Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck Bishop
The forend a Parker forend but is the wood original to the gun? It could also be that the straight stock is a replacement and not original and that's why the colors don't match. Is the S/N of the gun and a 4 stamped in the wood under the trigger guard? If it's there, then it's possible the wood has been refinished to a different color or Parker just did a poor match of color.
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Indeed the stock could be a replacement, but it sure fits well, as original Parker wood does. I have not removed the trigger guard because I hate to mess with the screws, even tho I have good screw drivers. The S# on the inside of the forearm matches the gun and the case colors glow. No color on the lower tang so it was shot quite a bit. Original owner was Ray Folger, of coffee fame. Pretty good sized chip missing alongside the lower tang, as if someone removed the trigger guard and pulled off a piece off wood with it. I've seen that happen before. The chiped place is slightly worn, so the gun was shot after it was damaged, probably by the original owner.
It was badly stored. When I got it, it had been kept in a cheap plastic case which did not breath. The gun was literally coated with rust and the pad was trash. I very carefully removed the rust, but the gun still shows some pitting. Paid $1500 for the gun to the son-in-law of the original owner. The man was burglerized and they took all of his shotguns (a complete group of 21s) but this one.
I shoot this shotgun weekly. Last year I shot mostly skeet, but this coming spring/summer I'm going to concentrate on trap and shooting this great, classic Parker.