28 Gauge?

[Sam Carepnter]

I am looking at a gun I can pick up. It has 28g bbls and appears original except wood. It is a GH. Serial 111935. Can anyone offer advise on identifying this as a real 28 as it left the factory. I am new to Parkers. Thanks

[Bill Murphy]

Serialization book says it is a 20, but a PGCA letter or the gun itself may say otherwise.

[edgarspencer]

Are the barrels and fore end also marked with the same serial number?

[Dean Romig]

That serial number is in the range where Parker Bros was building the 28 ga. on the 0 frame size.

[Sam Carepnter]

Bbls do have same sn and ring true but no makers information on rib. Talk with DelGregos had us measure between strikers and other questions seem to indicate orig 28. They indicated probable Remington era rebarrel would not have been marked. Wood may or may not be original and has had checking sanded smooth. Wood seems a little off from GH guns at the time. I can pick up the gun for <5k but 20g serialization seems to spook me a bit. How accurate has the list proved to be and would lettering information source be different? I think I would have to have the wood done and would likely freshen the rest of the gun if I had it. I like a nice looking gun and am not interested in a "safe queen" ugly gun for the sake of leaving it alone for value. Would I surely burn in hell for a Delgrego or Turnbull restoration? Thanks again for allowing me on the forum and helping me.

[C.O.B.]

What do you consider restoration? Wood refinished and checkering recut, re case colored, re rust blue the bbls? this is all costly. If you like the gun for 5K buy it to shoot it. If it's in any kind of sound condition its a good buy if a 20 and a steal being a 28. Can you post pictures of this?

[Sam Carepnter]

I will certainly post pictures if I get the gun and if I do not, I may be able to post pictures and provide contact info for seller if allowed. I would do the wood, cc, and proper rust blue. I suspect that by the time I finished I would have about 10k in it by the time I was finished.

I do not value the 20 as much as the 28 for my own shooting. My first gun was a Winchester 28 and I have always shot 28s even back when seemingly nobody knew what the were or wanted them, at least in my world.

I should make a decision in the next few days. Seller is a freind and I want to help him along even if I do not or can not buy it.

[Bill Murphy]

Those barrels could be poorly sleeved making the gun worth about $600, or they could be real Remington Parker barrels and the gun could be worth $6000. Without good pictures, we can't give much information. If you don't know one way or the other, don't buy the gun at any price. I can't imagine what difference the distance between the strikers could make. We know it was a 20 originally and the frame would be an 0 frame in 99 out of 100 cases.

[edgarspencer]

I suspect the book is right in that it left Meriden as a 20. If the barrels were original to 1903ish, they would have been marked on the rib, and Remington replacements frequently were not. It's a shame the 20 barrels aren't still with the gun. When it's all said and done, if you like the gun and can afford it, go for it and not worry about who or where it was re-barreled.
Finding another set of 0 frame barrels in 20 would be a heck of a lot easier than 28. How bout this, find a set of 16 #0 frame barrels too, and have a three gauge set.

[Brush Buster]

The book is a great starting point but the info. is not written in stone ! I have a VH 20 that is in fact listed in the book as a 28 ,all numbers match and the rib is marked Vulcan steel ,I am confident it wears the barrels it left Meriden with ! Another was a CH Grade 12 Ga. ,the book listed the gun with 30" Barrels and the Barrels were 32 " and the letter on the gun said 32 " ! Would the seller take the gun back if you weren't pleased or if it isn't right ? Russ