Value of my Parkers

Not that Mark needs my endorsement, both as a person of integrity as well as a brother Marine- but I'll do it anyway. Mark knows fine double guns, but he also donates his time and considerable talent as a photographer- many of our side-by-side SC events are captured on film or CD thanks to him, he does this gratis and deserves our thanks-

I spent last Saturday (17 July) with Mark and other brother PGCA members at the Lapeer shootfest- Mark does indeed have a fine Grade 3 10 with the matched barrel set- he also had a "special Non-Parker 12" bore I would love to own- if only there weren't a 10 Lindner Daly with Krupp barrels also waiting my bankroll-

One area where Mark and I may differ- I do NOT buy guns on any BBS or website- I may buy gun parts, books, shell boxes- I want to see the gun and shoot it- and the site Mark mentioned is a good site, thanks to owner Dave Weber- but you will get more of the "tire kicker" element- and you have to ship the gun (FFL) and offer an inspection period, plus your personal privacy could be compromised-

I recommended to you my personal friend George Lander, I have done business with him- he, like the other gentlemen Mark mentioned, is honest as the day is long- Have him consign your Parker(s) and be patient- One of many reasons I recommend George is that he is already a successful and well established realtor in SC- so there is no "panic button" if he doesn't sell a gun in order to make a bank payment-

We use this same principle in finding a guide in the West- if he has a good off-season job (carpentry, welding, auto mechanic, etc) he most likely won't be under financial pressure for his guiding income and will do a better job and be better company at eveningtide "Sundowners" time as well-

I think I may have met Mark's friend Kirby Hoyt at the MI Yooper shoot- he was handing a fine Churchill 12 bore XXV to Stephen Cobb while I watched- he offered the gun (broken open of course) to me- a fine gesture both in gun manners and as a dealer- I am about as likely to own a Churchill or a Purdey as I am to drive the 1953 Rolls-Royce Shadow Mark mentioned, but I still go to handle a "London Best"-- I tried very hard not to drool all over it- a true "Steinway of Shotguns" in my hands- Wow!!

I can't speak for the fotos, others here know that area better, nor can I for the PGCA Board of Directors, who have wisely ruled we should NOT sell our Parkers here- My guess, and mine ONLY, is that they wish to avoid the acrimony I have read on the For Sale posts at times on other sites that deal in gun sales-

[Bill Murphy]

If you could post some clearer and closer up pictures of the receiver area, top, bottom, sides, we could give you a better idea of the value of the hammer gun. It looks like an exceptional example. The stamped letters on the stock are not of any consequence unless you try to remove them. It is hard to take pictures of the bores, but maybe someone could evaluate the bores for you.

[Carolyn Kluttz]

Receiver area? Meaning where the bullets go in?

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Hi Carolyn,

This link is to a thread with photos on one of my Parkers. http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1821

Notice in the first photo the forend (top left), receiver (top right), and barrel flats.

The part of the receiver with the numbers and letters is call the watertable.

The watertable markings along with those on the barrel flats and recoil lug (part that extend downward from the barrel flats will tell us much about your gun. See 2nd photo.







Mark

[Carolyn Kluttz]

Mark, Thank you for your patience. I will try next week (with my daughter) to get these shots. I am afraid to take the Hammerless gun apart again for these shots because I almost didn't get it back together when I took it apart the first time for the engraved information. Is it normal for this particular gun to be difficult to re-assemble? The 'hook'? lock is different than the Hammer gun which has been easy to take apart and put together.

Carolyn

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Carolyn,

The recoil and barrel lugs (hooks) are different for these guns. Assembly requires knowledge of the proper mating of the barrels to the receiver. Don't worry about putting the gun back together. It would be shipped dissambled. The photos of the pieces are most important. You could shoot photos of the assembled guns before disassembling them.

Mark

[Bill Murphy]

The pictures I was suggesting are of the middle part of the gun where the triggers and hammers are. We need a clear close view of the condition of the engraving and screws that are rather unclear in the first pictures. Thanks.

[Carolyn Kluttz]

Bill,

I will try again next week for closer clearer pictures.

Carolyn

Bullets are the shells fired in firearms with rifled barrels, such as rifles and handguns. Shotshells are fired in shotguns such as your two Parkers. You have been given some good suggestions by other members of the PGCA-perhaps I can help you overcome your concern about dis-assembly of the Vulcan hammerless Parker you have-

First off, the term hammerless is a bit of a misnomer- All firearms have hammers, as they do firing pins, triggers, sears and springs- all part of the "what makes it go Bang" mechanism--

The grade 3 10 has external hammers, which means each hammer is cocked by the shooter's hand, when the corresponding trigger is pulled, the sear releases it to fall against the firing pin that is housed in the receiver area behind the barrels- the pin goes forward, hits the primer of the shotshell and fires the shot- The gun can then br broken open with the top lever, fired shell(s) removed, new shells inserted, gun closed- process repeats itself--

The VH (Vulcan grade H -hammerless- Parker Code has the hammers with the firing pins as one piece inside the receiver, to recock the gun there is internal mechanism- on the Parker, there is a curved hook from the barrel lug (the larger center section found on the underside of the barrels) and when assembled, that mates into a cocking piece and slide that moves when the gun is broken open- if the hammer(s) are down, they will recock, if not, the gun will still open and close at the shooter's wish-

To dis-assemble the VH (or any other Hammerless Parker) first open and then close the gun, cocking the hammers- the forearm section will have a metal recessed half-circle style release, pull that up from its and the forearm will come free from the barrels- there is a lug or loop that a tongue engages from this design- it is spring loaded and designed to hold the forearm in position-

Move the top lever over to the right (counter clockwise) and swing down the barrels and lift them free from the receiver- That's it- re-assemble in reverse order- Now you have access to all the areas the other gentlemen have asked about- for more detailed pictures- they will want to see all the stamped lettering and numbers on the flat sections of the receiver (also called the watertable) and on the flats (undersides) of the barrels and also on the barrel lug(s)-- also, the serial number should be the same on the metal bar inside the forearm (called the forearm iron) as found on both the barrels (usually on a side of the lug) and also on the receiver watertable, and also engraved on the triiger guard bow where it is fastened to the buttstock

As with any fine mechanism, never use force- Parkers were all hand fitted, even the VH(E) and the Trojan grades- with proper care they should outlive all of us- best wishes for your mission to sell these "Old Reliables" in a manner favorable to your situation-

[Carolyn Kluttz]

Mr. Morin,

You will be pleased to know that following your precise directions, I was indeed able to easily dis-assemble and re-assemble my shotgun.

Thank you.

Carolyn