Live Bird Gun?

[Ed Blake]

Originally Posted by Mark Estrop

I recently came into possession of a Parker VHE 12ga. I've ascertained the following information - 30” 4.5 bbl, trap stock, 2 frame, (1900 date) F&F. The Shield on the stock has the original owner's name. It has a straight English stock, with Vulcan barrels, no safety. The bores of the barrels are mint - nary a scratch or pitting.
I've been told it is a live bird gun. I'm sure it was used for trap because somebody added an adjustable Morgan pad to the stock. Other than that, everything else looks original. Stew Wright at Wright's Model 12 Shop looked it over and declared it a "grand old gun".
What officially designates it as a live bird gun? And how rare are these? I'm a novice with Parkers, so any help or info would be appreciated.

Great gun. You will have fun researching the original owner. And that gun is a VH; it has an extractor, no ejectors. Better still IMO.

[Bill Murphy]

An early Parker live bird gun usually has one or more of several features. Very few have all the features. Basically, it would be a tight bored 12 gauge with 30 to 34 inch barrels. Features generally unique to the live bird gun include no safety, no extension rib (non ejector gun only), and flat rib. It is quite unusual to see all these features in one gun. However, such guns are out there. Guns without extension ribs are quite scarce, as are flat rib guns.