New member with 12 Gauge Parker - 1883

[Jim Morris]

New Member
My Great-Grandfather received this Parker Shotgun as a gift. When he died in 1913 the gun went to my grandfather. He died in 1959 and my grandmother gave me the gun in 1966. It was obviously used a lot. It has been stored in a gun bag all these years and has not had poroper care. Can someome suggest a reputable person in the Florida area for restoration/clean up for presentation.

Details are: Serial number=31223, Quality Code D2, Grade G (?), Top action, Capped pistol grip, 12 gauge, 30 inch barrel, Damascus Steel, Frame size 2, manufactured 1883.

Also what value would this gun have for insurance?

Thanks for your help.

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Hi Jim,

Welcome aboard! You get about three gold stars for providing the serial number, details, and pretty good photos!

First, the gun looks like it's off face. There is considerable light between the breach face and the face of the barrels. Are the barrels loose on the action with the forend removed? This repair will be $300 or more.

What is the value? That's tough to say without the gun in hand. The gun does look to be in decent shape other than the aforementioned problem. Are the bores smooth and shiney? Is the stock without cracks? Are the ribs tight to the barrels? Assuming that the gun has no other problems value could be between $750 and $1500. Maybe less, maybe more... I like the old engraving with the big woodcock.

The market is down presently but it will come back up when the economy improves.

For what's it's worth,
Mark

[Jim Morris]

Thanks for the great response. Mark. Yes, the barrel does seem loose with the forend removed. However I do not plan to shoot the gun so I would probably not repair that. I would only consider this for display at home. The bores are not shiny and the stock is solid.
Should I have it restored for display or just leave it alone?
Jim

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Jim,

As a family heirloom your gun is great! Most of us do not have a family Parker.

Restoration on a lower grade Parker is a financially losing venture. It will however give you an object of beauty to treasure. Here are photos of a Grade 2 "G" with the metal restored. The decision is up to you.

Many of us only have the Damascus barrels refinished on these old guns. That is acceptable and costs about $400 depending on the condition of the barrels.

[Jim Morris]

Mark,
Thanks to you and the other folks who offered excellent advice. I think I will clean it up with gun oil and elbow grease and leave it as is. Then I will pass it down the line to my son. It is nice to have a piece of family history that has been around for 130 years.

You guys have put together a nice forum. I appreciate your experience and your generous help.
Regards,
Jim

[edgarspencer]

Jim, Welcome to the PGCA.
In your 4th picture, I'm seeing something I have not previously seen in a grade 2 hammer. Could you take a close up of that hammer, maybe even both hammers.
I am generally on the side of not restoring a gun, when original condition is acceptable wear, and not abuse.
I don't know if you are a shooter, but I am and have a variety of pieces to take out. I have a grade 2 16 that was reasonably well restored before I bought it, and I think it's one reason why I take it out often and enjoy the heck out of shooting it. The monetary value of a 30" 2 frame 12 is not a huge amount, so the argument that it's value is diminished by restoration is marginal at best. There is little argument that the cost of the restoration will not be recovered if you sold it, but since you are unlikely to sell a family gun, that, too is moot.
If I were in your situation I think I would get the gun back on face and into a shooting condition. Try it out at some sporting clays, or trap, and then decide. If you do decide to go further, seek out the advice of hammer gun people. There are well know gunsmiths out there whose case color restoration is just plain wrong on these guns, and a few who have a good handle on what it should look like.
There are a few good, and relatively affordable gunsmith's who can get your gun back to looking like the pictures Mark has posted of his. There are a variety of good smokeless loads which are safe, and adequate for hunting or clay busting. Barrels used on a grade 2 are very sound and, providing they are checked for this, are every bit as safe as steel barrels, providing you don't use excessively potent loads. Anything in the 1200 FPS range is fine.

[Dollar Grade]

Jim,
Your Parker is a nice transition gun from the lifters to the top levers. If you look close at Marks gun there is no dolls head extension going into the top of the action, like the lifters. Marks gun also has no rib matting (squiggles on the top of the rib). There were only about 1200 top levers made with no dolls head extension, as apposed to 35,200 with the dolls head extension. Yours has the dolls head extension but still no matting on the top rib. In about 1886 all of the the Parkers built had the matting on the top rib. The ribs were matted so that there was a non glare surface along the sighting plane.

You have a nice piece of family history. A nice display case is in order.

Kurt

[Craig Parker]

Jim,
What a Great family gun, are you looking to use as a shooter or just to display.

Craig

[George M. Purtill Member #28]

That is a great gun that someone loved.
You have joined a great organization and our benefits include being able to order a letter at a low price. Get one as that vintage gun will probably have order information.

[Jim Morris]

George,
Thank you for your comments.
I am not sure what you mean "Order a letter at a low price"?
Sorry but I am new to this.
Jim