Is my gun illegitimate?
 

Got my letter for my GH 20 gauge today! Great turnaround time. The letter states my gun left the factory as a 16 gauge with Damascus barrels. Since the gun actually has Vulcan steel barrels, is it possible someone decided to convert it to a twenty rather than a sixteen? Current barrels are the same length as original sixteen Damascus barrels which were 28". The barrel flats are stamped Parker proved and have a HTA, V in a circle and a weight of 3.1, lug is marked 20 and 0. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Any Remington repair codes on the left barrel flat and do the serial numbers match the frame?

Are the barrels serial numbered to the gun?

I think there have been several factory rebarreled guns discussed in the past

Maybe the letter is wrong. The documents that Chuck works with are not exactly clear- in fact they are downright fuzzy.

Yes, check with Chuck for a confirmation. It is not unusual for a Damascus gun to be retrofitted with steel barrels and not be documented in factory records.

The style of buttplate on the gun (if it still has one) will help confirm original gauge.

0 frame 16g guns used a larger buttplate than 0 frame 20g guns. So if your plate is the larger "1" style, then it was originally a 16g.

There are no repair codes. The serial number matches the gun. Will try and post a pic of butt plate.

Yes I have a AHE like that, 20/28 gauge barrels fitted for it by Remington but born with 16 gauge barrels.

Dave,
That is the number 1 size buttplate. So, that would mean your gun was built as a 16g originally.

Your gun was either rebarreled by Meriden. Or maybe later on by someone else. I have seen some guns before that were rebarreled by Lefever Arms in the 1960s and 70s. They had a lot of left over parker parts inventory as well as a lot of factory equiptment and they were well equipt for rebarreling Parkers with NOS barrel sets.

Thanks to everyone for all the information. Even thought the gun started life as a 16, it shoots and handles awesome as a 20!

Can't ask for anything more......

I have a GH who's Damascus barrels were replaced with Vulcan Steel barrels. A dear friend has his great-grandfathers 1897 AAH that came with Whitworth Steel Barrels and had an additional four sets of Vulcan Steel barrels fitted to the gun over a period of about 15 years.. One set were open choked short barrels and the rest were variations in constriction for live bird shooting.

I have a 20 that used to be a 16 and would love to compare notes...
:eek: