This shotgun was a hand-me-down from my grandfather. It's an EXTREMELY RARE 10 ga. Parker Bros. lifter with 36" Damascus barrels. I going to put it up for sale shortly. More info later.

beautiful shotgun

Looks like an old friend to someone...

Yes, it does. I suppose my own code of ethics is not PC in this day + time but it would be a cold day in Hell when I sold off my grandfather's shotgun that I inherited. But that's just me.

Interesting post Norman Conquest. I don't think that my son is interested in fine anything. He just wants to shoot. Ar15's etc. I have the same issue with my silverware, fine china, fine crystal etc. No interest in such things from the next generation, at least not in my household, as well as some others from what I hear. The desire for quality seems to no longer be there.
Peter.

quote:

Originally posted by NormanConquest:
Yes, it does. I suppose my own code of ethics is not PC in this day + time but it would be a cold day in Hell when I sold off my grandfather's shotgun that I inherited. But that's just me.

I’ll add to this.

Looking at this shotgun and it’s condition, I’d hasten to say that you would likely not be able to sell it for anything that would make it worthwhile.
Some things have more personal value than they have actual value.
Believe me, I’m surrounded by these things...

I have my Great Grandfathers 12 gauge Fox and it hangs over the door to the back deck. I also have the original bill of sale for $28.00. It was under the forearm piece.

I have a 45 cal. percussion rifle (circa 1846)[octagon bbl. dbl set triggers,fiddleback stock,etc.]that was used in the civil war by an ancestor + has been passed down generation to generation. There is not enough money in the world to tempt me to sell.

Ok, but,....what to do when those next in line just dont care?

Back in the 80's I bought silver dollars for a paper dollar each from a grandson that was liquidating his deceased grandfather's collection.
When my father died he left a diverse collection of antique, classic and hotrod cars he'd been grooming for five decades.
Six months after his death it was like he never existed.
We all know these toys, collections, heirlooms, inheritances are treasures to some and debris to others. This stuff is used as leverage, tools, weapons, and bribes on family FFS!

It's nice to know the OP has his grandfather's shotgun and his reasons for parting with it are his.

quote:

Originally posted by Scott King:
Ok, but,....what to do when those next in line just dont care?

Back in the 80's I bought silver dollars for a paper dollar each from a grandson that was liquidating his deceased grandfather's collection.
When my father died he left a diverse collection of antique, classic and hotrod cars he'd been grooming for five decades.
Six months after his death it was like he never existed.
We all know these toys, collections, heirlooms, inheritances are treasures to some and debris to others. This stuff is used as leverage, tools, weapons, and bribes on family FFS!

It's nice to know the OP has his grandfather's shotgun and his reasons for parting with it are his.

Those are great points!

None of my sons or grandchildren have any interest in shooting or hunting.
Over the years I've seen heirs take the simplest approach to make the "stuff" go away.
I've been slowly liquidating firearms, many with strong sentimental ties.
I sold a Springfield "03 that I purchased at age 11 with my Dad. Over the years it was converted to 35 Whelan and received a custom stock. The young man who purchased it has taken deer, moose and a bear. It's satisfying to know that it being enjoyed and used.
I sold my Dad's shotgun, a first wedding anniversary present from my Mother, and my first shotgun, a present from Mom and Dad, to a gentleman man who was looking for a lightweight shotgun for his daughter. He sent me pictures of the birds taken with the gun. I think he knew how dear they were to me. I appreciate that he took the time to let me know that they would be used an enjoyed.
Bottom line, selling them can be one of the better alternatives.

I agree, if they don't care then they will most likely sell them for a pittance of what you could get knowing their value. I had an old plumber friend years ago that when doing a demo in an hotel in San Angelo found an ivory stocked fully engraved nickel Colt detective 38 spl. Reasher showed it had belonged to a gambler in the 1930s that was ensconced in the hotel because he had T.B. + couldn't be placed with the other prisoners in the jail. So speculation was he hid that pistol in the fir down where Dee found it 50 years later. His quandry was which of his 3 sons to leave it to. I told him that as it had a criminal history, why not leave it to the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco.

