1930 Parker VHE

[Dean Romig]

Thanks John, that serial number range, in itself, answers some questions.

[Fishtail]

What's the kicker is no one in the 1930's sent it back to Parker to have it restocked, when you could still do that sort of thing. But I guess if it had been fixed it might just be another worn out VH by now.

[Bill Murphy]

Good point.

[Bill Murphy]

I have used the Del Gregos for repair work since 1972, forty years, and I have never seen their mark on one of my guns.

[John Farrell, Charter Member #33]

The ultimate mystery is - if the gun had been used, and cleaned, there would be some residue of gun oil or cleaning solvent somewhere in the stock (or forend), either at the head of the stock, in the area of the trigger assembly, near the safety etc. I never saw anyone standing guns on the muzzles until sometime in the 80's when I first started collecting Parker guns. So sometime in its life the gun must have been stood in the corner after cleaning and Hoppe's or other solvent or oil would seep into the wood. The sharpness of the engraving around the periphery of the sides of the receiver also indicates little use. The forend is also without evidence of oil or solvents.

I don't know the answer to this question. If the gun was re-case colored or reblued sometime in the past, would the iron parts of the forend be disassembled and case colored or reblued? Hmmmm !!

Finally - the cost of renovating the gun to its present condition brings up the question of who would spend that kind of money for a VHE gun? According to the PGCA research letter, in 1935 the cost of a VHE was $100.40. The initial research into the name of the original owner comes back with the info that he was a banker. Would the banker simply purchase another gun instead of sending the gun back to Parker for a new stock? And stick the broken gun in the closet, as reported?

As conspiracy theorists say, there are many unanswered questions. JF

[B. Dudley]

I do not know the exact costs, but the cost to restock a gun if sent back to Parker was not all that much, or at least it seems that way. Might have been like $25 or something at the time. A good chunk of change, but not more than the gun cost. I know TPS lists some examples in a few spots of where restock work is listed as well as the cost related to the work.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by John Farrell

The ultimate mystery is - if the gun had been used, and cleaned, there would be some residue of gun oil or cleaning solvent somewhere in the stock (or forend), either at the head of the stock, in the area of the trigger assembly, near the safety etc. I never saw anyone standing guns on the muzzles until sometime in the 80's when I first started collecting Parker guns. So sometime in its life the gun must have been stood in the corner after cleaning and Hoppe's or other solvent or oil would seep into the wood. The sharpness of the engraving around the periphery of the sides of the receiver also indicates little use. The forend is also without evidence of oil or solvents.

I don't know the answer to this question. If the gun was re-case colored or reblued sometime in the past, would the iron parts of the forend be disassembled and case colored or reblued? Hmmmm !!

Finally - the cost of renovating the gun to its present condition brings up the question of who would spend that kind of money for a VHE gun? According to the PGCA research letter, in 1935 the cost of a VHE was $100.40. The initial research into the name of the original owner comes back with the info that he was a banker. Would the banker simply purchase another gun instead of sending the gun back to Parker for a new stock? And stick the broken gun in the closet, as reported?

As conspiracy theorists say, there are many unanswered questions. JF

I suspect the gun was restored. I suspect the stock was broken not long after the restoration and it was either stood on it's muzzles or laid flat in it's case,

If it was properly restored the forend parts would have been recased and reblued.

People spend their money to do things because they want to, from ideas about making a profit from it (sometimes by an unscrupulous person taking advantage of someone), to wanting a pretty gun, to salvage a family heirloom, to be sold on the idea by the restorer, to simply a favored gun being brought back from the brink of being junk.

As I said earlier DelGrego & Son and I am sure others, bought tired guns and restored them at a price way below what they would charge a customer and then sell the restored gun at a profit.

I have no idea what the facts are behind your gun. You thought it was new and unfired. Others here think it is definitely been fired and most likely a restoration. I think the "others" are correct myself but I don't know for sure. For all of us, our perception is our reality. Sometimes we perceive things differently from others. The facts about this gun will most likely always remain a mystery.

Good luck with your gun and enjoy it as much as you can as often as you can!

[Robert Delk]

Well, all I know is there is a 50 Ford sitting across the street that the owner has spent over 20,000 on getting restored because it was a family "pet" many years ago.No way anyone will ever pay him anything like that for a plain old car.The bill for the correct seat covering would have been enough for me to call it quits.He has everything just the way it was when new as near as possible and damn the cost.