Winter Project

[todd allen]

Could this have been a pigeon gun?

[Austin W Hogan]

Simmons was well known for the quality of its work, and many championships, both skeet and trap were won with guns with Simmons ribs.
Collectors are a fickle lot and one should never equate collector interest with collector value. Collector interest can vanish very quickly as asking price increases.
There does not seem to be current collector interest in Parkers with ribs installed after delivery to the initial customer, by Simmons or other reputable firms. There is good collector interest in 34 inch barreled guns. Examining the production records indicates very few 34 inch barrels were sold with ventilated ribs.
Does or will the 34 inch barrel length trump the after market rib installer? We will only know when we count the number of bidders ( or buyers ) standing when one is offered.

Best, Austin

[Bill Murphy]

Is this an original Parker 34" gun? Does it agree with the Serialization Book entry for that gun? Simmons installed two different types of vent ribs on side by side shotguns. One type involved removing the original rib. Another type was installed on the top of the original rib. If the second type was used, it is remotely possible that the gun can be restored to original. Of course, if the gun is a good shooter, not in pristine condition, it is probably better to leave it as is. What could be neater than a vent rib 34" Parker? I would love to own such a gun. Try to get some pictures posted so we can give you more information. Yes, Simmons is still alive and well and has a website where they describe their services. The Simmons you are looking for is in Olathe. The website is "simmonsguns.com"