doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 16ga Parker VH

I seem to have a nack for finding lemons lately. I came across a 16ga Parker VH in the most unlikely place today. If I remember correctly, the serial number was in the 126- range, 26" bbls, twin beads, front bead was a brass capped ivory bead, double triggers, splinter forend, pistol grip with a dogs head buttplate. The good news is the barrels were in pretty good shape with some light frosting down both bores. The bad news is the receiver has been blued, the lever is left of center and the barrels are slightly off face. A piece of regular paper between the barrels and breech face was almost too thick when closing the gun. I think I can get it for $600 but have no idea if that's reasonable given the condition. I'm just getting into American guns and could use some advice here. Should I be walking away from this one?

If the receiver had the same patina as the forend iron, it would have been a nice looking gun. It's a shame they covered it with bluing.

Unless you want to spent the money for a correct restoration, walk away.

When you buy a double, you are buying the barrels. Everything else can be fixed. This sounds like an OK buy to me. Lever is easily fixed with new wedge. Tig to hook if necessary after wedge replacent. And blueing easy to remove from action, if silver is what you want.

I would make sure they didn't overpolish the action. That's cosmetic but prohibitive to fix.

If you decide not to buy it, pass it along to me.

I think the price is right, particularly for making it "right". I'd like to know more like are the barrels cut? What's the stock like? Do the numbers match? etc. The blued receiver is just a small cosmetic blemish easily "fixed". Best, Dr. BILL

Thanks guys. I was thinking another $300-400 for mechanical repairs. Sound about right? I'd probably deal with the cosmetics later or not at all.

Wood was decent with some handling marks but no major repairs that I saw. Checkering was a little worn. Despite the blued receiver, I don't think the wood has been touched. Numbers matched. Barrells touched but I didn't get to actually measure them. They rang with a nice ping.

Any recommendations for a person to take care of the repairs? I had Mike Orlen or David Yale in mind.

Barrels off face, you mean the barrels are loose on the action when the gun is fully closed? Lots of 126,000 Parkers have left of center levers because they are non tapered bolt guns without replaceable wear plates and the bolt is all the way into the slot. It is the nature of the beast. Only worry about the gun if it is loose when closed with the forend in place. Can you see light between the barrel breeches and the face of the action? If not, don't worry.

What is the frame size?

Eightbore, you are correct. With the forend on and the gun closed, there is a light click which I chalked up to being off face. With the forend off and the gun closed, there is a little more play. With a 126 serial number, is doublegunhq's suggestion to have the wedge replaced possible?

Being so new to Parkers, I didn't even think to check for frame size. It was a pretty light gun which I initially thought was a 20. I'll be back there later this week to look over it again and make an offer.

A 126,000 Parker should have no "wedge" unless it was retrofitted. You will have to tell us whether this is the case. Put a piece of electrician's tape on the back of the forend lug, reintall the forend, and see if the looseness or "click" goes away. If it does, a more permanent shim soldered or epoxied onto the forend lug will be your simple solution. Hopefully the locking lug is not loose in the slot, a more complicated fix.

eightbore;

Just Curious, what is the complicated fix if the locking lug is loose in the slot?

O-D