Readily Available Parkers
 

We need some more pictures here, so here is an easy one to post and keep interest going.

Here is a GHE 12ga, this a 1910 three blade damascus, 30" barrels full and fuller, #2 frame, wt is 7 1/2lbs. I have used it for years to pound anything from light to heavy loads through it depending if I am shooting targets or game, or waterfowl. I've shot loads up to the SAAMI limit in it, its my workhorse for when I need to make the shot.

Parker made 18,000 of these damascus G's, mostly in 30" 12's, probably mostly #2 frame. I believe the gun type significantly helped to make Parker a legend among shooters. They are readily available today and a person can go to about any gun show and find one or several. This one has unaltered barrel bores, so the walls are about .036, well thick enough for anything I want to shoot. This gun was originally sold into Vancouver BC and spent its life in BC until I brought it down. I'm sure its shot many ducks and geese, yet the action is tight, the locking bite is still centered and there is nothing wrong with the gun. When I got it, the barrels needed re damascus browning and the stock needed light refinishing.

So I recommend these guns to anybody thinking about a first Parker or even a go-to multi purpose Parker. They are out there and relatively inexpensive and you can have a gun that is nice looking and gets the job done.

Bruce, I have field condition GHs from eight to twenty and, yes, they are wonderful guns for the field and inexpensive in ten and twelve gauges.

Right Bill, you get a very made gun with enough engraving to make it interesting, great damascus if you want damascus or even fluid steel if you want the the less attractive barrels, and many of them had very nice figured black walnut stocks, a few even in European walnut. No reason to pass up a nice G.

I'm posting this because I see for the moment that we have 34 forum members on, this is old hat to many of them, and we have 142 guests looking on. Some of those people may be curious about Parkers or wondering where to start, and I recommend the damascus G's as a good place to start if a person can not let the damascus issue scare them.

http://www.pugsguns.com/findItem.action?id=2370

http://www.pugsguns.com/findItem.action?id=1627

Here are a couple at Puglisi's.

G's are great guns but I am a sucker for D grades. Part of that is the engraving but mainly it's the pretty wood typical of D's. I’m sure you remember this gun Bruce.

This is a valuable, positive thread, what's needed from time to time to jangle the juices of Parker admirers, beginners, to hear from those who've been living with Parkers for a long time. It's encouraging, useful. Thank you.

I have a GH in the mail as we speak. I have no idea whether it will be a "good gun" as most of us describe it. However, I'm sure I'll like it.

Got 4; 3 12s (including one 1&1/2 frame Special Steel) and one 16. My favorite grade Parker.

A large dealer in vintage guns advised me that most Grade 2 Parkers (E, G, P) have not been molested. They may not have a lot of original condition left, but what remains is original.

My 6#10oz 26" damascus #1-frame GHE12 has displaced to some degree my Repro 28 as my go to grouse/woodcock gun. It's so easy to carry and lightning fast in tight cover and is absolute death on small fast birds. Will add a picture later. And Bruce is absolutely correct; you do see a fair number of affordable and nice G grades out there.

I am looking at a similar GH to purchase . It is a beautiful gun but..... it has a 25 inch set of barrels, cylinder/cylinder. It should have been a capitol offense to alter a Parker.
Is there a way to put a choke in those barrels?

Yes. Briley's in Houston can cut threads and insert screw in chokes.

I don't know what the cost is, maybe $200?

Or you could go to another gun show, another dealer site, etc, and find another G grade.

This is a local gun at what should be a reasonable price.Other than the chokes it will be a good buy as it is in excellent condition.

The search for finding the perfect gun is part of the enjoyment of being a Parker collector. The price should not be the key criterion. You have a gun for many years, it goes on adventures with you, you shoot it well , it becomes an extension of yourself. Be sure its what you want, not just what you can find or afford for the moment.

My other passions are fine bamboo fly rods and reels and handmade steel lugged road bicycles. All these are lifetime acquisitions. Get something that merges with you.

