doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com cost of restocking a Parker vh?

Instead of speculating over the cost of a stock craftsman. Why not just get quotes directly from people who do the work?

and brian has estabished a fine reputation for his stocking skills, not to mention he is quite modest...unlike yours truly.

Butt transplant or blended extension beat restocking by quite a bit. By the time you pay Mark Larson for the whole blended extension, Keith Kearcher or someone else may be able to do the butt transplant. I personally like the butt transplant because it addresses all issues of fit, not just the length.

also consider that if your vh is still mostly orginal, including the wood, then you may want to keep it that way...otherwise, any modification will reduce the collector value of your parker...taking the original wood off the gun and replacing it with a custom stock, made to your specifications may be a desirable long term solution.

I'm with ED Good. I have an original Parker I don't want to monkey with the original stock which is boat paddle wood at best. I have tried a few gadgets and they did help me with the drop at the comb but I still can't hit well with it.If you are going to keep it to be THE GUN !I know a guy that will restock it for about $2200 to what ever dimensions you want.A lot of trap shooters in Mississippi and Tennessee have been real satisfied. His name is Ron Neely Martin TN I have his number if you like.

Considering the fact that the head of a Parker stock is a lousy design (Ever seen a bolt through the head of a Parker? Me too, about a thousand of them.) why would someone attempt a transplant? If the gun is an old one, and there has been any oil that made it's way into the head (more likely than not) you might simply be up against something not worth repairing to begin with.
I doubt you will be happy until you get custom dimensions in your measurements. I sure wouldn't do that with a Parker VH, but, you might.
Good Luck.

Best,
Ted

GG,
I, too, take dimensions very different from the average shooter. I have guns with LOP out to 16.25" and lengthening the stock can give me DAH of 3", which is unshootable. As far as I am concerned a gun that does not fit has zero value. I am not a collector-I shoot guns. Look to Keith Kearcher for a transplant-he did one on my Flues and was transformed from an ungainly family heirloom into a treasured, well fitting gun that I enjoy immensely. I have also restocked several lower grade guns. Now I have toys I can use instead of bragging about having an original gun that is useless. Gees, it's a VH, not a 20 bore A1 Special. If you really want this gun to fit you get it altered somehow. Then enjoy.
Regards
Jeff

Thanks JNW, that is my point exactly. I have no use, nor the money to collect guns. If a gun doesnt perform well for me, I would just assume use it as a field hockey stick rather than for shooting. I want to carry a Parker in the grouse woods because I am old school like that.. but I am not going to carry one that doesnt fit just to keep it original.

This obsession with factory original specs and finish borders on unhealthy sometimes. Your gun choice is a common, low grade field gun, of which ten thousands must have been made. If not a high condition collectors safe queen it can be easily replaced. If you restock it, the original is removed and stored for the next owner if you want. You are not talking about adding a vent rib, porting the barrels, putting in screw in chokes, making the forcing cones four inches long, adding an adjustable comb or putting a white line or Morgan adjustable recoil pad on it. You just want a functional stock.

It is better to invest in one custom stock than buy and sell a dozen guns looking for one which works for you. And with your need for extreme dimensions the factory stuff was never an option. If it were me I would look at adding a second set of barrels to get as much versatility out of it as you can. A 28 & 30" or a 26 & 30" combo set could cover just about every shooting need if properly choked. Then your custom stock becomes almost your everyday, what ever the need, double set with perfect fitted stock. So if you are looking at two-three grand think outside the box and add another grand for extra barrels.

Jon you are being much too practical. Remember the old saying "The one that dies with the most toys wins". If I were to make up the perfect gun I would deprive myself of all the pleasure I derive from looking for the one, or two or perhaps three that are just perfect.