Invincible Upgrade
 

What are your thoughts on this Invincible Upgrade?

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-l...4-c-9c14b5f875

From the auction:

"Description
Parker – Mod. Invincible Grade Upgrade – 12ga. Double Barrel Shotgun – Most Likely Done by World Renown Pachmayr Custom Gun Works Out of Los Angeles, California Before They Closed in 1980 – This is a Beautiful Over-all Quality Gun That Has 28” Imp. Mod. & Full Choked Steel Barrels w/Matted Rib & Single Front Bead – The Frame is Elaborately Fine Scroll Engraved w/3 Gold Figures, Pheasant on the Left Side, Duck on the Right Side & a Game Bird on the Bottom of the Receiver – The Rest of the Receiver is 100% Engraved as Well as the Upper & Lower Tangs, Break-Open Lever, Trigger Guard, Muzzle & Breech End of the Barrels – Exceptional Checkered Straight Grip Wood Butt Stock w/Engraved Skeleton Butt & Matching Wood Checkered Forend – w/Ejectors & Double Triggers – Over-all an Extraordinary Fine Arm Made to an Exact Invincible Grade Configuration – Serial # on Gun is 142697 & Invincible Serial # is 200001 – 1 3/8” x 2 ¼” x 14 5/8” "

Interesting - human error stamping numbers?
 

142697 (number on water table) is recorded in Price & Fjestad as being:

V H 2 S 12 28

https://image.invaluable.com/housePh...0_original.jpg

I am revising this post, because after enlarging the picture I see that David is correct below about the numbers. The numbers do match. I was seeing the stamped numeral 2 on the forend as a 3.

https://image.invaluable.com/housePh...7_original.jpg

Now I still wonder, what number (if any) appears on the stock under the trigger guard?

A search in this site does not bring up prior comments about this serial number.

From the look of the stock and the fact that both numbers were VH grade, my gues there is no number under the guard.

Actually the number on the forend matches the number on the water table, 142697.
I’m curious why they didn’t show the number on the barrels.
It looks like a very nice upgrade, and if it is actually a Pachmayr it should be. My guess is it will sell for 15 to 20 thousand dollars. What do you say?

It's interesting that they added the Peerless Steel script to the rib but didn't fix the pitting near it.

Much more tasteful than most Pachmayr upgrades.

I agree. Many of the Pachmayer upgrades lean towards the gaudy side. Too stylized, and too much gold.
The sideclips are an interesting touch on a Parker.

Overall is is not too bad. It is at least a pretty close representation of the first invincible.

I cannot figure for the life of me why they decided to put that Parker Bros banner in gold on just the one side of the frame. That alone kills it for me.
And the serial number choice for the trigger guard is an odd choice. They did not do 200,000 like the real gun, but chose 200,001 for some reason. But left the V grader serials as they are. Why not just out the actual V serial on the guard???? Who knows. There are plenty of other little things that would truly separate it from good to great.

If the Damascus barrels number matches the BH, I could seriously learn to love that gun.

The book says that SN is a PH

?, no, ????. I assume Edgar will change his post so my ???? will look strange.

I wouldn't want you to look strange, so I'll leave it as-is.

the original version of that gun was well used I think. Lever clearly left of center? Why not try to remedy that if your already this deep into an upgrade.

Lever position on a Parker means little. Not like other makes.

Thanks Brian. Learn something new every day.

It seems the gun was built either "down to a price" or not completed as designed. No engine turning on the interior surfaces, no engraving on the screws inside the forearm, bad lever position. Of course, these shortcomings may be corrected by the time we see this gun again.

I visited the Invincible today. It is truly a strange choice of individual upgrade items. The "Invincible" stamps on the barrel is a bit over the top. I like the gun, but not more than a nice original high condition DHE.

What did the BH 16 gauge look like ?

Craig, the gun isn't bad, but the 16 gauge barrels no longer fit on the gun. Some tightening must have been done to the receiver to fit the 20 gauge barrels.

How was the BHE 12 that I assume is a DelGrego restock recolored gun ?