Bruce -Haven't looked on Briley's site, but I'd guess that two barrels and a handful of chokes will be closer to $7-800

Carl,

If there is enough barrel thickness you could jug choke them. I like .030" minimum. For me anything over than could be removed to form jug chokes. For a 25" barreled gun, how much choke would you want?

Mark

Wow, John, that's costly. Kind of makes a person want to look for an uncut G that needs some cosmetics for around $2000, doesn't it?

I agree -

Be "one" with your gun. :cool:

I love the engraving on this one I found five or six years ago - a sixteen 0-frame with 26" F/F barrels.


.

Dean ,Very nice crisp looking engraving ! Nice looking gun ! Russ

Bruce - You and I had the prices bracketed - Briley quotes $429 plus shipping and taxes. Fire for effect! Don't see if there is any price increment for thin-wall chokes, if required

Thanks Russ. The pictures really don't do the engraving justice. It is the most finely executed engraving I've seen on a Grade 2 as others who have seen it will agree.

Not as Crisp as some but another G Grade ,16/ 20 Two barreled set...That's a hard gun to follow Dean !

While I drool over a beautiful firearm most of my collection consists of firearms that were acquired in less than perfect condition and turned into a good looking working firearm. Currently I am working on a 1906 VH that I received in pieces for $100. When I am finished it will be a good looking working shotgun that I would not be ashamed to take to any range. It will not be a high end collector gun.
Mark: What are jug chokes? I would prefer modified and full, but would accept improved and modified.

My go to gun, a 12ga, 2 frame, GH made in 1904. I don't believe it's ever been apart. Original except for the chokes opened up. Standard engraving but deeply cut.

Jug chokes, see FAQ #44 for some intro info about them.

Any FFL type of guy should be able to get 15% from Briley just by asking.

Bruce, This is a great topic and thanks for starting it. I think G Grade guns are a great value.There are some very nice guns shown here so let me add one more. 1913 GHE 16 gauge 30"barrels choked .024x.024 My "Go to" sporting clays gun.

PASxS, that is stand out engraving on that G grade. Cant miss that from no matter what distance. And Chilled Shots example is very nice as well. Even though case coloring is nice, engraving stands out very well on most worn silver receivers. And recolored receivers ofter have finer, and harder to see, engraving due to polishing if not touched up.
The GH was one of Parkers most popular selling graded guns in their day and they are still plentiful today. I would say it is one of the most common Parkers that you see for sale on the auction sites.

And another everyday 12 Gauge GH Parker that didn't break the bank when it came home

http://www.pbase.com/slowpokebill/image/129308198.jpg

Got the job done last year. Hoping to give it a bit more exercise this fall.
Cheers,
Jack

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture...pictureid=1765

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture...pictureid=1764

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture...pictureid=1766

Sorry for the bad pictures (yeah this one did sort of break the bank..:))

Very nice, Eric. 20 or 28ga?

Sorry Bruce I forgot to say, 16 ga skeet gun.

Fantastic gun Eric! Have I seen this gun?

No Dave got this gun this summer It's a real nice gun but it maybe gone due to a trade which I'll probably regret later :banghead:

I went to a gun show today for a safety spring for my VH 12. I did not find one but..... I found an 1889 GH in shooting condition. It is a well used project gun that I will have to spend a great deal of time working on but the price was super right. If I wanted to go hunting I could take it to the field today. I will take before, during and after pictures. The show also had a Parker hammer gun and a 1860s vintage military rifle. The former was overpriced by about $3,000. Affordable guns are out there!

Here's my favorite GH: 30" barrels, #2 frame, extractors, double trigger. A 1915 gun and it has the most color of any gun I own.

A few more.

My first Parker was/is a GH 12, with Damascus BBL's. Well used, aged, but very pleasantly original. Perfect bores, btw, but sadly too much drop for me.

My GHE 26" IC and M it also has the greatest amont of case colors.