The gun no. 43805 is now at Bachelders in Michigan. Brad called and we went over the pluses and minises....When the gun first arrived I was very happy with its condition, nothing ugly. Its a little loose on the hinge pin and the finish could use freshed up, wood and metal. I was so busy with work I did not get to properly measure the bore and only stuck a choke wedge in the muzzles. It showed them to be both cyl...bummer I thought??? The original case that has been with the gun maybe since day one was made for the 28" barrels not any longer so I did not feel they had been shortened. The gun had to be put back on face so it was sent off the Bachelders for the work. When Brad called after getting a look at the old girl, I asked about the barrels and chokes, he properly measured them while we talked. They measured full/full. I was puzzled about that, from my barrel wedge reading of Cyl/Cyl. He explained that the early guns had 11 ga. bores made for metal type shells like the ones that came with this gun...thay are factory overbore! Im always learning new things. Overall the gun is as shiped from the factory less 120 years of sevice and finish loss! After inspecting the barrels that are the original F/F and 100% servicable Brad advised a full restoration. Brad has several hammer guns in for updates and feels my gun will make a great restored G-grade hammer gun that will be able to shoot modern 2 3/4 target loads with no problem or safty concerns. And he would not be afraid to shoot tom turkey with a standard type field load! Bores are nice,have not been honed and have plenty of steel in them. Thats all it took for me to give him my blessing on the full restoration. He will clean up up the breach area and give the bores a light polish for a nice flawless look that we all like. It will take approx 8 months to bring the wood and metal back to lady she once was...(-: This will be my oldest Parker and she will will get back in the game this cumming fall. Im very pleased with that old gun! Brad says it has less common engraving of upland birds instead of waterfoul found on most of the G grades of that period. COOL! Thanks all SXS ohio....(-:
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