Back in the fall of 22 I got a call from a friend telling me he had just come into possession of a little 28 bore Parker, I had not even gotten around to congratulate him on the new acquisition when he told me that If I was interested I could have it for what he had in it….first I though he was kidding but I soon realized he was honestly offering it to me, so without hesitating I said I would take it.
Now anyone who understands Parkers will know that 28 bores are rare and highly collectible, so why was a seasoned collector passing on this coveted piece, the answer was simple….condition. As it turned out it would require a full and meticulous restoration, one that would take the better part of a year.
It required a full restocking, and all the metal finishes restored…engraving included!….basically a new Parker.
The Parker Brothers VH is a standard grade Parker and collectors usually frown on restored guns unless they’re done correctly, even then some may hold their noses while handling one, but a plain and tastefully restored “shooter”, especially in 28, is in my opinion in different ligue, as it can still be a rare Parker that can be enjoyed and showed off at the same time.
I chose a slightly fancier piece of American feather crotch normally used on higher grades and shaped it more like the later Remington era guns…they usually have more evolved stock and forend configuration, one better suited for a contemporary “shooter”
Now anyone who understands Parkers will know that 28 bores are rare and highly collectible, so why was a seasoned collector passing on this coveted piece, the answer was simple….condition. As it turned out it would require a full and meticulous restoration, one that would take the better part of a year.
It required a full restocking, and all the metal finishes restored…engraving included!….basically a new Parker.
The Parker Brothers VH is a standard grade Parker and collectors usually frown on restored guns unless they’re done correctly, even then some may hold their noses while handling one, but a plain and tastefully restored “shooter”, especially in 28, is in my opinion in different ligue, as it can still be a rare Parker that can be enjoyed and showed off at the same time.
I chose a slightly fancier piece of American feather crotch normally used on higher grades and shaped it more like the later Remington era guns…they usually have more evolved stock and forend configuration, one better suited for a contemporary “shooter”
Last edited:
