Parker Rejuvenation
Jerry, Dave, Dean,et al;
This has been a great discussion. I think it could be a worthwhile research article for Parker Pages. I'll post that more formally.
First; this is a little more than speculation on my part; let's call it reasoned speculation. I am sure that if that gun were delivered to Babe and Lawrence, the full story would be known in minutes. I need to visit them and get up to date on several things.
There are some outstanding features present; the GH like grain in the butt; the large trap fore end with screw, but not with trap fore end loup; the bright cyananide case hardening; and the "Parker" butt plate. I speculate that this gun was reworked by Larry Sr and the former Parker employees perhaps at Remington, or in the early years of the original Del Grego cellar shop.
Remington case hardening is very resistant; I have a 513T that I recieved for my 16th birthday in 1952 that is still bright after many years of gallery shooting. I would speculate the case hardening of this gun was done about then. (I also speculate that Lefever (three miles away in Frankfort, and former Remington shop superintendent) hardened some Ilion Parkers before cessation of the operation, and most of those re cased during reconditioning by Del Grego prior to Bob Lefever's retirement. The Remington collectors newsletter cites Runge bringing Parker frames that he had engraved to Remington for case hardening between that time and the ending of the cyanide case process.)
The GH grain on VH guns is noted prior to close of production; those butts and the "Parker" butt plates may have remained in stock in the 1950's
The trap forend thread in the old style fore end loup is interesting. Did someone note that the new style loup wasn't really necessary? Is that the reason those I bought were left over?
The machine buffing of the barrel is unusual to say the least. Could the gun have rusted in a case and the barrels reblued at a later date?
Best, Austin
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08-10-2010, 10:08 AM
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