So true.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
Interesting post Norman Conquest. I don't think that my son is interested in fine anything. He just wants to shoot. Ar15's etc. I have the same issue with my silverware, fine china, fine crystal etc. No interest in such things from the next generation, at least not in my household, as well as some others from what I hear. The desire for quality seems to no longer be there.
Peter.

I understand all too well. My eldest son has never been attached to anything + certainly not to sentimental value. I have a personal policy with my sons that I buy them a 22 rifle at age 10, a centerfire rifle at age 18, + a pistol or revolver at age 21. Just my own quirk. When he turned 21 I bought him a S+W 29-2 like NIB. A few months later he asked me if I would be upset if he traded it for a trailer. WTF!! Do what you want to do! Some folks hold more values than others.

I might be an odd sort, being so old and having a daughter so young, but I'm thinking that before making any drastic changes or sales later in life I'll discuss it with her and follow her wishes. Everything I have is hers, that's not a question, so if she doesn't want the giraffe shoulder mount, ( no shit,) I'll toss it.
If she doesn't want the guns I'll sell and give her the cash.

There's more than a few hoarders here in Dillingham and a couple of them on death's door. The task and burden they've left their progeny with miles and tons of inherited detritus is staggering. In one case I doubt the success of the heirs.
My death will not be a burden for my child.

That really is a paramount issue on good parenting, in general, to not leave difficult decisions for your children.

I have my grandpa,s Texas Ranger Colt 45 singleaction; his 92 Win 38/40, his 94 trapper; and a diamond arms single shot 20 ga. (his turkey rifle as he loved to hunt turkeys..Not enough money in the world to buy them and they will be on lend to the Texas Ranger haul of fame at some point..

I'm not a parker guy at all but I would definitely do my due diligence on the gun, how many of that model were made, and the value ranges they bring.

While its in pretty rough shape, its never been restored previously. Would a $2500 meticulous restoration that takes 12-18 months, recut checkering, re-chase engraving, polish and brown the barrels, etc. result in a higher value proportional to the effort? I do not know.

Whatever the case may be, the value of that gun lives or dies on the minimum wall thickness and overall internal condition of the bores.

Well, it seems we will not have to worry about what will be done with the fine double rifles, and shotguns that have been a constant treasure from my grand father, my father, and the collection I have amassed my self in seventy five years of collecting that I fear will end up in a iron crusher if our new PREZ has his way.
I hope I'm gone to the happy hunting grounds before that happens. I don't think my heart could stand to watch my fine double rifles, shotguns and bolt and lever actions left to me by my father, and grand father go into a crusher.

I have several young men in my extended family who are hunters and shooters who would love to inherited my collection when I go, but I'm already 84 years old now so I may not have to see this happen.
................................................................ MacD37

Rook Hawk asked a question which is almost always no.
I have purchased three Parkers in the lastmonth. One was a GH grade 12 gauge. A popular model but not seriously fancy, just nice with a nice amount of engraving. The kicker is that it had a rare set of 25" Damascus barrels. It is factory documented as all original and there were only three (3!) of that particular configuration ever built. Because of this the owner had it rebuilt over the course of three years by top name craftsmen in the Parker collector world. Complete barrel refinish, complete Case Colr by the top shop, engraving chased by a well known engraver and a new cirassion walnut stock in a style consistent with the origianl but modern dimensions for modern shooting.

The owner paid, if I remember the reciept I got, $4800 to have this restoration done including the credit for the owner supplied wood blank. This did not include the original value of the gun.

It was never fired, and three years later, I bought it in a rather spirited Gunbroker auction from a consignment dealer for about $3400 delivered.

It's an absolutely stunning shotgun, and looks and functions as new, but ended up selling for around half the investment.

I also just bought a 10 gauge lifter similar to the one the OP shows. These are popular. Everyone says they love lifters, but there have been several in 10 gauge on Gunbroker in the last few weeks that are near matches for the one sold and they have sold (or recieved no bids in the $600 range.

If it were my gun and a family heirloom, I would refinish the Buttstock (which has nice wood), repair the forend and refinish it.

