AAHE Upgrade?
 

I was recently watching this AAHE on GB, just out of curiosity as to if it would get any action.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=310362126

It caught my attention because of the Vickers barrels. They are very similar to the barrels that were on a PH I used to own. I found it odd for such a high grade gun to have Vickers barrel on it.

Then I looked up the Serial number (145418) in the book. The number is listed as a V grade. But, then I saw that 2 numbers above it in the book (145416) is an AAHE with straight grip. I wondered if the seller just listed the S/N incorrectly. The S/N engraving on the guard was hard to read in the pictures. But the S/N on the barrel lug is clearly visible as ending in an 8. So, most likely an upgrade. Not a bad looking one in some respects.

145416 is an AAHE and shipped to Du Bray. Problem is that he ordered the gun without safety. Gun was later returned to Parker for repair but nothing listed as having a safety reinstalled. Most likely an upgrade.

Very good information about the safety on the actual AAHE. One thing that I did notice about the safety on this one for sale is that the checkering on the button looked too coarse for an AA grade gun.

Someone should invest $40 in a letter on this gun. Of course, our researcher says "probably an upgrade", so I guess he has looked it up. Better pictures may show the it is worth almost what the seller is asking. I'm not so sure about the serial number on the trigger guard. I would like to look under that trigger guard.

Seems like a lot of trouble and expense only to put Vickers barrels on it. There's a story there somewhere.

The barrels seem to fit much better than other sets of Vickers barrels I have seen.

Ed is right and he and I have a plan. We both think this may be the DuBray gun.

Bill, you left me hanging on that last post. Would you say more about your thoughts about why it may be the DuBray gun?

The Vickers barrels do fit better in the dolls head area than the set I had.

When the listing was active, I did ask the seller if he could double check the S/N on the water table of the gun for me, but I did not get any reply from him.

Either way something does not add up. If it was a legit AAHE, why would Vickers barrels have been put on? Wasn't Remington doing Repair work on Parkers until the 70's? I would think someone would have rebarreled a grade 7 as close to correctly as they could have for the time.
And if it is an upgrade, why not do it right with a set of Parker barrels? The stock, engraving and double fences look great! whatever is going on with that pad is a different story. I think it is safe to say that was done long after the upgrade...

Maybe Mrs. Vickers did it for her husband, Mr. Vickers, and both felt his barrels were worthy of an AAHE.

The checkering on that gun looks very weak, like someone sanded it down all over.