16 GH Project
 

I just got this 16 gauge GH with 28” damascus barrels made in 1889. It’s on a #1 frame and the weight from the research letter is 7lbs 4oz. Also from the letter: LOP 14 ½ Drop at heel is 3 ¼” chokes are both 145 pellets at 45 yards which I am assuming will be IM or F.

It needs some TLC, but I am hoping to bring it back and it should make a nice shooter. I am not sure if the stock can be saved, I don’t have any other pieces, just what is in the pictures.

I believe everything has been hot blued, given the 2 weep holes under the forend. The fit of the barrels to the frame does seem exactly right though the gun is tight(opens and closes as it should). Everything seems to be there, the internal hammers works. The bores are good. I have some extra screws/parts that I believe go to the safety.

What should I do? Is this a good restock candidate? I could try to find a 1 frame stock. I would like to get the barrels refinished as this is my first damascus 16. I would also like to remove the bluing from the receiver and forend pieces. Then I could re-case color those or leave them as is, silver/white.

I do think this gun deserves to be fixed and put back in service. I am looking forward to that!

A few more pictures...

One more from the top of the receiver. As I mentioned the fit doesn't seem exactly right but the action works and closes tight.

Thats a project for sure. 3+ inches of drop is a lot to overcome IMHO but as long as your at it get a competent gunsmith to bend the tangs and restock it. Getting another Parker stock to fit will most likely be problematic. If you move forward you will have way more money in this than what it's worth when completed other than the satisfaction of saving the gun.

GH 1 frame stock on ebay
 

Jay,

There is a 1 frame GH round grip stock on Ebay. It is listed as Vintage Parker Bros. Double Barrel Shotgun Stock.

Here's my 2 cents for what it's worth.

The stock is beyond saving, the receiver has rust etching in places & the engraving worn, the barrels are off face & will need to be re-fit, that's an interesting sighting modification filed into the opening lever.

I've been down this road many times & in todays world it will probably take at least $4000.00 to make this one right again. I always try to look at the barrels as the foundation for a possible restoration candidate, if the barrels aren't good you're wasting your time & money. Keep in mind that this one will probably be a two to three years project on top of the money spent.

Interesting gun and you don't see many in that early era. Like others said, it is not a money maker. If you restore, do it for the satisfaction of bringing it back and making it a shooter

Thank for that Ebay lead Tom. I couldn't tell the frame size from the description/pictures. I just emailed them asking for some more specific measurements. If it is for a #1 frame I might just try it.

I also wouldn't mine making this gun more to my liking with straight stock.
The bores look good on the inside. Though I think someone more qualified then me needs to look at this project.

Stock
 

Jay,

The stock has the 1 frame butt plate.

Jay if the barrels were hot blued, then you my have a loose rib and relaying ribs is a costly thing to do. It looks like a money pit to me.

Far more experienced Parkerphiles than I have already given you their opinions. I'm a 16 fan, and have 2 GH 16s. I will just say this....when you start getting estimates...(hard to do correctly without gun in hand)..or invoices for work you have had done...or asked for a time frame...You will be shocked..I would very seriously consider the advice you have been given..because you can bet that all the ills that this gun needs to be shootable...have already been addressed and paid for by these opinions..A word to the wise...................

I appreciate all of the advice and I should have known better when I bought this one. I couldn't help myself when I saw it was a 16 though...

I don't want to put $4k in it right now, I would like to save it at some level if possible.

I don't need to rush into anything on this one. I did buy that #1 frame stock off Ebay just in case. If nothing else, my inventory of Parker parts is increasing.

The increasing parts theory is a good one for this gun. I have restocked two Parkers and your looking at $3000+/- for wood and labor alone and the wait time could be a couple of years. Add in the cost of it's other issues and you could buy a decent DH/DHE 16.

if you can do some work yourself i believe you can make a shooter out of this gun...if the stock you bought fits your off to a good start....charlie

But its a 16 ga. and all of us 16 ga. guys have a soft spot for all 16 ga. If you can save her that would be great. Yea its going to cost a bunch but its a16 ga. I'm getting a GH 16 done right now at Bachelders. When that gun gets done I'll send ya pictures to inspire.

No one likes 16's better than i do (13 at last count) but some dogs don't hunt and this is one of them.

Um, guys, just checked the book and this is the second hammerless and first G grade 16. Does that change the calculus on bringing the old girl back to life? Somebody please double check my research.

