Parker GH on Guns America

[Jim DiSpagno]

Can anyone here tell if the serial # 86256 aGH grade with 28" Vulcan barrels numbered to the gun was done at the Parker factory or was this done aftermarket? The barrels are 28" in length. Thanks, Jim.

[Bruce Day]

Jim, you gotta know that the barrels would not be original to this gun, and also the only documents that may shed light on the issue would be a research letter from Mark Conrad, and you know that those are limited in scope and it would be a long shot to find documentation of factory re-work....so that leaves you inspecting the gun to determine the quality of work and even that would not be determinative that it was factory work unless you were really expert in identifying the small tell tales of factory work. If you are concerned about factory work, this would not be a gun to be interested in. If you are interested in a shooter, functional gun, the situation is different.

[charlie cleveland]

good advise...thanks bruce... charlie

[Jim DiSpagno]

Bruce, looked at the gun closely and could not tell . Serial # didn't look to be changed and numbers match receiver and fore end. If I am correct, some guns other than the VH left Parker factory with Vulcan barrels. I just thought this was interesting. Work, if not factory, is damn near perfect. Thanks to all, Jim

[Bruce Day]

Sure, some guns were originally fitted with other than the standard barrels for the grade, but you know that an early G like this would have 2 blade damascus, even if its not in the Serialization Book , as this gun is not. It is a potential factory re-fit, and then you get a letter, and if the letter doesn't say anything about it, then you start looking at the very small details, and without documentation, it will be your opinion.
Its probably a great shooter, and just look at it that way.


I've seen D's with Bernard barrels, Trojans with Twist, a 16ga A Lifter with factory re-fit Whitworths, a V with Twist, a V with damascus, all documented and very interesting.

But you know that for a 86xxx sn gun, this was before V grades and Vulcan fluid steel even existed.

[Jim DiSpagno]

Yes Bruce, I realize that. I told the owner the same thing. I also said it would behoove him to order a Parker letter. Otherwise ,in my humble opinion, that particular shotgun was only worth about $1,200.. to $1,400.00
That reflects the buy-it-now price Gerry Andrews has on a D grade with Vulcan barrels. With condition a little better on the G grade. Thanks Bruce, you only confirm what I believed to be true.. Jim

[Harry Collins]

For what it's worth, I have a GH with Vulcan barrels. The gun came with Damascus barrels, but was returned to the factory for a new set and was returned sporting Vulcan. A friend has his great grandfathers AAH from 1897? that came with Whitworth barrels. It was sent back to the factory about five times and was returned with an additional set of barrels each time. Several of the hunting barrels were Vulcan Steel. Off the top of my head I can not recall the type steel for the live bird barrels.

Harry

[Brent Francis]

Its probably already been discussed, but is there any real difference in the various fluid steel barrels other than the name on the rib? Ive always wondered if Vulcan steel was really any different from Whitworth as regards strength and resistance to corrosion etc.l or whether it was more of a turn of the century marketing ploy.

[George Lander]

Brent: I am of the opinion that most of Parker fluid steel barrels are made of the same stuff (Sir Joseph Whitworth's possibly being the exception) whether they be marked Trojan, Vulcan, Acme, Titanic or Peerless on the top rib.

Best Regards, George

[David]

Not in the Book