New-To-Me 20 Ga GH

[Matt Mahoney]

Hello,

I am new to the forum as I was just gifted a 20 Ga GH Parker.

The gun appears to have been built in 1935 and has a size 0 frame. It's previous owner was a petite lady and the length of pull to an original Parker buttplate is 13". What concerns me is the length of the barrels, 27 1/4". I read the description on the Parker website about determining if the barrels had been cut. There is no smooth band between the front bead and the end of the rib. The barrels appear to touch at the choke end, and by feel, the right barrel is slightly more open than the left.

is it likely that the barrels have been altered? Is it possible that the gun was manufactured to a 13" LOP?

Thank you for any thoughts on this matter.

Matt

[B. Dudley]

The gun could have been made with the short LOP, but only a letter or close inspection of the butt end of the gun would tell for sure. But for a 1935 gun, i am not sure how much info a letter would provide.

Given the length of the barrel and your matting running off, i can pretty definitely say that your barrels are cut.

[Matt Mahoney]

Thank you Mr. Dudley. That's what I was afraid of.

Matt

[Bill Murphy]

Get a PGCA letter to possibly add some information. Not likely you will get much. Why have you not included the serial number so we might give you some assistance?

[edgarspencer]

Further to what Brian has said, if the barrels were originally 28", they were likely to have been choked modified and full. Cutting 3/4" off would not have caused the barrels to substantially diverge, and I would certainly expect they still touch at the muzzle. There will still be measurable choke also.

[Matt Mahoney]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your replies. The serial # is 237582. apparently it is a GHE model as it has ejectors.

I'm guessing that it was originally 28", as we measured the chokes today at 17 (right barrel) and 10 thousandths(left barrel). and the choked sections are only about 1/2" long. The gun throws nice patterns and shoots to POI at about 22 yds.

I would love to know why the barrels were shortened by 3/4", but I guess we will never know as the previous owners are no longer with us.

Thanks again for your replies. Although this gun appears to have been altered, I think it will make a nice upland shooter.

Matt

[Southpaw]

What a great story. Did the petite sporting lady shoot it much? Gun may not command a premium price on the market because of alterations but since you know its history, that might be more more important to you anyway. You seem to know something about double guns to go to trouble of testing and finding POI. In my opinion on alterations, wear, superficial knocks and dings, its a mind over matter issue. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter as long as you appreciate what it is.

I hope you enjoy the gun and get to make your own stories with it, it does sound like an incredible upland gun perfect for quail, grouse, and woodcock terrain and cover. I would be proud to be a steward of that gun as you described.

Btw here is gun for Sale at Kevins. Does this gun resemble yours. http://www.kevinsguns.com/product-p/3-101679.htm

[Brush Buster]

Hello Matt ,sounds like a Great Addition to your small game arsenal ! We would all enjoy seeing some photos ! Best ; Russ

[Bill Murphy]

PGCA has records on your gun. A letter should show the original barrel length. Your gun is in the "stock book" era, which includes barrel length information as well as other news.

[Matt Mahoney]

Again, thanks for the comments. This is a great site.

Todd, I'm not sure how much the petite lady shot it. Best I can figure, based on initials on brass plate on underside of the stock, this gun was given to her by the family she married into. I suspect that it was cut down at that time. She was a lady of "means" and very involved in retrievers, the sporting scene etc, so, although I never observed her shooting it, I suspect it was used on all manner of game, including Eastern Shore waterfowl.

An acquaintance of mine looked the gun up in a Parker book that he has and determined that the gun was indeed made with 28" barrels

One thing that I have not checked is chamber length. Would that era gun have had 2 3/4"?

Russ; I will attempt to upload some photos. Not sure how to do it yet.

Thanks again for all of your comments.

Matt