Parker 20 ga questions

[Bob Anderson]

I have just recently obtained a Parker shotgun that I have some questions about. To begin with the serial # is 241686
The grade is a VH stamped on the water table, but it has ejectors. Should E be stamped after the VH for an ejector gun, or could they have been added later? The mat rib between the barrels is not stamped anywhere. All of the guns I have seen have the barrel type and maufactuer on them. The gun has also been restocked by Fajen many years ago. How much does this detract from it's value if any? I know pictures are essential so I have encluded some. If you need to see something else specif just ask.












http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t...6_1024x768.jpg

[Autumn Daze]

Bob, You have got yourself a wonderful gun there. Remington Parker near the end of production. The VH marking on the watertable is typical of Remington era guns. Also the unmarked rib is correct for the Remington produced Parkers. By the way the red bead is correct also.The only detraction from original I see is the Fajen butt plate.

[Bob Anderson]

Do you think the wood is correct?

[Ruff Hunter]

Bob, Was the gun actually restocked by Fajen, or is that just a Fajen replacement butt plate on the original Parker stock? The wood to metal fit looks like Parker factory to me; no Fajen stock that I've ever seen fit so well. I might replace the pad with a classic looking Silver's style pad, and that's about all that I'd do. Fantastic looking case colors and screw slots. A valuable Parker 20 gauge indeed. I doubt a similar one could be purchased on the open market for less than $4,000 based on my internet auction observations.

[George Lander]

Bob: To answer your other question, Parker guns with ejectors were typically stamped "VH" on the watertable and "V" if they were extractor. You have a very nice Remington Parker and $4,000 sounds about right.

Best Regards, George

[Bob Anderson]

That I am not sure about. I agree the wood to metal finish is perfect. The one thing I have reservations about is the forearm does not have the metal end cap that I have seen on other Parkers.

[Ruff Hunter]

Yup, the forend does look different and the lack of a steel forend tip in a Parker (that is not a beavertail) is unusual. Perhaps that was a late era Remington variation? I don't know, but someone on this forum will.

[Autumn Daze]

Looks to me that the gun was restocked. The wrist checkering patter looks to be in the D grade style but without the drop points on the cheeks. The forend checkering pattern looks to be V grade. Parker guns had the forend tip until the end of production except for Trojan grade guns. Still in all a very nice gun.

[B. Dudley]

Yeah. I am not too up to speed on Remington Era checkering quite yet. But my vote is a restock. The checkering is fully pointed up which would be incorrect for a V grade. Also the bead border is not Parker as well. I am also unsure if the pattern would have wrapped around the bottom of the wrist like that. And the lack of metal forend tip is a dead givaway.

Also, shuldn't the case colors be cyanide type being a remington gun?

[Ruff Hunter]

Brian,
Looking at the bright purples, especially on the underside of the forend iron, I do not think that's bone charcoal case coloring. My vote is that it is original Remington era case colors. So as a stocker, how hard would you think it to be to reshape the forend slightly to make it look more Parker original, and add a steel insert tip? If it were my gun, that's what I'd probably want to do, in addition to adding a classic looking Silver's recoil pad.