My first Parker

[Ralph Miller]

Dean, Bill, and John, thanks for the great info and pics from your personal SBT’s. When I first found this Parker SBT, it had been sitting in a gun shop I frequent, and it had been there for a little while. The SBT was priced outside the range for their normal shop clientele. According to the shop owner, the SBT came into the shop from two older women, one in her 80’s and one in her 50’s, mother and daughter. The daughter explained it belonged to her dad for over 50 years, who passed away a few years ago, and her mom was now ready to clean out her late husband’s personal things. I have known the shop owners for many years, so they always try to provide me with as much background information as possible on any old/used firearm. However, they did not think I would be interested in the Parker SBT, until I spotted it in their display case. They informed me that, they thought it had been altered, with a new forearm and stock and potentially had the barrel re-blued, so they would make me a great deal on it. They are not experts on Parker's either, and had to rely on the Blue Book to form their originally and value assumptions. As I looked over the SBT I thought it was beautiful, and the workmanship and attention to detail with the engraving was amazing, thinking it was made in 1928, it was exciting, welcome to the Parker world. I had the shop hold it for me, while I did some research / investigation on the SBT. I ordered several Parker books, but none had specific info on the SBT, but I gained enough general info to identify the B grade from the B & 5 above and below the S/N on the frame water-table. I also was able to verify that all the S/N’s, on the frame, barrel, trigger guard tang, and forearm attach point, all matched. I made the shop a lower offer than they were asking, based on what I knew, and they accepted it, so now I have my first Parker SBT. Thanks for the tip on the Parker Story reference, I will have to order a copy. I live in Ca, so maybe that will provide a clue to where the barrel engraver and upgraded forearm and stock were performed. Included are a few more recent pics on the barrel engraving and stock carvings. As I mentioned I could see some polishing indication on the left side of the barrel in the logo on the missing arrow quills, on the left. Is the logo roll stamped from the factory? Also, the most resent recoil pad was not fit exactly to the stock, but this could be changed several time during a trap guns life.

Thanks again on your help figuring out what I have from an originally standpoint. I will definitely plan on taking this SBT to the trap range, once in a while, as I like to shoot all my firearms.

Ralph

[Mark Riessen]

I love it. It should be taken to the range, carried and shot with pride. M

[Ralph Miller]

Guys, have you seen variations in the SBT roll stamped barrel markings on the left side of the barrel. I have seen these variations on several other barrels. Are they variations due to the roll stamping process, or from polishing off of the old bluing in this area. As deep as the roll stamping is it is hard to believe polishing could remove that much stamping material. The first figure is of my barrel, note the variations on the far left bottom and the far right top. The second and third and fourth pics have similar or no variations.

Please let me know what you think,

Thanks,

Ralph

[John Davis]

Ralph, for what it's worth: yours of course has been customized, the second and fourth appear to have been "restored" and no. 3 looks original.

[Ralph Miller]

Thanks John, the next thing I plan on doing is to request a letter on the SBT and see what that turns up.

Ralph

[Ralph Miller]

Some additional pics of my SBT. By the color case hardening under the forearm, the Parkers were stunningly beautiful when brand new. Some browning on the barrel crown and corrosion on the trigger indicates to me the SBT was not well taken care of (wiped down) as it should have been, over the years. Some nice markings on the underside of the barrel, still trying to decipher what they all mean. The numbers written in pencil on the underside of the forearm wood "3060" has no reference to the S/N? There were no numbers written on the end of the stock, but the numbers "50814" were written in pencil on the base of the Pachmayr pad.

Ralph