Vent Ribs?

[Scott Smith]

Forgive me if this has been discussed before, but Do we know when Parker offered its first vent rib gun?

Also, approximately how many vent rib guns did they produce?

[B. Dudley]

There was a very interesting collection of correspondence letters for sale on ebay recently regarding vent ribs.

[Randy Roberts]

As I recall an astute member here once owned a BH from circa 1919 that had a VR. The rib on this one was not documented but it was generally acknowledged that it was factory work. I believe the VR first appeared circa 1923 or so in PB catalogs. How many, who knows. I believe there are some 377 VR guns listed in the back of TPS. 500 total seems to be the number that folks like to throw around when discussing Parker VR guns. No matter what the number it is a very small percentage of PB guns produced.

[Scott Smith]

Thank you Brian and Randy. I appreciate the replies.

[Dean Romig]

However, Parker Bros. did not produce the first VR in America… Parker was the second to produce a VR gun.





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[David Noble]

45 years ago I bought a VH E? I can't remember now about that. The gun had a high comb monte-carlo stock, single selective trigger, 30 inch barrels and ventilated rib. I bought the gun because I had never seen a Parker configured like that. Needless to say the gun came nowhere near fitting me and the more I looked at it the more I hated the way it looked. It was well made and all factory work as far as I could tell but it was just not the gun for me.
I sold it pretty quick. I never recorded the serial number either unfortunately.

[Bill Murphy]

The Guyette catalog, item number 11, is claimed in the description to be the first vent rib Parker. Delivered April 8, 1917 as I recall. There was a DGJ article on this gun, but the reference in the catalog is incorrect. Does anyone know the DGJ issue in which this gun was featured? Serial number 175,049.

[John Davis]

I would argue that Parker made around 2000 vent rib guns (assuming Randy’s ~500 is correct). Some 1500 being single barrel traps, beginning circa 1917-1918.

[6pt-Sika]

I’ve only ever possessed one factory original Parker SxS vent rib gun . Bought it from a member here . Was a VHE 37 or 38 Remington made gun . 32” BY and SST with factory Monte Carlo . That gun worked quite well for me on the trap field , sporting course , box bird ring and Colombaire ring .

[Reggie B]

I like vent rib guns just fine. I currently have two, both DHEs. I traded off 3 others (foolishly), 2 DHEs and a CHE. It wouldn't make me mad if I had those 3 back.