If folks would review the posts, they will see that I recommended Hershel Chaddick to look the gun over, because he has sound judgment about how to make a Parker look good, and his retired gunsmith Tom Chapman to do the work if Hershel could convince Tom to take the project on. I don't think there was anybody better than Tom, although there were some as good, but not many. I know there are guns out there today that are believed original yet were redone by Tom. Hershel and Tom are close to Dee and that was an important consideration. Hershel is himself mostly retired, but still buys and sells a few guns, and people still call him with requests for certain guns.
There is no doubt that this gun is in, to put it mildly, terrible condition. Yet, Dee says that Hershel says it is salvageable, and I would bank on that. "Bank" is the operable word, because its restoration will be long and costly to do right rather than cobble something together. If Dee does not have the money and interest, this may be a good gun to sell to someone who does, and who will probably be upside down in the gun by the time they are finished.
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