Parker Brothers DH Ser#173674
 

Recently a dear friend and member of this forum passed away after battling cancer for the better part of a year. I'm talking about Ron Kolodziej, a recently retired dentist and shooting buddy. For a number of years, Ron admired the Parkers I brought to the skeet field and finally joined the PGCA and purchased a Parker DH from I believe one of the online gunbroker type sales sites. In his passing he left this 1916 vintage DH to his son in law, who now shoots regularly with us and most recently brought this DH to the range for us gents to see. Frame size 2, 30 inch barrels, choked mod and full with 3 inch chambers. capped pistol grip, engraving is still crisp but little to no color remains, extractors w/titanic steel barrels. The one drawback to this otherwise all original double is that the stock had been seriously cut down sometime with a 1-2 inch black spacer installed in front of a pachmayer pad. Looks a little ugly on an otherwise very nice double. The one unique feature to the gun is that it was apparently ordered from the factory with no safety. In text messaging with Dean R., we feel that while some might call this a "live bird gun", it may have been ordered by the purchaser for trap or serious waterfowl shooting. I have pics of it on my cell but as yet haven't figured out how to transfer them to this site. But anyone offering comment or knowledge of this double, please feel free to comment. I've urged Ron's son in law to order a Research Letter - let's see what the provenance might show if any.

You may want have your friend connect with Mark Larson

He does faux grain jobs on stock extensions that blend right in

http://www.marklarsongunart.com

Posted for Allen:

Thanks Steve. I told the family today that in memory of their father, a deceased PGCA member, that I'd order a letter for them. Ron was a dear friend who will e missed.

Looks like the last number has been stamped over another number do we see that much it does match the serialization book as numbered .

The 3" chambers are interesting. There doesn't seem to be any swamping in the barrels, I bet they're heavy duty!

If ever there was a Parker crying for a stock fix it's this one. Beautiful gun. I wonder if the 3" chambers are original?

After I get the Letter back, let's see what, if any provenance there is. I agree the stock should be replaced but let's see what the letter produces. The gun is absolutely tight, no barrel dents or blemishes. Don't know how unusual a 3 inch chamber on a 1916 gun is but it's certainly interesting.

2 5/8" chambers were the standard in that period.

Do the chambers actually measure 3" or are they 2 7/8" for the 3" shell of the day?





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Dean, I used my Galazan brass gauge to measure the chambers. It showed 3 inches to the outside face of the chambers so perhaps they're really 2 7/8's as you suggest.