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I have bought my first Parker. It is a 1911 12 ga Damascus GH. I will be wanting to send it to a gunsmith for evaluation of the barrels. Who would you recommend?
Dick

Talk with Keith Kearcher in Bend,Oregon. He has experience with Parkers and with damascus barrels. Your gun looks very nice, especially if those barrels have not already been redone once already. Kearcher can give you the information you need to enjoy this "lady".
http://members.toast.net/keithkearcher/

Sharpsrifle
Thank you for the information.

Dick

Nice looking gun, DLFL, from what we can see.....

Not to take anything away from Keith K., but you might consider going to:

http://www.parkergun.org/forums/

and asking the fellows there of the Parker Guns Collectors Association who they might use. Many of them are located on the east coast and would probably suggest using someone much closer to you than risking the shipment of your damascus barrels all the way across country.

I speak from experience, having been involved in a matter where UPS bent a set of damascus barrels to a 45 degree angle with a forklift, thus rupturing them. They were insured for $5K, but UPS reneged paying the claim because they were "antique'/'irreplaceable" and were thus exempt from reimbursement in their minds. Took six months and a lawyer to get the money out of them, and you certainly don't need to contemplate that with your first Parker.

In the end, it's your choice.

All Best,

Bob

Bob next time tell them that they are not irreplaceable. One of the dealers in England still has some damascus tubes for sale. Someone could replace them.

Dick,
Welcome and congrats on your first Parker.

I think Bob Harris' recommendation is a good start. In the event there is no recommendation locally to you, possibly a member of that org or this board that lives in your area with some experience and a wall thickness gauge can help.

The evaluation you seek is straight forward. It consists of a visual examination for bulges, dents, cracks and heavy pitting from rust. I also believe you can do this yourself with some help from this bbs and a wall thickness gauge from Brownell's (about $100).

Dick,
Thought you were just looking for a good gunsmith to check out your new Parker, so I recommended the only gunsmith I know with solid Parker experience.

It goes without saying, that a visit to the Parker Gun Collectors Association web site (as recommended by the "experts" here) is always a good idea. Post your question and you'll probably get replies from people like Mark Conrad (Research Committee Chairman) who does the Parker letters...he's located near you on the east coast, and from Dean Romig in MA and Bruce Day in MO and others too. I've found PGCA members over the years to be most civil and generous and always happy to be of help to every new Parker owner.

Naturally, I suggest you join the PGCA while you're there, but you can elect to just register for participation on the BBS until you get your "feet wet" if you wish. Just remember to use your Real Name and not initials or a slick "User Handle" on that site if you want to be able to log on a second time...it's mandatory.

Just to keep the record straight... I am a dues paying member of the PGCA (albeit pretty new)...I know a little about Parkers having a 1916 DHE of my own...never the less, I did NOT stay at a Holiday Inn last night...so take my comments for whatever you think they are worth.
Best of luck with your new Parker!

I sent a GH to Keith and he does only "browning"of the barrels Parkers should be "black and white"! I did ask for this!

The recommendation to go to the PGCA site is seconded here. The members there know several excellent Parker gunsmiths that would be close to you. Additionally for damascus or twist barrels to be re-browned (or re-blacked to black & white) in the Parker style, there are a few barrel restorers that still do this. One is Dale Edmonds in Kansas City who has a DH Parker of mine that he is restoring the barrels.

Having said that, those barrels look outstanding, particularly if they are still original. I'm not so sure that you need to do anything to them.

Welcome to the board, DLFL. I would second KyBrad3's advice and would be awfully careful about shipping them anywhere. Even across town. It's a shame that you can't ship something across the country anymore, but that's the way it goes when you are dealing with the antis. Good luck.