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“Letter Roulette”
Unread 05-22-2023, 10:04 PM   #1
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Brett Trimble
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Default “Letter Roulette”

I just received a letter for a gun I recently bought.

I was surprised to see that it left the factory with a single trigger as it now has double triggers.

Question; how common is it to get unpleasant (or pleasant) surprises when lettering a gun? :)

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Brett
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Unread 05-22-2023, 11:11 PM   #2
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I’m 0 for 5! I do enjoy it though , just the basics on Trojan to grade 3. Roll the dice!!
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Unread 05-23-2023, 01:46 AM   #3
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I’ve never received a letter that had a disappointing surprise but I have several letters containing positive surprises.






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Unread 05-23-2023, 08:39 AM   #4
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Brett, I checked your info, it's correct. It's possible the customer changed the configuration and it just wasn't recorded.. What you get in the letter depends on when the gun was made. If the gun was made before 1920 and we have the order book, you will get that info. If we have the stock book info, you will get that too in the letter. If made after 1919, you would only get stock book info assuming the book is not missing. You may get order info from the IBM card but it's very limited. This would be for later Remington guns.

Some of the records are in ink and easily read. Some are in pencil and have faded over time and are unreadable. They didn't realize that someone would be trying to read the books 100+ years later.
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Unread 05-23-2023, 12:23 PM   #5
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[QUOTE=Brett Trimble;389037]I just received a letter for a gun I recently bought. I was surprised to see that it left the factory with a single trigger as it now has double triggers.

"Two barrels....two triggers."

I'd definitely file that one under, "PLEASANT SURPRISE."
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Unread 05-23-2023, 12:54 PM   #6
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Of my 3 current Parker's, 2 have letters showing they are the same now as when both left the factory. The 3rd had no stock book but I very satisfied with it.
Slowly I have learned to check the serialization book to see if a shotgun matches with the way it is now before buying, assuming there is a listing for it.
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Unread 05-23-2023, 01:21 PM   #7
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Don't always count on the Serialization Book to give you an account that agrees with the records.

At an auction a few years back, there was a lot that had two Parkers, including a nice looking DH that had 28 inch barrels. The Serialization Book indicted that the gun was a DH, but that it had 36 inch barrels. I'm sure that scared guys away from the gun (and think of the wailing and gnashing of teeth by our long-barrel aficionados!). I really wanted the other gun in the lot, and the shortened barrels didn't bother me, but for the life of me, the barrels looked right (uncut). I got a good deal and bought the lot for the price I thought the other gun should go.

When I got the letter back, lo and behold, the records had the gun as a 28 incher and it matched everything from the letter.

Two lessons learned (at least):

1. Records trump Serialization book
2. Trust you eyes when examining a gun
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Unread 05-23-2023, 02:14 PM   #8
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I love letter surprises. I bought a AH 12ga 30" with a straight grip and a Silvers pad. The letter states it was a show gun at the 1897 MSG show gun that is not in the PS list. In addition the gun was sold to DuBray and returned two years later for an adjustment to the comb height and the addition of a Silvers pad.
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Unread 05-23-2023, 02:43 PM   #9
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The majority of discrepancies I've found have been in the stock dimensions, mostly DAC and DAH. Whether the letters are wrong or the wood has moved...? Can't say. I did have a 20ga Fox that turned into a 16ga once but the letter was corrected when I pointed it out.
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Unread 05-23-2023, 04:17 PM   #10
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Mr. Bishop,

I would like to start by saying thank you! The service that you and the Parker Association provide through making production information available is invaluable. It is wonderful to have a source of “truth” if you will about these guns that we all love.

My “roulette” reference was to how a given gun has been altered through the years. The letter is correct… the gun may or may not be not be!

All the best,
Brett Trimble
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