New Member from AL
 

Hello fellow members, I am excited to be here and learn all I can about Parker Bros. guns. I have an opportunity to purchase 2 guns that have been locally owned. One appears to be a 1929 GH from the serial number and the water table stamping, probably a 75% gun based on wear, etc. The other has me puzzled. By the serial number it is a 1894 production model with a #3 frame; however, the barrel appears to have a vent rib and I am wondering if it was added later. I would really appreciate your opinions.
First pic is the 1929, the next four are from the 1894.

Welcome Chad. The GH is really a GHE based on the pic of the frame. The other with the 800** is a 12 gauge 2 frame Grade 3 or DH. Extractor gun. The Ghe has ejectors. More pics will be useful in better determining condition.

Thanks Jim. Is the vent rib something that would have been on that gun in 1894?

I think it was made prior to vent rib installed by Parker but I don't have my serialization book with me.

The 1894 gun may have originally had Damascus barrels and went back to Parker to get a set of fluid steel barrels. That could be when the vent rib was added also.

If the seller can wait a few days, it may be that joining PGCA and ordering letters for the guns might help you make a good decision. Long story short is if the guns are priced so that you feel good, go for them.

Possibly the rib was added by Simmons. They did a lot of rib work over the years. If I'm not mistaken, if Parker Bros added a rib it would have Parker legends on it. Parker ribs that were added should also be serialized to the gun under the rib. Not easy to see, but it can be found if you look carefully, so I'm told.

Chad, The vent vibe does not look to be Parker. I think Mike has it correct...Simmons. Also the barrel hook looks to have been altered to fit. Do the serial numbers of the barrels match the rest of the gun? Also it has the rear lug improvement, which would suggest the barrels are post 1910 if they are indeed fluid steel. Possible the 1894 gun was sent back for repairs.

Thanks guys. I have requested to see if the current owner has ever had a letter written on these guns. I am suspect of the 1894 model’s barrel, although it does have a matched serial number on the barrel pad and the water table. Hopefully there will be more answers forthcoming early next week.

It appears 80078 was rebarreled sometime between 1926 when Parker Bros. began using the PARKER BROS. OVERLOAD PROVED stamp and the acquisition by Remington when it changed to PARKER GUN WORKS in the middle of the stamp. The letter P in the circle shows the owner opted for a lower priced set of barrels than would have been "standard" for a Quality DH. The P in the circle stands for Parker Steel normal for a Quality PH gun. At that time a Quality DH would have a T in the circle for Titanic Steel, a Quality GH would have a P.S. in the circle for Parker Spec. Steel.

Very sure the vent rib was done after market by someone other than Parker Bros. Doesn't look like the Simmons ribs I've seen tacked on top of the original Parker rib. Possibly a Moneymaker?

You have to send us pictures of the rear end of the top of the rib and barrels on the vent rib gun. Also side views of the rib near the breech. Those pictures will tell us what the present pictures do not.

Thanks Bill, I was able to get some additional photos today that I hope will be adequate.

did the pictures above help with determining the barrels and the vent rib?

The barrels were replaced later on, it would have originally been Damascus. The vent rib is not factory. It would have been added after those barrels were put on the gun.

I'm sticking with Moneymaker for the vent rib. The matting of the rib is the same as on the Moneymaker Vent Rib on my 28-gauge Model 12.

Here is a Simmons vent rib on a late Remington Parker --

Attachment 134164

Thank you, everyone, for your replies and insight on these barrels. I have a lot to learn!! One question about the vent rib: is there a good Parker gunsmith who could remove that aftermarket rib and install an original rib? I’m thinking that would help to align it to the factory setup; just not sure if anyone is able to do so and if there are replacement ribs available. Thanks!

That would be a very expensive proposition. Likely as much as you spent on the gun. Mor more.

Don't remove the Moneymaker rib. It is a high quality item that does not detract from an average Parker. It will make a nice shooting gun. Removing the rib will make the gun worth less than it is worth now.

That is good to know. I assumed the exact opposite on it taking away from the value.

Bill is right, that Moneymaker is a quality installation. Much nicer than the Simmons I show that is just installed on top of the Parker rib.

The gun is already far from original with the Damascus barrels having been replaced with the Parker Steel barrels in the late 1920s or early 1930s. If that is the stock and frame of 80078 in the background in this picture --

Attachment 134276

that is not the wood it left Meriden with in 1894.

All of this is interesting history of the gun and in no way detracts from it being a great shooter.

Chad

I think the point is that changing the rib back at this point would actually lower it's value. No idea when the original change was made and at the time it was a common thing. In retrospect, the original change lowered the value in today's collector market but not at the time. Present day, it is not original and is valued as such, so the situation is that returning to original would likely lower the value. You can't change what happened in the past and you can't return it to original. Most efforts to "return to original" will result in a negative payout due to the cost of working on old doubles. If there is an issue with the gun and it can be returned to original as part of the required maintenance, it is sometimes a viable option. In your case it is a really nice double as is, and I would use it and enjoy it.