Relative merits of pre/post 1934 Parkers

[Duckman]

John,
I am no expert but having both, the only thing I see is that the newer ones look newer if taken care of (because they are newer) and the wood is fancier for lower grade guns like VH or VHE. My two 1935 guns are tight as a bank vault. I wish my repros closed up that way. I think the early ones like mine were made in the factory, in the same way and by the same people as before Remington bought them.
-plc-

[John Havard]

From the "manufacture date by serial number" page here on the PGCA website it would appear that all shotguns post-'34 are not considered "Parkers" by the cognoscenti?

[J. A. EARLY]

John,

A very distinctive and beautiful feature of the stock of any uncut Parker (VH/GH) is the widow's peak buttplate. When Remington eliminated this in favor of just a curved buttplate, I'm sure as a savings in manufacturing, the tide had turned from making a product as it had been made for forty years to making a profit. I do not like that feature on the later Remington/Parkers in the lower grades.

[Bruce Day]

Originally Posted by Jerry Harlow

John,

A very distinctive and beautiful feature of the stock of any uncut Parker (VH/GH) is the widow's peak buttplate. When Remington eliminated this in favor of just a curved buttplate, I'm sure as a savings in manufacturing, the tide had turned from making a product as it had been made for forty years to making a profit. I do not like that feature on the later Remington/Parkers in the lower grades.

Jerry, Remington did not eliminate the peaked dog's head buttplate. Parker Bros. did. The change started in 1921 and was generally complete by 1926, although later guns can be found sometimes with the peak as old inventory was used. See TPS for details. I have a 1921 gun, made by Parker Bros in Ilion with the flat DHBP. There were many cost savings measures taken over many years in an attempt to keep the Parker gun price competitive.

If a new V or G grade Parker was to be produced today , with quality of the mid production years, my guess derived after talking to informed makers, is that it would cost $17,000 to $20,000. The new excellent AAHE 28ga costs $50,000..... few have been sold yet the price is not unrealistic.

1921 P with flat DHBP:

[J. A. EARLY]

Bruce,

Sorry for being wrong. I thought Remington, once Parker was purchased, was the one that went completely to the flat buttplate on those grades? I have always associated the flat buttplates with the Remington era. I guess I need to read TPS more often and stop just looking at the photos.

My apologies.

[Bill Murphy]

John Havard, maybe the wording in the "date of manufacture" section could have been better chosen. Maybe "under Remington ownership" might be clearer than "Remington gun".