Mismatched DHE?
 

I found a very nice 1911 DHE that came with ejectors and 36" barrels according to the Parker Book. The problem is that the serial number on the forearm and the barrel is about 1500 digits off but the same year. Finishes match perfectly and unless you took it apart you would never know there was a difference. The barrel installed is a 28". Here's the thing though, I looked up the serial number on the barrel and it isn't listed in the book? It also has a "2" under the serial number on the barrel in both locations. I'm a Winchester guy and I don't know much about Parkers other that they are pieces of art but wandered if the original owner could have purchased that extra barrel from Parker after he bought the gun and didn't like the 36" barrels for daily use or something? Could that be the reason there is no record of a gun with that number in the Parker serial number book? Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Mike,
Usually the SN not being in the book means that the records were not located or were so illegible that they could not be recorded. There is a big block of SN where nothing below a D grade was recorded because it was not thought to be worth doing at the time.
What do you mean that there is a 2 stamped below the serial number on both locations? The SN is typically stamped on the side of the lug on all but late Remington guns. I don't recall the SN being stamped on more than one location on a set of barrels.
Pictures of what you are describing would help.
Best Regards,
Erick Dorr

PS A different serial number would mean the barrels came from a different gun. A new second set of factory barrels would have the SN of the gun to which they are fitted stamped with the same serial number as the gun.

My guess, and someone else will likely have a better explanation - a previous owner didn't enjoy carrying those 36" barrels around in the field, and found the 28" barrels which had been orphaned from another gun. The 36" barrels were left sitting in a closet somewhere, separate from the gun. When the gun was sold either nobody remembered the other barrels, or nobody knew about them. Hopefully they will turn up again someday to be reunited with the rest. 2 is the frame size of both guns, that's why the other set of barrels were able to be fitted to the gun. If the second set of barrels had been provided by Parker, then Parker would have numbered them to the gun. Lots of examples of factory supplied second barrels done in this manner.

I agree with Will's remarks. In the 70's I bought a Rem 1100 Magnum. I ran across a 36 inch barrel at a gun show. Thought it would make a great duck barrel for my 1100. One trip out and I wanted nothing more to do with that barrel. Put it in the back of closet and never thought about it again. A few years ago when we were packing up to move there the barrel was still in the back of the closet. I had sold the 1100 twenty years ago and forgot about that barrel.

Do you still have the 36" 1100 barrel? I would be interested.

Do you still have the 36" 1100 barrel? I would be interested.



I do not still have the 1100 barrel. I parted with it shortly after the move since I no longer had the Rem 1100.

Harry