Slinking back in with an admission...

[Phil Yearout]

I posted in the general forum a while back with questions about a single barrel trap. It's well established that the barrel's been cut, and the advice I got was to turn tail and run. I'd like to thank everyone for their input - especially those who advised against the purchase - and I'd like to say I took that advice, but truth to tell, I didn't. The SC with the cut barrel leans in the corner of my study as I type this, and I have to say, while it may not be the smartest buy I've ever made, I'm not really sorry; at least not yet.

The gun is in excellent shape overall, and I was able to buy it at a price that I can walk away from if I have to without too much regret. I decided that I probably wasn't going to invest the money it would take to get an unaltered gun - even one by other makers. Hell, I'm not even a trap shooter, for cryin' out loud! I tried to look at others; I really did. The Brownings and SKB's just didn't float my boat. Neither did the Knick Victories, and the 4E's that I found are still upwards of three grand and more unless they have issues. And truth to tell, I just fell in love with this little gun, short barrel and all.

I wonder who knows its history? Did someone slam its lovely barrel in the car door? Did they sucumb to "gun-alter-itis" like so many trap shooters seem to do, and decide that chopping the barrel would guarantee 100 straight? I'll probably never know.

The seller says it still has .037 of choke; hard to imagine that's possible, but since I don't own a bore gauge and my drop-in gauge stopped at "F" I guess I'll take him at his word. True or not, the gun's mine now, for better or worse. Hopefully I'll be able to hit the occasional target with it; that remains to be seen. The Parker Story says that a couple SC's were built at 28"; rather than thinking of this one as an ophan with a cut barrel, I prefer to think of it as the only SC special-ordered with a 27-1/4" barrel.

So, to those who are pointing and laughing: you may be right. And to those who have ever loved a gun that nobody else loved, and took it home anyway, thanks for listening.

[charlie cleveland]

i m one of those guys that loves the guns nobody else wants..good going and now youve got a gun you like and who no s you may take up trap shooting yet.. charlie

[Mike Franzen]

Sometimes guns do speak to us and probably just about everyone on this forum has felt the sirens call. It happened to me with a 20 ga barrel that was sent to me by Jim DiSpagno. As soon as I touched the barrels I called him up and asked if he'd sell me the rest of the gun which he graciously agreed to do. If you're happy with your gun that's what matters most. It doesn't sound like you're delusional about it being 10 times what you paid for it. Bottom line it's a Parker SBT and you're the caretaker.

[Bill Murphy]

Phil, I was real close to buying that gun, but Mr. Murphy was not replying to my questions. Don't feel bad about your 27 1/4" barrel. I have a Parker SC with a Cutts Compensator that I love to shoot.

[Phil Yearout]

I took the SC to the range today. I was the ony one there, so standing at each station and shooting 5 consecutive shots was a little weird, but that's the way way it is. Doesn't take long to shoot a round of trap like that! After the first round I had almost decided I had made a gross error...I couldn't hit squat. I gave up keeping track after the first 5 or 6 shots, but I doubt I hit more then 7 or 8 in the whole round. The trigger pull is very light compared to the guns I normally shoot in the field; that took me some getting used to.

I took a break, sat a spell, drank a bottle of water, relaxed a little. I broke the first target on the second round, broke the second, broke the third...I was 17 of 20 through the first four stations. We won't talk about station 5, but by then I had convinced myself that the misses were definitely the fault of the shooter and not the gun. So far I'm still happy...

The gun did attract some attention from the guy running the range and the only other guy there who was on the skeet range; they liked it a lot!

[Sam Ogle]

Phil;
Some years ago, my son; then a teenager said to me "Dad, the ducks are coming into a pond toward evening......let's go shoot 'em." I replied, I don't have a duck gun, just a single barrel trap gun." He said "So...bring it!" (Since then, I've several nice "ducking" guns.)
We went......It killed the hell out of the ducks. Then, to top it off, we had a really big golden retriever that went everywhere with me, but I had never taken hunting. I said "Tuffy; go get that duck!" He jumped into the water, swam to the duck, and brought it back and laid it at my feet. I'll be damned. Sometimes, things of joy just happen.
Sam Ogle, Lincoln, NE

[Russ Jackson]

Phil, I was real close to buying that gun, but Mr. Murphy was not replying to my questions. Don't feel bad about your 27 1/4" barrel. I have a Parker SC with a Cutts Compensator that I love to shoot.

Bill,I know you are not one for posting Pictures but that is a gun I would enjoy seeing ! :cool:

[todd allen]

Phil, I've done plenty of dumber stuff than that.
20 plus years ago, I bought a highly modified GHE pigeon gun for wayyy more than top dollar. We're talking soft comb, beavertail fore-end conversion, Money Maker vent rib, internal barrel work.
I can't post a picture of this gun, and what I paid for it in the same topic thread.

[tom leshinsky]

Phil, at 16 yds I have used my skeet gun and broke 24 out 25. Pattern the gun (trap guns tend to shoot higher). Just enjoy the gun.