My 1901 16 gauge Parker

[D. Shane Burton]

I bought these from someone advertising for a friend on a gun forum. The guns had been in the family for years and were the wife's grandfather's guns. They didn't know a whole lot about them and, I guess, neither did I. I just knew that Parkers were the good, old dbl barrels that were hard to find and I didn't want to miss the opportunity to buy them at what I thought was a decent price. I didn't know or realize that morons in the past would cut barrels short. I'd never do that to even a modern gun I own. So that was a surprise to me. I worked the action on the 16 and it seemed to work fine. I was looking over these and two other guns they had and I guess I thought I cracked open the 12 but didn't--my bad. I found out later at home that it wouldn't cock.

I've had other times when someone posted a gun that I wanted on the forum and I lost it because someone else spoke up quicker than I did. I guess the reputation of the old Parkers made me jump before researching them. I had no idea about cut barrels, etc... I thought they looked in fair condition because of the fact they appeared to have some of the original blue and case color, whereas many guns have lost so much of it that they're just silver. I thought this look spoke of originality and not a re-finished gun, which would be a good thing.

It appears I was wrong. I guess hindsight is 20/20.

Shane

[Dean Romig]

Very well thought out and stated Bruce.

[D. Shane Burton]

I'm glad you guys are so happy about my screwup and the opportunity to rub it in my face in such a well said manner.

Shane

[Bruce Day]

Lots of no excuses Parkers are available from reputable dealers and from reputable PGCA members. Like anything else, do your homework first or take a friend with you who knows his guns. Above all, the PGCA is networking and helps participants from avoiding being taken or misled by unscupulous gun sellers. Now I don't know how much was paid for these particular guns but you get what you pay for from most gun sellers and bargains in guns, cars, land or houses often aren't.

Mr Burton, no one is happy about your guns or your situation and no one is rubbing anything in your face, nor do I know of any reasonable basis why a person would think that. We at the PGCA have tried very hard over the last 15 years to make collecting information available to everybody, regardless of membership, so that they, if they choose, can become knowledgeable in Parker shotguns. We have this forum and public exhibitions at major gunshows and are pleased to assist and answer questions to those who want to ask.

[Dean Romig]

Shane, you're misreading our meaning here. Nobody except the guy who sold you those guns is taking any pleasure at all in this. We're attempting to help you but will not give you a value on the guns at the risk that we or one of us will be named in the possible lawsuit you bring against the seller. I, for one, will say no more on the subject.

[D. Shane Burton]

To Bruce Day,

You're right, I should have, but I explained what I did and why above. I rarely see these for sale around where I live, until I saw these and didn't want to miss out on them.

I still have no idea what they're worth, even as parts guns or wallhangers. I wish someone could help with this. I can't undo what I've done, I'm just trying to figure out how to recover from it.

Shane

[D. Shane Burton]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Shane, you're misreading our meaning here. Nobody except the guy who sold you those guns is taking any pleasure at all in this. We're attempting to help you but will not give you a value on the guns at the risk that we or one of us will be named in the possible lawsuit you bring against the seller. I, for one, will say no more on the subject.

You posted this as I was typing the above. I have no desire for a lawsuit over something like this, I'm just trying to see how much they're really worth to know if I took a loss or not. Are these still worth $1000 as parts or as a wallhanger, or are they worth only $10 in scrap metal. If someone could post a "no responsibility guess" so I could have an idea while they protected themselves, I'd appreciate it.

Shane

[Bruce Day]

Steve Barnett over in Mississippi is a reputable dealer with a lot of fine Parkers. Terry Allen in Nashville is fine also. McCabe and Willoughby in Dallas, also. The PGCA will hold its next annual meeting and exhibition in Louisville KY in Sept 2011.

As for value, severely cut barrels have little value to Parker collectors. The stocks look beat up. The action frames, when they are hanging up, could be internally rusted or just full of dried grease and crud. If parted out, I don't know, maybe a bit more than $500 from both. Bill Murphy has dealt in parting out guns. Bill?

[D. Shane Burton]

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

Steve Barnett over in Mississippi is a reputable dealer with a lot of fine Parkers. Terry Allen in Nashville is fine also. McCabe and Willoughby in Dallas, also. The PGCA will hold its next annual meeting and exhibition in Louisville KY in Sept 2011.

Steve Barnett in Mississippi is fairly close. Maybe I can track him down. He may want them for parts or be able to give me a face-to-face evaluation. Maybe I could work something out in trade and $ and get a good Parker, who knows?

Thanks for the ballpark value in parts, Bruce. That's not as bad as I imagined. The 16's action works fine, though the 12 has problems. I don't think these guns have been cleaned in a 100 years.

Thanks for the info, Bruce.
Shane

[Bruce Day]

www.stevebarnettfineguns.com

West Point, MS

Be prepared to see some fine Parkers.