Questions about Parker 1/2 frame guns
 

I see from Craig Reynolds article, and archives there is around 70 known half frame guns within the Parker community. A search through the most well known on line gun sights came up with no half frame guns! How rare are they? do they command a premium over say a #1 frame, or a #1 1/2 frame? If so how much of a premium? 10%, 20%, 40%, or more? Your thoughts please.

If you do a search for 1/2 frame guns, you will find a lot of info on them.

I too would like to know if you would pay more if the gun were a 1/2 frame versus say the 1 1/2 frame that was popular in that time frame assuming the same condition. On the plus side, Remington did use nicer wood on their guns than Parker did. I would consider them scarce but not rare but it depends on your interpretation of those words. Can anyone find asking or actual selling prices for these 1/2 frames?

I would say they command a premium for a few reasons:
1) They are rarer because they were made in what I call the Bitter End of Parker.
2) As Chuckie Boy says they invariably have better wood.
3) They seem to be generally in better condition: remember that they were made in the late 30s and hammerless Parkers were made for a lot of decades before that and thus those earlier guns had a lot of more field time than the 1/2 frames.
4) They were built and bought in tough economic times and thus the purchasers were usually better off and took better care of their guns.

Now that's a lot of stuff I just wrote but the 1/2 frame expert is Craig Reynolds.
I'm just an old fart.

You can search this site for posts on the 1/2 frame guns and find a good amount of information on them.

In Craig Reynolds' writing on them, I think he estimates that maybe around 200 were built. If I recall correctly. But there is no way of knowing for sure. It was not many.

Personally I put no premium of 1/2 frame guns.





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Some would disagree. I for one would for the reasons stated.

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But your reasons No. 2, 3, and 4 apply to all Parkers of that era and only No. 1 applies to the 1/2 frames.

And I do understand that some hold the 1/2 frame to a higher value and that's the nature of collecting.





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Yes for me. I would pay more for a 1/2 frame as compared to a 1 or 1 1/2 frame from the same era. My reasoning, rarity. Personally I look at rarity two ways. First how many of them are there, secondly how many ever come to market. The how many ever come to market thinking probably should not have an impact on the price but admittedly it does for me. If it's the only one I have seen for 5 years then I am inclined to pay more. I can only remember one 1/2 frame gun (Champlin) that has come to market for some time, that was back this past fall I believe. Have there been many over say the past 3 years or so ?

Chuck I would be interested to know if you see much activity in the research department in terms of requests for letters on 1/2 frames ? I would think that would be an indicator as to how often these guns surface.

BTW rare and scarce mean about the same to me. Also the Champlin gun was a DHE 12 bore as I recall, a nice one that had an asking price of something like $7,500 I think. Someone will remember the exact figure.

I believe that Champlin gun had been restored to some extent as well if memory serves me. Other than that gun I only recall one other 1/2 frame gun being on the market, I think Steve Barnett had it but don't hold me to that. And it sold quickly as well.

Who sold the Champlin gun and who was Champlin?

Champlin Firearms out of Oklahoma.

I think the 1/2 frame guns are part of the Parker Mystique, and the people I know that have bought them did so for all the right reasons - as George set forth in his post. Although I have never owned a 1/2 frame gun, I have purchased the equivalent(s) for most of the same reasons - scarcity/rarity, uniqueness, etc. I recently bought a Fox 'Pin Gun' simply because I didn't have one in my lineup of graded Foxes and I wanted an early Sterlingworth in good condition that I could shoot. I think a lot of "half-framers" are motivated by similar drives.

Great comments, Kevin. Rarity and whatever will drive a buyer. However, it goes farther than that. The 1/2 frame is often lighter and handier than any other 12 gauge. My DHE 1/2 frame weighs about 6 1/2 pounds with its 28" barrels and 00 size buttstock. It's skeleton buttplate is smaller than I have seen on any other Parker. Could you get that combination any other way in a 12 gauge Parker? Further, it is a useful base for your leftover #1 frame 16 gauge barrels. Yup, they fit on a 1/2 frame 12 gauge gun. My DHE 2 barrel set is a joy to shoot, either way it is assembled, 16 or 12 gauge, it weighs 6 1/2 pounds. My other 1/2 frame is from our founder, Forrest Marshall, and is a Del Grego gun in VHE grade, just as nice as my DHE. Both are single trigger ejector guns, which is another reason to pursue a 1/2 frame. I believe Mr. Reynolds has both of my serial numbers for his research.

No, I wouldn't pay more.

Remington used nicer figured wood on Parkers only up to grade 2 guns but on grade 3 and above they often used American Black Walnut instead of the European (or Circassian) walnut that Parker Brothers used.





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What Dean said - Remington-era Parkers, especially in the early years after the buyout, show some spectacular wood on lower grade guns, especially GH. They were simply using up existing inventories of better wood that would normally have not been used on the lower grades, instead of trying to "turn down" plainer wood in keeping with the grain and figure of the wood common to those lower grades. I owned 2 GHE Remington-era guns over the years each of which had wood that would have done a DH grade gun proud (one a borderline CH quality!). Makes eminent sense when you think about it.......

I must say I have never purchased a 1/2 frame.
I have a 1/2 frame that my dad gave me in almost unused condition. I wrote an article about it for PP. I think it was titled "The Missing Link" or something like that. Dean-o would know.
Craig came to visit and record that gun when he lived in Connecticut.

I still have the pictures I took of it George - would you like me to post some?





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That would be nice if you think members might enjoy them. I think Bill Murphy will be posting some as well.

(one of) George's beautiful Parker(s).

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Stunning Parker 1/2 frame!

But none of those pictures are of the 1/2 frame. That looks like the Haythe skeet gun, the subject of my article "The Christmas Present". The last photo is the brass plate from my dad's two barrel late Remington 16 VH. Damn you take good pictures.

I'll need to search deeper....





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Well stunning Parker!:rotf:

The Haythe skeet gun is probably unfired except for the factory testing. It was picked up in NYC for a gift to a son who wasn't a shooter- he was a sailor.

My 1/2 frame guns don't look like that. Oh, well.

I don't know which of my 1/2 frames I like more, the great little DHE with the 00 frame stock and outstanding wood figure, a gun put together from parts, or Forrest's VHE which is very similar with leather covered pad, also a lightweight and all original. The back end of the DHE was purchased with a forend and no barrels. The barrels were purchased separately and clicked right on. The 16 gauge barrels and forend were also purchased separately and fit and work great. What a gun. Where else can you find a 12-16 combo that has 28" barrels, ejectors, Parker selective single trigger, skeleton butt, 00 size, and weighs 6 1/2 pounds.

Sounds nice Bill - How bout some pics?





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