Old Parker Bros. shotgun... help me!
 

I have an old Parker Bros. side by side 12ga shotgun. I have no idea what it's worth and I've been looking online but I don't know where to find the model number. I have found several numbers on the gun but none that seem to match anything. sites list models such as GH, AH, A1-special. does anyone know where I should be looking?

The first place to start is to take the forend off, then remove the barrels and tell us the serial number stamped into the "water table" which is the horizontal flat area of the frame that the barrels close against. The same number should appear on the underside of the forend and on the side of the barrel lug.

Dean

Hello Ben; Of course Dean is correct ,Serial #'s and pictures are the best way to go here to find out some of the info. you want ,but if you are concerned about posting the info ,you may go to our home page and on the left side of the page ,click : Parker Identification ,and then go back and click Grades ,you will find photo albums of the Grades . This will tell you what you have but the collectors on this site will be able to tell you the overall condition and value of your Parker ! Best ; Russ

OK. the serial number I came up with is 1031xx. the number is the same on the forend, barels, and the water table. hope that helps. thanks. eager to learn more.

If you can give us the rest of the serial number then we can look it up the Serialization book and tell you exactly what you have, if it's in the book. Jerry
Your gun could be one of eleven.

Ben,
Leaving off the last 2 numbers means that your gun is 1 of 99 different guns possibly listed in the book. Exact total # is needed for anyone to help.
Bob Jurewicz

OK. it's 103183

also, I'm trying to take some pics to post but the gun is pretty dirty. what should I be using to clean it up a bit? there are designs in the barel that don't really look like engravings. I don't want to use solvent and take the markings off.

Ben,
For now why don't you leave the gun as is. I don't have the serialization book with me but I'm sure someone will look up the info and post what was found.
Bob Jurewicz

Ben ,I looked in the serialization book and the gun is not listed ,Our data base on site here lists the gun has available records ,perhaps a letter is in order ,it will give you some info. on your gun ! Russ

From your description "there are designs in the barrels that don't really look like engraving", we assume that the barrels are probably damascus. twist or laminated steel. Does your gun have external hammers or is it a hammerless gun and what does the top rib inscription say? Please post pics if you can.

This is a hammerless gun and the top rib reads "damascus steel"
http://s1190.photobucket.com/albums/...urrent=sg1.jpghttp://s1190.photobucket.com/albums/...urrent=sg2.jpghttp://s1190.photobucket.com/albums/...urrent=sg3.jpghttp://s1190.photobucket.com/albums/...urrent=sg4.jpg

let's try that again
http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/...hjones/sg1.jpg
http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/...hjones/sg3.jpg
http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/...hjones/sg4.jpg
http://i1190.photobucket.com/albums/...hjones/sg2.jpg
sorry pics are not great. all I have to work with is a camera phone for now. I'll try to do a little better later.

what does Brush Buster mean by "perhaps its time for a letter"?
do you mean a letter of the alphabet (off of the gun somewhere) or do I need to write some kind of letter to someone requesting records of the gun?
Sorry, I'm not always this quick witted but I'm practicing for the weekend.LOL

A PGCA research letter is available by going to our Home page and in the left column click on that tab.

Ben,
You will see that a research letter for a non-member of PGCA is $60 and $40 for members, consider joining PGCA for $40 and paying $40 for the research letter. This is a good group, you have already found the forum and a quarterly magazine that's first class. Most people want to continue to learn after they find out all the history of the Parker gun.

Ben ; I apologize :banghead:, I should have explained the " LETTER " ,I wasn't thinking you might not know what I was talking about ! Russ

I'm only seeing 11 that could have possibly been yours, but I don't see it listed. Someone mentioned possibly 99, did I misread the Serialization book or are there other numbers I missed? Page 330, first column at the bottom are the only 11 I could find that could work. Not trying to be a smartaxe, I'm honestly trying to learn. I'm fairly new to the research end of things. Jerry