New member in MI looking for some help

[Andrew Frank]

Hello every everyone, new Parker owner here in northern Michigan. I’m an avid bird hunter and SxS enthusiast. I recent purchases my first Parker, a VH grade 16 gauge on a #1 frame. The gun had a less than amazing restoration done a few years back making it the perfect gun for me, something I wouldn’t feel bad about taking through the grouse woods, and a gun I can enjoy taking to the range.

Now for the help...I took it to the range today and during a round of 5 stand the left barrel burst. I noticed a weird ring of soot in the left barrel, ran a bore snake through it and saw the hole. Before you say it, there was no obstruction, I check my barrels before putting shells in and I had no off sounding shots. Also the burst is toward the rib not the outside. I immediately called my gunsmith and brought it by for him to look at and he confirmed I had a burst. He is very well versed in SxS shotguns and went over this gun before I bought it. Today he remeasured barrel wall thickness and it was perfect (sorry don’t remember off the top of my head) and confirmed it hadn’t been backbored too thin. He doesn’t think it was a stuck wad based on were it blew out. In all his years he hasn't seen a gun give out in the spot this one did. He called a well know gunsmith he knows that does barrel repairs and he was stumped by it too, but said he could replace the tube for $4000-$5000 and a two year wait (over double the price of the gun).

At this point it seems like I have two options, I can send it to Briley and have a set of 28 gauge tubes made for it.

Or I can try to find a new barrel, which is why I’m reaching out to the Parker community as I have no idea where to find one or if it’s really even possible. I’m not picky on gauge or barrel length as long as it will fit a #1 frame. Even ok a with parts gun as long as the barrels are good.

Thanks everyone
Andy

[winplumber]

Were the barrels redone and were there weep holes drilled in the bottom rib ? Sounds like it was rusted from the outside in . Sorry about your gun !

[mobirdhunter]

You could very likely find replacement barrels and have them fit to your gun by a qualified gunsmith. A member can seek such barrels on this forum.

[Andrew Frank]

Thank you, I’m not sure but I think the barrels were reblued, no weep holes in the bottom.

[Andrew Frank]

Where would the best place to post a “want to buy” post?

[mobirdhunter]

There is a "Wanted to buy" section in the members only area of the forum. It could be more than worth the price of membership.

[Jeff K.]

I believe Josh has a set of 16 ga barrels for sale on the for sale forum.

[Jeff K.]

I just checked. They are 30" ejector barrels.

[B. Dudley]

Barrels do not simply interchange. They are all different. And the amount of work needed to fit another set to your gun is a complete unknown until you get into it. That is IF the given set can be made to work properly. And serial number proximity means nothing.

It does sound like your “less than great” restoration may have been to blame as a blowout inside the rib cavity would suggest rusting inside the tubes, possibly from caustic hot salt bluing.

In my opinion, due to the cost you are looking at to make the gun whole again (no matter how you go about it), you should likely instead just be looking for another gun. And a better one at that.

[Randy Roberts]

Sorry about your gun Andrew, thankfully no injuries. Check with Dave Fjelline in Lincoln CA for barrels, he's a good source for such things. Also post some pics of the gun please including the damaged area. There's some rather astute fellas hanging out here that might have some thoughts on the cause with good pics.