It's aParker!!
 

Hi everybody! Joined the organization after taking a closer look at the old double barrel shotgun my Dad left me. It looks to be in great shape everything tight. 12 gauge. Serial Number 118985, Grade P with electors. Looks like a great field gun. Any suggestions on first load to put through it? It appears a recoil pad has been added sometime in the past; is it possible to get a Parker butt plate to restore it? Can't tell if the stock was cut to attach the pad.

Welcome Jerry!!! Please post some pics. We love seeing "new" Parkers. We would likely be able to tell if the stock was cut. First thing you'll want to do is have the gun checked over by a competent sxs Smith. Wall thickness throughout the barrels is first and foremost. Overall function and wood condition(cracks, splits, chips) would be next. Grade 1 or P grades are kinda scarce with ejectors. Recommend a low load shell(6500 psi) if everything checks out. Good luck!

Welcome. I love the PH grade. As Dean suggested, be sure to have the gun checked out and shoot the load pressures the gun was designed for once it passes inspection.

And by all means, post some photos!

More than likely if a pad was put on, then the butt was cut, making the installation of a proper buttplate a difficult task.

Less than 10% of the Hammerless P grades made had steel barrels, but more than half of those have ejectors. The twist barreled Hammerless P grade with ejectors are quite scarce. A friend has a lovely little twist barreled PHE 20, and another friend has 5 steel Ps, 4 of which are ejector guns.
When I was young and dumb, I called my dad to say I found a 20ga. PHE with twist barrels in a pawn shop in Cleveland. He told me to keep walking. Now that I'm old and dumb, I regret taking that advice.

Thank you Messers. Hanson,Dudley, Gordon, and Spencer for your replies!! It appears the Parker shotgun I have had in my safe since my Dad passed has not been treated with the respect it is due. In addition to the installation of a recoil pad, the safety has been modified/removed. I have tried to attach pictures to this post with no success; the website indicated that the files are invalid. Ireduced the sizes of the jpg files to below the indicated limit, but no luck. Also was wondering if anyone has a thought on how worthwhile it would be to request a research letter on this gun?

Thanks!!

A research letter is only forty bucks.







.

Thanks for the reply Dean. I don't seem to be able to attach pictures to my posts. I get an error message that the files are not allowed. I down sized the jpg files to within the parameters, but no go.

Jerry, there has been a problem with the pictures lately. it seems to come and go.

Thanks Gerald, I will try again later.

The PH gun has had a lot of history in my family as my grandfather got a heavy 12-gauge 1890 vintage PH in 1901 after a brief trial with one of those newfangled Winchester trombone action guns! It saw some serious use living on a Minnesota farm with six boys! After grandpa died in 1954 it passed to my dad's next older brother, born the year grandpa got the gun.

Your gun would be of 1903 vintage by the serial number chronology on the home page. According to The Parker Story, the first PH/PHE with the Parker Steel barrels was 192515 made in 1920.

We must still be having a picture problem as I tried to post the Quality PH/PHE page from the catalog circa 1901 that introduced automatic ejectors but no go.

Hi Dave,
I believe my Parker has a Twist barrel. Thanks for the reply.