To Be a Parker Or Not To Be A Parker

[tabs]

Here is a Parker DHE Reproduction 2 Barrel set in 28 GA. These guns were made in the late 80's and early 90's in Japan for Winchester. The parts are virtually interchangeable with the originals. They were built in 20 GA at first and then 28 GA. There were about 4000 28 GA sets built and slightly more in 20 GA. There are even a few sets with both 28 GA and 410 GA Barrels, that would be da bomb. There was a time when you coulda bought these new for $3000.00. That day is gone and these have become increasingly desirable especially in 28 GA. Today these 28 GA 2 Barrel sets trade in the 6K range, and going up quickly. Single barrel 28 GA in the 5K range. Single barrel 20 GA at 4K. That gives an order of things.

If you had a choice between the 20GA and 28 GA the push goes to the 28 GA. Simply because an original Parker in 28 GA DHE is going to cost you 35K to 40K with about 80 guns made in that GA. Whereas a 20 GA Parker will set you back around 20K, and is much more readily available in the market place. Sooner than later the 28 GA repos are going to be gone, all sucked up because of this fact.

As a side note there is an outfit that has 16 GA Barrels for the 20 GA repo, that would be a wise expenditure of money.

As another side note, Connecticut Valley Firearms..Gazalans is building a Parker A1 Special in 12 GA for Remington for $48,000.00 a copy. Not as a repo but as a continuation as Remington was the last owner of Parker.

[craigster59]

I think what you really want is a Beck Spyder.

[slodave]

Uh oh, Craig's been drinking again.

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by slodave

Uh oh, Craig's been drinking again.

Yeah, like my hair can get any shorter... Tabs is trying justify the "repro" route.

[slodave]

It's his spoon collection. Besides, 20 and 28 gauge are for wussies.

[tabs]

I used to live a few blocks read as about a mile away from Becks in Upland, CA. I used to see him driving around in those glorified VW's back in the 80's and 90s.

I had an opportunity to buy an orginal Parker DHE in 28 GA. back in early 2000, I was the underbidder at $7000.00. The buyer was an aquaintance who owns A to Z Used Furniture in Whittier. I knew he was a furniture dealer and had little interest in guns let alone shotguns. He said a friend of his authorized him to go to $12,000.00 on the gun. About 6 months later that gun was sold at Butterfields for $18,000.00. Today a DHE Parker 28 GA would probably fetch around $45,000.00 in very good condition, not great condition by just VG.

That is the thing about American Doubles they are HOT in the market place. Some people think they are overpriced for what you get and the prices fetched are unsustainable. Yeah Right...Winchester Lever Guns are basically just like typewriters..mass produced but those command giant money as well. Henry #5 at 3/4 of a Mill....so why should American Doubles be any different.

Some people think that the European Guns are far more desirable..and worth the bank whereas American Doubles are not...It has always be lodged in my head that a Purdy, HH, Woodward, Westley Richards or Boss were the best money could buy. That American Doubles were a step down but a small step. Quality is Quality period. The English guns are basically custom guns built one at a time. American guns for the most part are mass produced with some guns being given the custom treatment of engraving and embellishment.

A very good friend of mine in the Safari Club and former #2 on the Skeet circuit in CA loves the Purdy but thinks the H&H is clunky. He also loves the feel of a Parker and is not in love with the Elsies. So you pays your money and you takes your choich.

[craigster59]

I know. At this rate, he's going spend more time polishing his spoons, than eating with them. C'mon Tabby, all that desert out there to throw birds and you can't justify an old 16g shooter. The most undervalued/underrated (due to trap/skeet) gun in my book.

Edit (I just read your post). American doubles are hot, but i would put my money in antique. Granted, the Connecticut repros are good, but i would buy an old D.M. Lefever in 12g before I'd spend the money on one of those. Parkers and Fox's seem the hottest followed by Elsies and Lefevers.

Although Uncle Dan was the John Browning of the American S/S.

[tabs]

Things run hot and then can get cold. A few months back Winchester Model 42 (410 GA) were schorchingly hot. Prices went from about $800 for a good standard gun to about $2000 in about 6 months time. Now they are langushing about on the shelves.

American Doubles in paticular Parker, Fox, Ithica and LC Smith in that order have been hard to keep on the dealers shelves. Ivory Beads in Covina, CA has no problem moving all the Parkers they can get their hands on, and for big dinero

http://www.ivorybeads.com/site/RunScript.asp?ap=asp_counter.asp&p=ASP\~PgDefault.asp

[tabs]

Craig that is going to be because I don't have enough money left to eat...

Anyway who says I don't have a 16 GA or 2.

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by tabs

Craig that is going to be because I don't have enough money left to eat.

I've got a LeFever E grade damascus 10g spoon that's for sale that is a modern day "market gun". You could knock down a few pigeons in the park.

[tabs]

Not with Damascus barrels your not...

[tabs]

I know where there is a LeFever 10 GA F grade for sale thats at $330.00 right now.

[craigster59]

It's safe. A little black powder, a few patches, some leftover dice and dollar chips from the Crap table...Boom!

[tabs]

Your right with the Black stuff it will go boom and not in your face.

[tabs]

For years I had stayed away from shotguns, eliminating all but a couple of them. I just didn't want to play the money game with them, tooooo much dinero. Then my friend in the Safari Club take me out to Deadlands, CA Skeet Shooting one Sunday...and ohhh fk now I am in for it...I have been trying to buy one on the cheap.

That day my friend took out his Krieghoff K20 with an extra set of 28 GA Barrels. Now his next want is a Piotti 12 GA SXS Live Bird Gun 2 barrel set .

[tabs]

Dam..this gun went for $4760 out the door, which beat my $4250 bid. This was a great deal for someone as single barrel sets go for $5300 to $5500. Last October a 2 barrel set went for $6500 out the door at auction in the mid-west and one is now being advertised on Guns America for $6195.

As I stated before the 28 GA Parker Repos are gona escalate in price, probably go over $10,000 in the next 2 or 3 years. One they don't make them anymore as the Jap factory that was making them has switched to making auto parts and to build them some where else the owner of the American company that had them built has said would cost at least $10,000 a copy. That factor plus the desirabilty and rarity of the orgianl 28 GA SXS is just gona push these ever higher.

[tabs]

Another interesting gun would be a Woodward 20 bore SXS.