Parker AH, give me a ballpark figure, please!!

[Kensal Rise]

Compared to the AH I wrote about in the Spring issue of DGJ, this one seems in top condition. LOL. Seriously, the value in this gun also includes its provenance. Thus, if anyone acquires it, this AH should be returned to functionality, used little, and treasured greatly. Not fully "restored."

The ejectors it has are part of its history and cachet. Like the barrel dents and loose action. What needs fixed, can be fixed. Worry not.

BTW... one big issue remains: what does the seller want for the gun?

[B. Dudley]

Yeah, that has been my wonder since the get-go. What is the asking price? Or is this just a game of "I'm thinking of a number between X and X".

The value of such a gun is highly subjective. Ask 10 people and likely get 10 very different answers.

[Wild Skies]

When I got wind of this gun the only information I had was my friend's assessment that the gun was in "great shape for a gun this old", three poor pics of the gun, a copy of the PGCA letter, the copy of the James Sport Shop appraisal saying the gun in 1983 was in "mint condition" and they appraised it at $30K. (How much condition could a gun lose since 1983 that's owned by an elderly gent? I know mine haven't lost a lot.) My friend told me the seller had a $8495 down from $8995 price tag on it.

Assuming a Parker AH in mint condition would have a current market value a multiple of the present ask on the gun. My initial thought that if it was truly as described it might make for a great gun to flip.

Maybe you would think it a great idea to announce to the world in a public forum the price you paid today for a gun you're selling tomorrow? I didn't, and that's why I didn't reveal the asking price -- I was just asking for a ballpark price to verify what I believed I knew of an approximate valuation for the Parker AH.

Having said the above and finding out the gun's present condition I have decided to pass on it. The non-Parker ejectors was the deal killer for me.

Thanks all!

[Kevin McCormack]

Now that you have decided (IMHO very wisely) to pass on this gun, consider the following:

The first yellow light in this process should have been the vast discrepancy between the asking price of the gun and the current Blue Book valuations per degree of finish quoted by some of our more helpful members. ("If its too good to be true, it probably isn't). (Thanks to Dean, Craig, and others for the insights and the price quotes).

The amount of finish a "mint" gun can lose in 34 years (c. 1983-2017) would astound you, regardless of the age of the owner (who probably had nothing to do with its demise of condition). Improper cleaning, handling, storage, use and casual abuses can render an heirloom gun like this a dented rattletrap inside of a couple of years.

So far as calculating a "Flip Index" on a gun like this (see the first thought above), you have to remember that the great majority of us (neither great in number nor a majority) looking at guns of this magnitude and deciding to purchase or not to purchase based on projected profit from a secondary sale have been at this for a while now and have seen some truly bizarre 'deals'. Most of us I dare say usually wind up considering the financial equivalent of the hygroscopic meniscus in water science - e.g. water seeks its own level
- but there are limits!

So far as the aftermarket ejectors being a deal breaker, in retrospect they're almost a moot point - if they work OK, a plus: if they don't deactivate them and shoot the gun as an extractor setup (per John Campbell and others). One thing is for sure - ejector problems in a Parker Gun (factory or non- )are a very expensive proposition. And parts for these prototype pre-factory mechanisms are no more and must be hand made, installed and adjusted in situ.

In retrospect, I think you did the right thing.

[Bill Murphy]

Before you continue looking for graded Parkers to purchase, you should own a Manson wall thickness gauge and a bore micrometer. The total cost will be less than the expense of insured shipping for such a gun. If the barrels on this A Grade are acceptable, it would be worth thousands more than if they were too thin.

[Craig Budgeon]

Since the discussion on this thread has mentioned aftermarket ejectors occasionally, I thought some of the contributors would be interested in what Parker Bros. would charge to add ejectors to there extractor hammerless guns. The prices quoted are from an original flyer issued by Parker Bros. prior to WWI based on the fact they excluded adding ejectors to 8 ga. VH-GH $18.75, DH&CH $19.75, and BH&AH $22.50.

[C.O.B.]

I'm curious as to the difference in cost by grade. Why would ejectors for an A grade cost more than a D grade? Is there something different in the mechanics of the ejectors?

[B. Dudley]

No.

[Wild Skies]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Before you continue looking for graded Parkers to purchase, you should own a Manson wall thickness gauge and a bore micrometer. The total cost will be less than the expense of insured shipping for such a gun. If the barrels on this A Grade are acceptable, it would be worth thousands more than if they were too thin.

How would I owning a wall thickness and a bore gauge save the cost of insured shipping?

Note: I purchase guns relatively infrequently. When I do, I have a couple of local friends that have these pieces of equipment, I always offer to pay them for the couple of minutes that it takes them to measure, but they have always refused any compensation. If we found barrels thin most, if not all, sellers would require the buyer responsible for return shipping, no?

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Rich Anderson

Why would ejectors for an A grade cost more than a D grade?

In a word - Salesmanship.

The buying public has always been the same - the perception of a higher quality ejector mechanism for their higher grade gun justified the higher price.





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