challenge.
The trigger plate is in great shape.

All in, it will be cheaper than any B on the shelf and a gun saved. Only 38 B's in 28" Damascus barrels is cool enough, besides it was probably a gift from the Pittsburg Pirates to Honus Wagner in his second season that will be brought out in the factory letter.

The toughest part of the project will be the 1 years in process. I will get the wood and barrel straightened out first and then get the receiver done later.
Any leads on barrels would be greatly appreciated!

Bravo Brian! Good on you and good luck with the project. I handled a very vintage pin fire double gun this past fall. The muzzle on one barrel had thinned so much from shooting that it had an ~3/16" hole in it.... and they just kept on shooting it! The barrels were never cut. The owner even has a few shells for it.

Good job Brian! I would use the barrel situation as an excuse to get some longer barrels for it. 30" or 32"

Good for you on building it. If you end up with a nice set of short barrels and a good set of donor barrels, you will have a great BH. Saving one of that quality is a complement to every shooter who loves a side by side. Got to be one of the most worthwhile projects that you will ever undertake, what else are we here for anyway. Find the right guy who can do the metal work and is as excited about saving that gun as you are and away you go! Congrats on a great find, that gun has been waiting for years for you to come along. As one old collector said when asked why we love the old guns, he replied, "They harbor old men's souls", they aren't just old guns.