Parker DHE 12 Gauge

NOTE: this is an example of a previous customer restoration, and therefore the firearm is not for sale. Please browse the showroom for our current selection of restored, pre-owned and refinished firearms that are for sale, as well as other collections. Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to be among the first to learn about new additions to our website.

The Parker DHE Grade shotgun is one of the most iconic and desirable models ever produced by the Parker Brothers gun company, a name synonymous with fine American shotguns. The DHE Grade (also known as the Grade 3, or “Parker’s Hundred-Dollar Gun”) is admired by collectors and sportsmen alike for its blend of elegant engraving, quality construction, and shootable practicality.

This particular example, a 12-gauge Parker DHE from 1913, stands as a proud tribute to the golden age of American gunmaking—and a shining example of what careful, respectful restoration can achieve. Originally built during Parker Brothers’ heyday in Meriden, Connecticut, this side-by-side would have been carried afield by a sportsman of stature, with its long 34-inch barrels pointing skyward in pursuit of ducks or breaking clays on a crisp morning.

Over a century later, this fine double has been given a new lease on life—meticulously restored with the kind of care and craftsmanship that echoes the pride Parker themselves put into every Grade 3 gun.

We began by replacing the buttstock and forend, both now crafted from upgraded 2XX English walnut, carefully shaped and hand-finished to bring out the grain’s warm contrast and natural luster. The straight grip lends the shotgun a refined feel, balancing beautifully with the extended barrels and giving it a sleek, racy look befitting a gun built for performance.

The new forend includes freshly installed latch, housing, and tip, each one fit with precision and restored to full mechanical integrity. Inside, the ejectors were repaired and timed, ensuring crisp and reliable performance, whether in the field or on the range.

The 34-inch Titanic Steel barrels—surely among the most commanding features of this example—underwent a strip and re-lay of the ribs and forend lug, followed by the careful repair of small dents and the re-cutting of the borders and doll’s head. The result: elegant symmetry and secure fit, topped off with a rich, traditional rust blue finish that speaks to a time-honored craft.

Mechanically and aesthetically, the receiver and furniture shine with fresh life. The engraving was re-cut to its original pattern, bringing crisp detail back to the side-engraved game scenes and scrollwork that define the DHE. The receiver, top lever, forend iron, latch, housing, and tip were all color case hardened, their vivid hues of charcoal, bronze, and blue once again dancing in the light just as they did in 1913.

Smaller components were finished with the same reverence for period-correct detail: the trigger guard, safety, screws, and pins received a durable charcoal blue finish, and the triggers themselves were nickel plated, giving them a subtle gleam against the darker backdrop of the furniture.

Inside, the bores were polished to ensure a smooth and consistent shooting experience. At the rear, a modern recoil pad offers comfortable shootability without compromising the classic lines of the gun.

The Parker DHE is a sweet spot in the world of collectible American doubles—refined but not unattainable, elegant but made to be used. It’s a shotgun that bridges the world of functional sporting gun and artistic American gunmaking, offering beauty and performance in one well-crafted package.

If you’re lucky enough to own or shoot a DHE, you’re holding a fine piece of sporting and industrial heritage.