new parker owner

[JAMES BAKER]

in my haste to find info i saw the remington repair codes link and entered the WK and
got back the message that it indicated the Parker was repaired in August 1941...so
making the mistake many do when "assuming" anything I figured the barrel may have been shortened at that time. ooops on me...LOL.

James- first of all, welcome. FYI, there are members here who know Parkers as well as His Holiness knows where all the lavatories are in the Vatican. Research alone on our beloved "Old Reliables" can in itself be a life-long labor of love. If your Vulcan 12 Parker was produced in Meriden in 1905-1906 and the records show it had 30" barrels when it left the factory, that you can take as "Gospel" truth here.

Did Remington shorten the barrels to 26" in 1941? I can't say, but I doubt it. Why? First off, I should guess they would would have offered the owner another set of 26" barrels fitted to his VH. When barrels are set and regulated, or "Englished" they have to shoot to point of aim and not "cross pattern" and the regulation done on the original 30" barrels, no matter the choke(s) would be gone forever with a 4" reduction. Even if a skilled barrel man/machinist, like the late Jim Geary (Parker's top barrel man) could remachine a recess or "jugged" choke, you would still have a possible problem in good patterns, and also, the fine balance Parkers were known for would also be adversely affected.

Another point, if you will bear with me-and I am guessing, but as, unfortunately, so many fine doubles produced during the turn of the 20th Century had 30" barrels- and later their owners wanted shorter barrels and more open chokes, the vise and hacksaw came into play often. Why would the owner send this VH to Remington in 1941 and pay for an "alteration", assuming Remington would have honored his request, when he could "alter" his gun almost for free?

I am curious as to the code or website site you used to determine, if I read your post correctly, that Walter King's stamp may have meant this Remington operation in 1941. I would like to visit that site myself, out of curiosity.

Whoever said your older Parker might have been one of the Japanese Olin Kodesha may well have been confused. Dean Romig answered that accurately, as the basic level grade for those repros was the DHE I believe, and our PGCA forum has an entire section just on those fine guns as well. And anything Dean Romig tells you about Parkers (or Volvos) you can "take to the bank"!!

[JAMES BAKER]

On the home page for PGCA there is a Remington Repair Codes link. Not knowing
what the WK stood for I entered it and it came back "this repair code idicates this Parker was repaired in August 1941". So I just assumed that was what it meant.
Any idea what the insurance value should be on my Parker? I was burglarized 2 years ago and lost several rifles and shotguns along with some pistols,that i had
not listed on my insurance...duh on me I know. Some were recovered luckily and
fortunately I got my Parker only recently.Thanks for all the info you have given
me. Would research letter give me more detailed info as to who bought it,etc.

Thanks for the nice prompt reply. I haven't yet checked into that section of our PGCA website, maybe Remington used that WK in honor of Walter King, I do not know. Remington-UMC, being a major gun manufacturer even before they purchased Parker Brothers in 1934 may well have moved Parker records and codes into their own system as they moved the machinery and inventory from Meriden to Ilion in 1937- others may be able to shed some light on this, I can't- sorry--

Sad to hear about the theft- always a concern today, and am glad some of your firearms were retrieved. A good quality heavy gauge steel gun safe with a quality locking system (Sergeant & Greenleaf and stainless steel backing plates and through rods) bolted into the flooring is a "must" today for anyone who collects quality firearms. I would forgo the probable purchase of another quality gun IF the funds required would also cover such a safe (I have two)--and a retired MSP detective neighbor who stores a few of his guns in mine and watches my property like a hawk-- best prevention against a home invasion or a burglary is a good alert neighbor-IMO.