Vent Ribbed Parker's
 

You Gentlemen who have been around more Vent Ribbed Parker Guns than myself ,could you please tell me how to tell if the Rib is a Factory installed Vent Rib or an after market ? I already know to look in the Serialization book but as we are all aware ,we are missing quite a few serial numbers ! The particular gun in question ,has no records known and has a vent rib stamped ," Parker Special Steel and is a #2 ,GHE Grade gun !

Russ,
One way to tell is to look at the frame. Factory vent rib guns are flat across the top of the frame where the dolls head is. A gun that was sent back to the factory for a vent rib may not be flat though. I would also think the rib matting and "Parker Special" engraving would tell you a lot. I think the Parker legend on the rib was engraved instead of roll stamped.

Patrick

The pictured gun is an "original" vent rib Parker. The retrofit gun is very similar except for the concave curved top doll's to match the curved receiver. Maybe you looked at a vent rib gun not too far out of your neighborhood? That gun is a retrofit, but very rare.

Russ, here are a few photos of my DHE. If you look close you can see the post on the surface of the rib, with the matting running through it as well as The engraved letters ERS in the word "makers". I read somewhere that the rib should have a serial number on the bottom of it but I can't see under the rib to locate one. Hope this helps.

As per FAQ #53, most of factory ribs have the last three digits of the ser # stamped under the rib.....

Thanks Robin for the FAQ #53 reply. How am I suppose to view the number?

go to www.parkerguns.org and on the left side click FAQ and scroll to #53 and click on that link.

Gentlemen , Thank You all for the photos and the comments to my question ,Yes the Script is engraved not roll stamped and yes you can see three digits of a serial # under the rib but I can't make it out for the life of me ! I honestly didn't take notice to the flatness or the missing flatness of the top of the receiver but the rib looks very similar to the photos posted here ! Now Bill , you seem to know something special here about the where abouts of a particular gun close to home here ??????:corn:

Use a dental mirror; you can buy them now at any gun show.

Robin and others:
Are Ilion vent ribs blank (without markings) like Ilion regular ribs?
[That would be a gun post 241,000]