New member from Nevada
 

Hi, I'm a new member as of last night. I purchased a real nice DHE 12ga in a case with 2 barrels 28' and 30' both have their own splinter forend and all serial numbers match #209255. It came with a Parker catalog and the original hanging tags that show pattern info for both barrels. When I entered the serial number at PGCA letter request it didn't come back with having record of it. Does this mean I can't get a record for this gun? I also have a hand written letter from the third owner, it was written in 1986 telling the buyer where the gun came from and the original owner. the original owner was a Colonel and base commander at Fort Ord Californian. The letter matches with the initials embossed on the front of the case. I would love to get as many records as possible for this fine gun.

Cheers
Chris

New Member
 

Welcome to the PGCA. The information you have on hand may be the best available on this gun. No Parker records seem to exist on the serial number you referenced.
alan

Background about missing records.
 

Chris:

That is a sweet looking set, as good as it gets. I am glad someone that cares about it has it in their hands now. An amazing place to start with Parker Bros. shotguns.

The reason there are no records for your gun in the PGCA archive is: books are missing. They are not necessarily destroyed or lost. They were just not available for the team that made the copies from the archives of Remington. The speculations about the history and possible location(s) of the missing books are found throughout this board.

Read all about that in various places of this board. Here is a starting place for you: https://parkerguns.org/forums/showth...ighlight=Books

Here is one (1) of the books about Parker guns you will be interested in buying for yourself, by Price & Fjestad: Parker Gun Identification & Serialization. Even if your gun is not listed, the next gun you look at may be in the book, giving you a solid reference for the original configuration.

https://www.amazon.com/Parker-Identi.../dp/1886768374

If you care to really learn and want to study these guns, just go ahead and get the book as soon as you can. If you don’t get it now, you’ll get it later and wish you had it before.

Also, this looks to be the first time this set has come to the attention of the PGCA discussion board, in the current version. That is based on using the search function.

In addition, the records search at Griffin & Howe did not bring up this serial number. http://secure.griffinhowe.com/Research-getserial.cfm
And even if it had come up, getting to them is a challenge you can read about in postings on this board.

John:

Thank you for all of insight. I will definitely pursue getting the suggested books.

I started my Parker adventure about a year ago with a VHE that I have enjoyed shooting ZZ targets with and a few duck hunts.

As of this past weekend I acquired the above cased gun and a second DHE made in 1907.
The 1907 DHE came up in the PGCA records search and I ordered a letter for it last night.

The catalog is cool too.

What a great package.

Hi Christopher. What part of Nevada are you in? I'm in Logandale.

I’m in the Reno/Sparks area.

We have a member in Las Vegas, and one in Henderson as well.

I know it’s far away be we should get together an shoot. I think there is a double gun shoot coming up in Gardnerville in July.