32" vs 30"
 

I am looking at a 32" VHE 20ga and trying to determine how much value a 32" barrel adds over a 30" one. I know how difficult it is to find a nice 30" 20 ga but have never purchased a 32" . Any ideas???
David

All things being equal David, I would be willing to pay a good 25% premium over 30" barrels.

I don't know if I indicated this to Morris last year when I said to him "Name your price."

He wouldn't - he didn't - and as far as I know he still owns it.




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Thanks Dean. This is not Morris's gun but one that has been "in the closet " for 20+ years

David I have seen 3 32" 20 gauge VHE guns in the last year that sold. Two of them were identical (PG,DT,AS,SFE). One had a DHBP,the other a replacement rubber pad. Both had seen use and had CC in protected areas only but were solid guns. One sold for 5K,asking price on the other was 5K and it sold (quickly),not sure what for. The 3rd was was sold on this site, asking price was $3,200, had a pinned stock and it sold quickly. You can search the forum and find that one easily. I know the first two referenced still had original chokes and chambers with good bores. Hope that helps a little...

Those prices seem a little less than I would have expected.

Thanks for that info.
Reggie, me too, but condition , condition, condition
!

I looked for a long time to fine one (8 years) . like Dean said I would pay top dollar . I missed out on a few so I didn't try to get a deal on it. I am glad I bought it when I did because when I hung up the phone the dealer said another guy called and wanted it too. mine is a VHE 32 in F/imp mod with nice screws and wood.
scott

That's correct. Condition is key here.

The 32-incher that sold recently was also a totally redone gun. FWIW

1926 DHE 20/32. Original.

Xxxxx

That's wonderful Bruce. Thanks for sharing.





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It would take a lot more than $5k to make me part with my 1-frame, 20/32 VHE, straight stock DHBP. The case colors are not original but I don’t care.

Bruce, once again you steal the show. Gawd, that’s a magnificent gun.

Parker Bros. seem to have made more 32-inch 20-gauges then other makers. Possibly DuBray taking orders for guns for California duck club members pushed this. The record tabulations in The Parker Story show 221 VH-/VHE-Grades, six PH-/PHE-Grades, 43 GH-/GHE-Grade, 171 DH-/DHE-Grades, 13 CH-/CHE-Grades, 21 BH-/BHE-Grades (one of these was Clark Gable's), one AH-/AHE-Grade, six AAH-/AAHE-Grades and four A1-Specials. On top of these, there are guns like my GH-Grade that started life as a 2-frame 12-gauge but later went back to Meriden for a set of 32-inch, 3-inch chambered, 20-gauge barrels. One year at The Vintage Cup at Orvis Sandanona, when Kevin McCormack and I were doing the PGCA booth, we had a display that included 0-, 1-, and 2-frame 32-inch 20-gauges.

I have searched the A.H. Fox production records and only found 48 regular frame graded 20-gauges with 32-inch barrels, add that 26 of the sixty some HE-Grade Super-Fox 20-gauges have 32-inch barrels and still only 74 compared to all those Parkers.

Just to add to Dave's post, only 4 CE Foxes were made in 20ga with 32 inch barrels. One of these walked in to our booth at the Southern a couple of years back.

Bruce
Fantastic Parker, but did not address the question?
David

I have owned two 20 gauge 32" VH #2 frame guns. I would pay a bunch to get #153,333 back. In my opinion, a 32" gun should sell for at least a 25% premium, more than that in the V grade category.

I tend to agree with that as well. I forgot to mention in the first post where I cited those numbers that the V grade that sold for 5K was an O frame gun of 1919 vintage that weighs 6-11 oz. As you might have guessed it's in my safe. I believe the other one I referenced that was not sold here was also an O frame gun.

Researcher wrote:

I have searched the A.H. Fox production records and only found 48 regular frame graded 20-gauges with 32-inch barrels, add that 26 of the sixty some HE-Grade Super-Fox 20-gauges have 32-inch barrels and still only 74 compared to all those Parkers.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the breakdown of the Fox 20 gauges, Dave. Yes they are quite rare compared to other makers. I will have an AE 32-incher in my display at the MACA show in Timonium this weekend.

I was involved in a bidding war on Gunbroker a few years back for

1920 20 bore GH -0 frame-straight grip - DT- SFE - 32" "191XXX.

At auctions end I was high bidder at $7,800 If I remember correctly. I was able to renegotiate down to the $6500 range as the gun had a few issues not described in the listing. If pressed, I would have accepted it at the bid price as opposed to returning it. This gun was WELL Used but honest, save some poor stock touch up work.

I would have bought the pinned stock V grade gun that sold for $3200 on this board in a minute had I seen it in time.

The 25% premium is a good number to work with in my opinion. Higher condition guns perhaps even more.

