Parker upgrades
 

Just for fun, a client asked me what I thought were the best values today in the Parker market - I immediately responded with “The Runge engraved Del Grego upgrades - specifically the signed examples.” These guns are fabulous works of art for pennies on the dollar at what the work would cost today. The signatures are often very obscure- like the one shown herein.

What are your thoughts?

Josh,
I agree 100%. As you and many here know I bought a 20 GA A1S Skeet Gun at the Southern 4 or 5 years ago. I have never fired it nor do I believe anyone has since it's upgrade by Runge and DelGrego in 1972. I had it on diaplay at this last Southern S/S.
I do spend a lot of time admiring it. For me that is suffiecient reason to own it.
Bob Jurewicz

Robin Hollow had a .410 AAHE about 10-15 years ago and we were hard pressed to determine if it was original or an upgrade - it was that nicely done in every respect.

Then we saw that same signature engraved around the leading edge of the floor plate and even that was so tiny we almost missed it.

Such a gun becomes a true piece of Parker history in that two former Parker and Remington employees teamed up to create such works of art.

Thanks Josh.





.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthr...hlight=upgrade
Bob Jurewicz

Okay, it was an AHE... so much for an aging memory...:whistle:





.

The ones that I have seen, I was not terribly impressed by the engraving.

They did several GH upgrades and one of my big regrets this year is not buying a GHE 20 that came up for sale.

I had the opportunity to buy a 20 ga. GHE Skeet gun upgrade with BTFE, checkered butt and twin ivories for $2400 several years ago. The barrels had been cut back to 26" and I sometimes regret that I didn't buy it... but I really had no reason to...





.

The one I passed up was less than that :banghead:

Some, or most, of the Del Grego converted skeet guns were originally longer barrel guns, cut to 26". It's not a criticism of the gun, it's just the way it was done in those days. A 26" skeet gun was more valuable than anything longer, or with tighter chokes. The 1998 PGCA Research Committee trip to Ilion ended all that foolishness. I have a small covey of Del Grego guns, including a nice SAA upgrade, and I love them all.

Mine letters as a VHE with 26" Barrels and Single Trigger.
DelGrego and Runge did not attempt to pass their upgrades as originals. Runge signed them in the Engraving and the Serial Numbers were unchanged from original.
Bob Jurewicz

Bob, you are very right that the Del Gregos and Bob Runge did not attempt to pass off their upgrades as original. However, many field guns of lower grades, VHE to DHE, maybe higher, were passed off as skeet guns with remarked "Skeet In and Skeet Out" choke markings, and not signed. This is not a criticism of my friends, the Del Gregos, that was just the way it was, work performed by talented gunsmiths for paying customers. The postscript to my post is that the PGCA Research Committee's trip to Ilion in 1998 did not help to bring these remarked skeet guns to the surface, because an optioned 26" field gun doesn't look any different from a skeet gun in the stock books or most IBM cards. In years to come, some of these modified guns will be as important to Parker collectors as original unmodified guns.

Since we are discussing the Upgrade I thought I would post a couple of pictures of mine ,it was a VHE Double Trigger 410, with Pistol Grip Stock and Splinter Forend Upgraded to a BHE for Odus Odum and still has his " WOO " Initials in the Oval ! This gun is also Signed by Runge in the engraving on the bottom of the Receiver but my camera isn't good enough to pick it up !Also in the last picture is is engraved on the Frame ! If you would enjoy seeing more pictures I have an Album of this gun on my Personal Home Page !

That is way cool!!!

Russ,
That's a great gun! Did they upgrade the top rib barrel steel stampings from Vulcan to Acme?
Bob Jurewicz

Hello Bob , Thank You and Yes it says Acme Steel ! I will take a picture after bit and Post the Barrel Markings ,I am just getting ready to leave !

I didn't forget the Picture of the Top Rib just got tied up a little long yesterday ! Anyway here it is ! Also one Picture of the opening Lever !

that's one nice 410....charlie