Spotting a refinish is an important skill to have if you start collecting old double barrels. A lot of the vintage side-by-side shotguns out there are 70+ years old and most of them have had some work done on them. Because collectors place such a premium of original condition, it pays to know what it looks like (and it can cost you a lot if you don’t). To that end, lets check out this 12g DH grade Parker shotgun:
First, take a look at the action. There’s a lot of color there, but are they Parker colors? And take a look at the wood, especially at the horizontal edge against the edge. Does it look a little rounded?
Next up, check out the stock. The wood’s fairly light. And where are the dings and scrapes? Would you expect to see some on a gun this old?
Finally, take a look at the checkering. What do you think? Is that really Parker checkering?
Well, if you haven’t figured it out already, this Parker is totally redone – wood, metalwork, and barrels. The works pretty good, but it wasn’t done in Meriden, CT. You can see more pics of the gun and buy it here.
