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LOT 483
Rare Factory Engraved Parker Brothers 28 Gauge DH Grade Double Barrel Shotgun
- Serial no. 108460, 28 gauge, 26 inch solid rib bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock.
Manufactured in 1902 as one of just 85 gun built in this configuration of grade, gauge,
barrel steel, and barrel length according to page 291 of “The Parker Story” by Gunther,
Mullins, Parker, Price, and Cote, of which, only 36% were equipped with extractors making
this a very rare and desirable gun absent from most collections. Built
with blued steel barrels featuring a single bead sight on the matted
concave solid rib marked which is “PARKER BROS. MAKER. MERIDEN.
CONN. TITANIC STEEL”, light bands of engraving at the breech, and
chambers measured 2 3/4 inches with single extractor. The barrels are
fitted to a casehardened boxlock size “0” action which displays standard
DH Grade engraving consisting of floral scroll work surrounding a trio
of game scenes consisting of a setter in a field on the right, a nide of
pheasants in tall grass on the underside, and a pointer in a field on the
left. The gun features double triggers and a tang mounted automatic
safety. The gun is mounted with an attractively figured and multi-point
checkered splinter forend with engraved iron and a straight hand stock
with carved flats, “K And M/Cashen/1904” in the silver inscription oval,
and an engraved skeleton buttplate around the checkered butt. Barrel and stock
measurements (R/L): bore diameter nine inches from the breech .557/.560 inches; choke
constriction .001/.024 inches; minimum wall thickness .018/.017 inches; 1 9/16 inch drop
at comb; 2 9/16 inch drop at heel; 14 1/4 inch length of pull; weight 5 lbs. 9 oz.
LOT 482
Parker Brothers VH Grade Factory “Try Gun” Double
Barrel Shotgun with Remington Letter - Serial
no. 185113, 12 gauge, 30 inch solid rib bbl., blue/
casehardened finish, walnut stock. Manufactured
in 1920 for use by Parker as a “Try Gun” for fitting
the clients that visited the factory or one of Parker
Brothers’ major distributors such as Lengerke and
Antoine, whose very similar “Try Gun” is pictured and
discussed on pages 189-193 of Peter Johnson’s “Parker: America’s Finest
Shotgun”. Single steel bead sight on the matted, concave solid rib which is marked “PARKER
BROS. MAKERS. MERIDEN, CT. U.S.A. VULCAN STEEL”, three holes drilled in the rib near the breech
for mounting measuring equipment, and chambers measured 2 3/4 inches with single extractor.
The casehardened boxlock action displays standard VH Grade engraving with light scroll, zig-zag
borders, and “PARKER BROS.” on either side. The gun features double triggers with removed tang
mounted safety to accommodate the adjustability necessary for the “Try Gun” configuration. Multi-point
checkered walnut splinter forend with engraved fittings, including the Deeley latch release. The smooth pistol grip stock is
fully adjustable in every dimension with dials allowing for the adjustment of many measurements and a keyed system for
the rest. This gun is one of reportedly less than 20 built by Parker Brothers, all of which seem to be made from standard V
Grade guns as it would not have been prudent to use high grade guns for demonstration purposes. The factory “Try Gun”
configuration is confirmed by the included copy of a factory letter from Remington, which states that the gun was bought
from the factory by Col. Wallace Clay who was the Director of Quality at Remington and then sold to an F. E. Morgan who
was Remington’s Eastern Sales Manager in 1951. Barrel measurements (R/L): bore diameter nine inches from the breech
both measure .738 inches; choke constriction .036/.037 inches; minimum wall thickness .029/.025 inches.
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