UK Based Parker Collectors
 

Hi all, new member here.

I'm a younger shotgun/firearm collector (and hunter/shooter) in the UK. I was born in Boston, MA, and one of my older shooting friends thought I should therefore have an American-made double. He has given me the following Parker as a gift, but did advise me to trade it for something if I couldn't get on with it!:

2.5" chamber, 13.5" LOP, heavy drop, toprib extension, double triggers, automatic safety. "Parker Bros" 12 bore BLNE

VH grade (marked Vulcan Steel on the barrel) 12 gauge Parker with a size 2 frame from 1911 (dated from serial number)

The bore is bright, with very light pitting. The action is tight, and the gun is nitro proofed. There is frosting and light marks to the furniture and external metal components.

There is no case hardening at all, which is not a surprise, but the barrels have 99% of their bluing. The stock is short at 13 1/2”.

It has marks from handling, cabinet wear etc. Non ejector, 2.5" chambers, 30” barrels.

I was wondering how original you chaps think this might be? Obviously it has been reproofed under the british system, so that's a change - but were they made with stocks this short? It is far too short for me to shoot right now - I have tried, and the balance is all wrong (I'm 6'2", and it is unusual).

I was wondering if there were any UK Based Parker collectors/collectors of American Doubles? Would love to discuss this gun with them, and see if there were many other US doubles over here.

Best wishes,

Sanjay

Hi Sanjay - I replied to the other post you made but I will tell you I live in Andover, about 20 miles north of Boston.

Have you tried a lace-on boot for your gun? It should give you as much as 3/4" in length.

Your VH sounds like it is in original condition and gun stocks of 13" were made by Parker Bros by request. But on a 2 frame with 30" barrels it seems pretty unlikely that the 13" LOP is original.





.

Sanjay:
I'm not sure about a UK Parker group. But if anyone can help you get on well with your VH Parker, it's my UK friend Robert Hodges. He can also guide you to a 'smith who can make it work for your tall stature. I will PM his email.

Thanks dean - I shoot it normally with a slip on silicone boot, but might invest in a nicer leather pad that ties on, as most of my guns are a fraction short for me.

I agree - it's an odd stock length for the long barrels. That said, it clearly used to have a recoil pad attached - there are dowel marks on the butt - but I think it is the original stock length, or was shortened professionally. What sort of checkering on the butt do parkers normally have? This has simple line checkering

Hello Sanjay
I am the proud owner of a Parker short Ten, I am down in deepest Devon. That's Two Parker owners so far,

Hi Steve,

Two is better than one!

Ah, what does a short ten look like? Is it a 10 bore?

All the best,

Sanjay

Don't forget David Ross...





.

Who's that Dean? Haven't made his acquaintance/am out of the loop.

My mistake... David Ross.





.

Hello Sanjay,
The short ten is a ten bore with a 2 7/8 “ chamber, hence the short ten. A great Wildfowlers gun only problem is you have load your own cartridges. Using non toxic shot, bismuth or tungsten.

Hi Steve,

How interesting - and yes, I can understand that you'd need to load your own! What is it choked at? I would love to load up some tungsten/bismuth for some of my older guns - taking them duck flighting is just otherwise not doable with their chambers. But bismuth is hard stuff to find!

Best,

Sanjay

Kensal, do you come across Parkers in England? I would suspect that there aren't many. There are so many great London and BIrmingham guns. My favorite English gun is a Harrison and Hussey. It has the best engraving on any gun I have seen, better even than the Purdeys. The were only made for a short period of time in the early twenties. It is a typical London best with oak and leather case. It was proffed for 1 1/4 oz. loads and I have used it extensively on Sasketechawan ducks and geese. The best guns the world has ever seen have come out of London by the classic makers.

Mr. Flanigan:
The only "English Parker" I've ever seen was a DH I once owned that had been sleeved by Westley Richards, and so marked. Otherwise, I fully agree with your assessment of classic British guns. They have no equal in this day and age. However, I would re-think those 1 1/4 oz. loads you're using in the Harrison & Hussey. That stock wood is over 100 years old, and could be a bit brittle...

Good point Kensal. I hand load my 1 1/4 oz. loads to 1200 fps. I don't use any of the factory shells that produce over 13,000 fps. My loads kick mildly and the pressures are under 7,500 psi. The Harrison and Hussey patterns beautifully with them. I wouldn't shoot any of the factory 1 1/4 oz. loads in my Hussey or any other gun. The gun was proofed at the factory for 1 1/4 oz. loads obviously built for an American. I believe that I am doing the gun no damage with my hand loads. But you have a great point. Thanks for your response.