The engraving is very light but I think that's the way it was when the gun was new. It looks good under a glass. This is my description of the 16-20 BH.

Did you look at the K-80 Lightweight that’s wearing K-32 barrels ?

The upgrade is still a V or P grade from the factory. To me, it's not worth more than what the V or P grade brings. It won't shoot any better as an Invincible than it will as a V or P.

A lot of online sellers and auction houses have photos of the whole gun but no closeups or inadequate closeups. This auction has the opposite issue.

Craig, how did you determine they were K-32 barrels? I can't read the markings in the pictures. The Lightweight receiver is worth about $800 on today's market. I don't think Krieghoff still stands behind them. Yes, I looked at it and don't see any cracking, but it could have been repaired.

A close friend thats deep into Kolar's and Krieghoff's sent me a dissertation on K-32 vs K-80 barrels . This dissertation/explanation claims K-32 ejectors are retained with a screw in the side a slotted screw where as the K-80 barrels do not have the slotted screw anylonger .

What auction house gives you 100 pictures? True though, One or two of the assembled, whole gun would be nice.

My thoughts as well Mills and Edgar. I will give them an A+ for effort on the pictures, good clear images also. They spent some time on the pictures.

The Invincible upgrade lot#304 sold for $13000 plus buyers premium, so $15000.

Wow I was watching three of the items !

The BHE 12 32" vent that went for 12.5k plus extras .

The BH 16 30" with 20 gauge barrels for 5.7k plus extras .

And the GHE 16 with 32" Vulcan barrel for 2.75k plus extras .

:shock::whistle::shock::whistle::shock:

The BH had Austrian made 20ga barrels and the original 16ga damascus barrels needed to be refit to the gun?

The GHE 16 would have been a good deal if the barrels had been the original damascus 32's and it didn't have the jagged cracks in the wrist.

I put bids on all three of these guns (plus 15 others) but at about 60% of the prices realized.

I just can't figure if the incorrect guns are really worth that now or if the winners just didn't know the difference.

I was watching the 32” BHE. Thought it might make a good doubles gun. I was willing to pay what I thought was a premium but Never dreamed with all the modifications it would go for that kind of money. But I suppose the heart wants what the heart wants. Hats off to the winning bidder.

I figured with the alterations and what the one brought at Morphys recently (BH 12 4K) that this one “might” fall in that category and I put and bid in at that area needless to say I was Uhm two quarts low . I’m glad I have the pretty much original VHE 12 32” vent trap that I thought I paid a skoosh to much for , now I’m not quite so sure I over spent !!!!

There are no 'extras' if bidding in the room, left bid, or phone bid with the house.

When Just rebarreled the gun, a new joint role was installed, so refitting the original barrels is the same as hook work after a new role joint. The added barrels don't make it any different.

Having a lengthly, hands on look, probably helps in 'knowing the difference'.

Craig, now that the auction is over, I will tell you that the "World's authority on Krieghoffs" has shared an old message that is full of omissions and errors. The truth is that the barrels on the auction gun were K-80 barrels and the gun was very nice, and all original but sold for more money than this bottom feeder would pay, considering that I have a few at home left over from my days as an NSSA skeet shooter. I still have my doubts about whether Krieghoff is still replacing broken aluminum receivers at no cost. I would still like to have one of those Lightweight K-80s to play with. The auction was quite a hoot, and I should have bought way more than I did. I'm sure the internet buyers had a field day, this being their first opportunity to deal with Redding.

John Davis, I am not sure what trigger is in the BHE trap at the Redding Auction, but it isn't a Parker trigger or a selective Miller. It may be a non selective Miller, (the best of all possibilities), but it did not have the Miller logo stamped on it. Not a bad gun otherwise.

I had about talked myself into driving up Friday and preview . Now after the fact I’m glad I didn’t as I wouldn’t pay what was needed to buy what intrested me . The idea of going to Gettysburg Friday then Prospect Hall Saturday then possibly back to Gettysburg Sunday didn’t sound like fun .

Craig, do a mapquest to take you from one to another, then fill up on $4.75 gas and go for it. It's all in the same circle with your home.