What's Wrong With This Picture
 

Let's have a little fun and play: What's Wrong With This Picture ?

Feel free to take your best guess!

I am looking on my phone. But it looks like one of those few V grades with Damascus barrels

According to The Parker Story the information from stock books showed VH-Grades with Damascus barrels were 173953 to 173962 all 30- and 32-inch barrel 10-gauges, and 180420 a 34-inch barrel 12-gauge.

So, this gun looks more interesting. According to our home page there is information for a research letter for # 92489.

It's an interesting gun Paul. Is there anything different about the top rib or inscription? After you post back, I'll tell you why I asked.

Here's a few more pictures showing the other oddities of this one.

A few more.

Interesting... It looks like the barrels and forend iron, tip, and latch were intended for a Grade 2.... possibly a transplant by Parker Bros.? We've seen examples before of "use cust. barrels" on guns with barrels that didn't seem just right.







.

Is the rib inscription engraved or stamped? Can you shoe the Forend lug?

I know what's wrong, it isn't mine...

Like Paul Harvey would say; Here's the rest of the story.

I watched this gun go around on Gunbroker for a couple of sessions and finally my curiosity got the best of me. I contacted the seller and asked for a picture of the serial number on the barrel lug. After viewing the picture. I convinced myself that the barrels were factory stamped & must have been installed in Meriden. I decided to take the chance and did the bidding to win the auction. I was really nervous doing so because the serialization book lists the gun as having Vulcan barrels.

After getting the gun I started turning screws to check all the stampings on the various parts and became even more convinced that the barrels were a factory job. The curious thing though was the grade-2 engraving on the forearm metal.

I sent off for a letter and to my relief it confirmed that sure enough it is all factory work for this VH to be wearing Damascus barrels. Take a look at the letter and you will see that when the gun was almost new it was sent back to have the Vulcan barrels replaced with the Damascus ones she has worn for the last 114 years. I would like to think that the gun was never fired before the original purchaser had the gun sent back to have the barrels replaced.

This validates two things for me.

1. This is proof that at the time there were still questions about the then new fluid steel barrels and at least one man decided to stick to the tried & true Damascus that he was comfortable with.

2. The value of the letters we can get through the PGCA. The money I spent on the letter IMO is as good as gold on this particular gun.

Look the letter over & enjoy!!