I like the idea of putting money into a 16 DH or a hammer gun instead, neither of which I have. The only 16 I have is a VH. That was one of the reasons I jumped on this one even given the condition...so I would have 2. I am $800 in it and maybe I will luck out with that other stock and have a shooter/rainy day gun.

I will file this under I am old enough to know better, but did it anyway.

Mike, I will check the serialization book too. That would be an interesting point of distinction if it was the first 16 gauge GH.

From the letter, I don't have an individual name listed from the order. The gun was ordered by Griffith & Sample of Louisville, KY on August 6, 1889 and shipped on November 11, 1889.

The first 16 hammerless is a D4. IF the book is accurate then you have an entry for Parkers Found. Personally, I'd save up to restore/conserve it.

Anything can be brought back, but that Looks like a parts gun to me.

Turn it into a shooter
 

Make it a shooter if possible with parts. If it shoots good and becomes a favorite. you can fix it up later.

Nothing would be hurt if you glued the stock back together and pined it yourself. OOPS! I just saw you don't have the other piece of the stock. You might call Show Me Gun Stocks in Warsaw, MO 660-438-4568 and speak to Donnie Gemes about stocking your Parker.

I had a DHE trap gun that Donnie stocked over 15 years ago. He did a great job and it was definitely Parker looking. I bet he's way north of $3K today and over a year away for delivery.

16 GH
 

Since you have bought the stock off E bay, you may be able to fit it and bed it with acraglass. You do not need many parts that you don't have. If you can fit and bed the stock yourself, you would not have much more money into it. If the barrels ring and the wall thickness is good you would have a shooter. The time and effort rebuilding one to shoot is a satisfying endeavor for me.

Definitely put it back together (not restore) on the down-low, if possible.
If the spirit drives you, maybe even restore it.
I can tell you, I've done a lot more stupid things than that, and am prone to do a few more before I'm through.

Again I appreciate the opinions and advice. I also got a few parts with the gun you can see in the picture below. I assume they are for the safety? I will have to look up a picture/schematic to see if I am missing anything and how it should be assembled.

Right now I am hoping that stock I got will be a close fit. I'll post some updates when I get it. I'll take it one step of at a time and hopefully I will be able to put it back in the field.

Parts
 

If I remember correctly the safety components and and sleeve for the upper tang screw under the top lever are in the stock you purchased. The wood screw is for the trigger guard.

Jay I have read this thread numerous times with the hopes of finding something positive that I could contribute to your project. Like you I do not mind bringing a qualified candidate back to life. Unfortunately every time that I look at this thread the same thing keeps cropping up on my radar. RUN FORREST RUN. Sorry. Sleep on this one a bit. Best of luck with it.

Jay,

The second part in from the left does NOT go to the gun. Toss it aside.

Thanks Brian! This gun has made me feel like it was my first Parker! I haven't had any reason to take a hammerless gun apart yet...

You'll have to take this one apart to get the stock on. Get a disassembly diagram and screwdrivers and go for it. Is the serial number on your barrels the same as on the receiver?

The serial numbers do match on everything. That was one of the things this I thought this had going for it.

I will find the right diagram and hopefully have a stock that is usable. I will post an update later in the week.

Keep us posted on your progress

I received that #1 frame stock. I did not do any fitting yet, but wanted to get a sense of general fit and how everything would look. LOP is 14" and the Drop looks close to the original. I think I can make it work...

While I was waiting the last few days, I did remove the hot bluing from the receiver and forend pieces. That helped the looks of things rather quickly.

I also looked in the serialization book and I believe this is the 3rd hammerless 16 and the first 16 GH. This is what I found:

56441 D3 H 0 C 16 30
57791 D4 H 0 C 16 28
57954 D2 H 0 C 16 28

Dude! Talk about a Phoenix, straight from the ashes! Nice job, man that looks goood! Nice save!

Very nice! Glad to see the results.

The ball grip is an added bonus. The barrels will probably need to be redone at some point, but they would really look great.

Well done! The gun looks fantastic and when you are finished, it will be ready for another 100 years.

I did a little fitting last night with the stock and I am getting closer. The trigger guard is fitted. I know this gun will never be perfect, but I like how it is coming together. Once I am done with the stock I'll shoot it and if all goes well I will have the barrels redone.

This gun reminds me of a 68' Corvette Convertible I had years ago...it looked great from 20 ft away, but when you got close you know right away it was not a show car. That's okay you don't worry about things when they are like that.