New and looking for help
 

I have found this site quite interesting and have found many useful posts to read! I have a old Parker but my knowledge of these guns is not very much. I was hoping someone could help me, and I have took many photos. My gun is old and not in the best shape but has been in the safe for as long as I can remember.

Ryan

Ryan, a lifter action 12 ga?, with stock issues. The stock my be repairable however. Not sure what grade that is. How are the bores? I am sure others more knowledgeable will chime in. Looks like a good project gun. Thanks for sharing it with us.

The bolsters would say it's a Grade 3, but I can't see enough of the locks.
The frame size will be stamped on the bottom of the rear barrel lug. I had a 1 frame grade 3 in beautiful condition and it was a joy to shoot. Another member here has it now.

Yes, it’s a Grade 3and the rest of the engraving and hammers is indicative of the grade as well.looks like a candidate for a restoration as long as the barrel walls are sufficiently thick to safely shoot it.





.

So it is a 12Gauge? I wasnt sure, I thought it could possibly be a 10 gauge. But thats why I am here :)

more pics if ity helps
 

Here some more pics

Ryan, cant tell from pics if it is a 12 or 10.

Ryan
The serialization book shows that serial number to be a 10 gauge with 32” Damascus barrels, no extras, pistol grip stock, and it is a Grade 3,

How much would it cost me in your opinion...rough guess.....to have this gun restored? And would it be worth it? Or just keep as is for a family momento?

First off, for a restoration, if the bores and barrel wall thickness are good, that stock would need to be replaced. Usually a stock replacement will start around $2K. If you're going that route might as well have it made to your dimensions. Action can be cleaned up inside and out. There are guys who specialize in re-bluing the barrels. Damascus can clean up and cold blue to a gorgeous pattern. Breck Gorman is one guy I would recommend for those barrels. Nice gun. The grade 3 may be the difference between a full restore and selling it for parts. If the barrels are too pitted then Briley could fit a set of full-length tubes to those specific barrels and you could convert it to a 16g or 20g easily.

That is exactly what it was when it left the factory.

It is a grade 3 lifter. The buttstock is a very poor replacement. And in rough shape on top of that. It should go right in the garbage if anything is done to the gun. Trying to put any effort into that piece of wood would be a complete waist.

Any restoration work would only be justified if the barrels are in good or restorable conditon.

Cost of “restoration” would depend on how much is done and who does the work. You could spend $5k or you could spend $10k. It is a big variable.

Wow....restorations can cost up to $10k? I had no idea......im actually kinda floored. If I did find a way to invest $10k into this and get it back into great shape, would it be worth anything more then the fixer up investment? I thought I would maybe display this in my man cave if I did restore. But for that amount it might be best kept in the safe.

Confirm if the barrels are still 32". If not, forget the restoration route. You might consider looking for a donor gun. Even if the donor isn't also grade 3, a good stock guy can rework it to give drop points, and then properly finish and checker in Gr. 3 pattern. The 10ga guns are found in 2 and 3 frame, and a 1 frame 10 was reported here. Lots to digest, so don't be in a rush.

A good stock guy wouldn't touch that stock.

Can I assume you're referring to the original stock the OP has shown? I'd have to agree if that's what you mean.

The fly in the ointment is that replacement stocks for that period , in my experience, are not easy to find. I have several guns of that vintage and many have had stock issues even though the guns are quite presentable. I suspect that it is because they are sidelocks. Many have issues that are with stocks that are already replacements from many years ago. A couple of them are guns I have found at a really good price that were purchased because they may have useable replacement stocks for a better barreled action. They turned out to not be useable generally because of the running changes in lockplates and their fit. I regularly am on the lookout for lifter stocks or butchered guns with a decent stock, but just don't find any. Ditto for pre-inletted semifinished stocks. Several of the major old time stock people tell me they have ditched their patterns.

Bottom line is that for a pre-hammerless gun there is not much hope of finding a donor stock. So either some form of repair to make a stock at least useable (and often ugly) or a restock are the the only two options. I call them all or none. If you are going for a restoration, it is always cheaper to buy someone else's older restoration than do it yourself. I have often done that.

There is a reason people buy used race cars, customized hot rods and stick built custom homes. The original owner did the heavy lifting on cost. I'd be cautious of any thought of recouping your investment, it may never happen, or it may. Aren't you glad you're here now?:):)

I'll never say never, so you will usually not recoup the $$ you put into restoring a shotgun. If you restore a gun and then want to move it, you'll have to just smile while chewing on the loss. As the saying goes, "It is what it is."

Thank you, everyone, for all your awesome information! I have had this gun in the family for so many years.....I guess for now it will just remain a treasured conversation piece :)

I would be checking out the barrels, restore them, then work on all of the metal parts, get them in shape, and only then think about the buttstock. Depending on how the metal parts come out, only then think about the stock and forearm. It could be a pretty nice restoration, but you won't know until the very end. Step one is to disassemble the gun and burn the buttstock so you won't be tempted to use it. The forearm is an easy fix. Don't burn that. Join the PGCA so you can get a letter on the gun for $40.00. A heavy ten gauge Grade 3 is often ordered by a famous shooter or at least a competition shooter of note. Post your letter on this site so we can help you to identify the original owner.