Decades ago, I paid $450 for my old #2 frame 32" 20, serial number 153,333 at Atlas Sporting Goods in Bailey's Crossroads, Virginia. At the time, a normal 26" or 28" 20 gauge VH would probably have sold for $225. I would like to find that gun and purchase it today. Does that anecdote add anything to our conversation?

Value is up to the person. I have 20’s in 32, 30, 26 and 24. The 32 works for me only for trap shooting and certainly not in the field. To me a 32 is not worth more than a 30 but I know it’s a big deal to many people.

I love shooting my 32 in. ,20, it's a great crow and duck gun, I shot a crow with it last sat. in Maine, and when the NH season opens this fri, I hope to shoot a lot more of them with it.:)
scott

Bruce,
Why no 28" barrels?

The fellows back east have bought them all. Maybe I can find one with chopped barrels.

I have two Parker 20's with 30 inch barrels, one a GH Damascus (not many of these produced) that has been completely redone by Turnbull. I purchased it several years ago from a member and a DHE with all the options and 90% case color. The DHE is easily a 5 figure gun. Then there is the 32 inch BHE with factory 3 inch chambers and a straight grip (the DHE is a straight grip as well) which IMHO is a great target gun and perhaps useful in a Dove field or duck blind.

At the end of the day would I pay more for those extra 2 inches? I guess it would have to depend on the gun. If the BHE wasn't a 32 inch gun I'd have probably passed on it.

Thanks to everyone for all the great pics and discussion. Everyone talks and shows and then Bruce trumps em all. Thanks Bruce for sharing, you have some great Parkers.

When appraising a 32" 20 gauge,I have found the 32" gun will sell for double the retail price of an equal condition 26" or 28" gun.A 30" 20 gauge will bring at least a 50% premium.I have found that holds true with other American doubles as well.That was not true even 25 years ago when 26" guns brought a premium.

I searched for 5 years for an all original, good condition(50% CC) , 30 " straight grip 20ga. A good friend, Paul Dorsa, finally took pity on me and sold me his VHE. Based on what I paid for the 30" SS that would put a 32" at $ 8500. John???
David

You already have someone one this thread who bid $7800 for one with issues.I saw a high condition 32" VHE sell at Tulsa last year for $10500.A 32" will bring double the price that a 26" or 28" if the condition is equal.

John
Thank you!! I was told my 30" VHE 20ga, 60-65 % CC gun was worth $8500-$9000 but did not quite believe it. Sorry guys-it is not available!
David

John that is some good information! Thanks for your input.

I need to contact a friend of mine who offered me a two barrel 20ga VHE 28 and 32 no safety for $4500. It had a trigger issue he wanted to get resolved before selling.

I would value my high condition DHE 30 inch 20 with all the options very close to my BHE 32 inch 20.

Rich
condition, condition & condition. I listened to one of our top collectors who focuses on "as new" Parkers explain that the value of a 95% gun and a 98% gun was a factor of 2X.
David

David I couldn't agree more. Condition is the key to the collector. I was admonished by some of the "collectors" for taking my DHE 20 hunting and to use on the clays course as the condition would diminish with use. My reply was "It's the next guys problem and when that happens I'll be dead and won't care"

While high condition is key for some. I focus on guns in the "sweet spot" - Honest, cared for but used to the point I will not worry when I add a mar to them. If I buy a gun... its going hunting.

[QUOTE=David Dwyer;238321]Rich
condition, condition & condition. I listened to one of our top collectors who focuses on "as new" Parkers explain that the value of a 95% gun and a 98% gun was a factor of 2X.
David[/Q

Wow. I find that amazing based on that narrow a spread based on subjectivity of rating a condition. If demonstrated correctly the math suggests a $10K 95% judged gun compared to same gun, all else being equal, judged at 98% is worth $20k. In reverse that is saying a gun that might be worth $20k depreciates 50% based on a 3% variation in top end quality/condition gun.

That's just a hard one to reconcile. Know vagaries of the market place are not that specific, but still that is a massive spread. Granted that is maybe an off the cuff statement and don't doubt its veracity but there must be other factors. I know some collectors that could care less what so called market value is, they want what they want and a premium price is just an inconvenient hurdle overcome by an excess cash and want problem. There must be some other lump sum considerations as well.

Mark's coining of a new descriptive phrase for our favorite 80% to 90% guns will be helpful to those selling such guns. "The Sweet Spot" is exactly what most of us covet. Thanks, Mark. "For Sale, VHE 20 gauge, 28", all original. Condition is in the SWEET SPOT with 50% case colors, 95% barrel blue, 30% blue on trigger guard, most original stock finish with original dog's head buttplate. Bore dimensions as made, .615 with chokes .006 and .012. $XXX contact XXXX."

As a big fan of long barrels on Amercan SxS's I have found this thread to be quite interesting and have enjoyed it immensely. Sort of makes me want to start a new thread, 32" vs 34", hmmmmmmm....