doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Parker value

A friend has a Parker 20ga VHE, 30" barrels presumed to be Full and Full, two triggers, pg/spl. Not much case color left, just under the lever and on the water table, it's otherwise silver with the border engraving and Parker Bros engraving very clear. No buttplate, looks like the stock might have been cut and it's got an initials plate on the underside. Checkering's still there, but the buttstock would need an extension, thick pad or replaced.

Something's not right with one ejector, looks like the problem is in the forearm and peering into the recess for the forearm lug it appears the metal is separated on the one side (or it's two pieces). Either way, would need repair. Barrels seem fine, blue is about 90 percent.

He hasn't shot it in 30 years, and took it to a local smith who said it'd be worth maybe up to $3600. That sounds a bit much, but maybe a long barreled 20ga is hot enough for the right person? Seems the problematic ejector would cut that down quite a bit, or are they generally easy to repair?

Kirk

IMO: The most problematic issue with this gun is the cut down stock. The ejector should be repairable and the case could be redone. Small gauge Parkers are in demand and it sounds like this one would be worth some investment. Post some pictures and we can give you a better idea.
Jim

What Italian said is exactly right.

Assuming it's a 0 frame gun the barrels alone would probably sell for $2500.

not 30" but you might want to see how this ends;

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=130931810

Jim is correct,the stock will hurt it.I did see a DHE,30" SG DT,with a LOP of 13 1/2 go for just under 10k (with the vig) a couple weeks ago(took him up to 9k just to make him pay)at a small antique auction,so you never know what it will bring till ya put it up.

Sounds like a sound gun with only minor problems. Unless there are some other major problems yet to be found I suspect that the $3,600 estimate is very reasonable. Try to find another Parker 20 with 30" barrels on the web for less than that much or even a grand more. Add a nice leather pad and fix the guns other problems and you will have maybe half a grand more in the gun. But you will be hard pressed to find that gun for less.

Case color for a field gun or a shooter is over rated in my book. Collectors worry about % of case colors not shooters. We worry about getting enough time off to enjoy the gun and hope that we have enough bullets when we do get to play. Collectors worry about pristine condition and making sure you put on a pair of white gloves before you handle their guns. Like living with a old maid aunt with guns instead of antiques.

Well.....on the other hand it will be thanks to white gloved collectors that in 50 years a person will still be able to see what a real Parker looks like. Too much of the 'it's my gun and whatever I do to it is perfectly OK' attitude can be a bad, bad thing.

GregSY and I in 100% agreement!!
Ky Jon the pool of remaining Parkers especically in the smaller gauges was small to begin with and getting smaller each year. In this case I think you can have your cake and eat it to. Do a proper restoration and still use this gun. The difference being you don't toss it into the back of a pickup with the dead birds and the dogs when done hunting for the day. Let's enjoy but preserve what we have for future generations.
Jim

Treating a high condition gun with white gloves is one thing but to treat a working gun with white gloves is over the top. Why do a full restoration on a gun that should be a great shooter? Just to make one more closet queen? This gun will never be mint again but should make a great shooter for several lifetimes of enjoyment.

Your point about people screwing up good guns just because they own them is very valid. They do not care about the fact that these guns are almost a work of art or history that should be valued instead of a few pounds of wood and metal that they can beat, bent or cut up as they get inspired. I hate cut barrels more than cut stocks and polished metal instead of thinning case colors or worse a torched gun for fake case colors. Nasty not art.

A 20 gauge VHE with 30 inch barrels in decent condition is indeed a rare bird now. A simple restoration with a leather pad perhaps over a good stock extension and repairing the faulty ejectors should cost no more than $1,000. I agree with all of the foregoing and would place the value from $3,500 - $5,000.

Just My Humble Opinion.....George

Not my gun, so no gun porn on this one. Thanks for the ballpark appraisals, though, it seems he was given a pretty good guess. It's a family gun so I think he'll hold onto it for some time, he wasn't having much luck finding out about its value though.

Kirk