I would then have a gunsmith disassemble and clean the gun, then address any mechanical issues, if the cost is reasonable. If the gun is functional and shootable, I would then spend around $500 to get a proper refinish and interior hone. These 10 gauges general have such thick walls that the barrels can be honed or bored quite a bit and still be safe for low pressure loads (6500 psi range).

At the least I would do the forend repair and stock refinish, along with a disassembly and good cleaning inside and out. Then you would have a nice looking wall hanger that is functional.

The problem with restoring old guns properly is that it costs the same to properly do a job on a 12 ga. GH grade Parker as it does to do the same job on a C grade 28 ga. (Or an Invincable grade for that matter). The cost is recoverable on one and not on the other.

If I am reading the number corrrectly in the picture, your shotgun was built in 1884.

This may sound horrible but if I received that I'm not so sure I'd want to keep it. First thought is could I use it? Probably not. Next is where to store it? My safe is pretty full now. Next is what could I get for it that I could use?
For lack of a better way of putting it, it's now basically a decoration piece that has to be either hung or stored.

In the context it is displayed in the first picture, I would call it a heck of a nice decoration. It certainly turned into the centerpiece of that wall when hung up there.

Yup, nice wallhanger.

A friend of mines Dad had a 8 guage double Parker in excellent condition. This was hammerless and I saw it with my own eyes.

My dad gave me "ol ticklicker" - a muzzleloading shotgun he bought when I was a kid. It hangs next to the fireplace in my AZ TR. The memories are worth a lot more than anything I could get for it, but I suppose if I was scraping nickels I might feel differently.

One never knows what the kids might think.

I’d be of the mindset that I’d want them to know rough cash value, but let them decide what they want to do with it. It may be that one of the kids will look at it and say it was really important to dad, and maybe my kids will want it.

It also might be sold for a dime on the dollar.

I’d leave it up to them.

In the case of the old shotgun, that it was their grandfathers and some stories and pictures come with it, who knows?

One of my cousins never hunted, but a family member on the other side died and left his rifle and a mount from that hunt. The kid took it and got some old photos together and it’s a bit of a diorama in his spare bedroom.

You never know.

Good sense and often times good taste can skip a generation or two.

More often, punks grow up to be civilized gentlemen just about when all the good stuff was pawned off way too cheap.

If it were me, I'd put good money after bad and have the stock and forend repaired, plus recut checkering, plus file strike the barrels, and rebrown the damascus thereafter. This whole process will run you ~$1500. I'd then put this gun away in your will with a note "dear great, great grandson. Your predecessors were fools but I hope that you are not. Enjoy this piece of your ancestral inheritance."

If you want a less upbeat answer, the gun is not worth much as it sits because its a ten bore and because it needs heavy restoration and even after heavy restoration, its not original anymore. Because of these unpleasant realities, I return to the point of my prior paragraph.

Looks as it is right where it belongs. Sentimental wall hanger. I doubt it has any significant monetary value. Rode pretty hard. Interesting shotgun though.

Being a 10ga peaks alot of vintage SxS shooters interest. Probably the better points are the 36" long bbl's, the straight grip stock and
likely a skeleton butt plate as well.

Not nearly as bad as it looks. I know this is an old thread. But the shotgun could be restored w/o much of a problem.
The standard metal and wood work needed along with finishing procedures.
It's a restoration project not a straight refinishing project though.
There is a very big difference.

The biggest issue, as always, is the condition of the bores you are starting with.

Moon crater pitted bores will always be just that.
Light pitting can be tolerated by many but not all (new) owners. There are limits to the amt of matrl that can be removed to gain a sparkling new bore.

Cost?,,depends on who does the work of course.
One thing for sure, unless it's done for next to min-wage prices, you will never recover the investment in a resale.
That unless some pair of wild eyed bidders get into a war over it. That's happened..

If you are doing the work yourself,,then it's a great project gun.
I've got a room full of them and at this point have finally admitted to myself that I'll likely never get to them all.

Otherwise it's a grand old Parker and it looks nice up on the wall.