28g 28" Repro

[Chuck Heald]

I posted this over on the doublegun bbs, but I thought with the queries about the M/F 28" choke patterns, it'd be worth putting it here as well.

I got my Parker Repro 28g out of gun jail today. I found it at Jaqua's a couple weeks ago and it looked like the gun for me. I bought it primarily for a conversion to .410 later when my barrels from CSM come. But another gun is always fun.

It measures what seems to be a common 1 3/8" DAC x 2 1/8" DAH x 14 1/4". One reason I picked this gun was the 28" bbls. 5 lbs 10 oz and balances about 5/8" behind the hinge. It seems a little unusual in that it has a feather crotch black walnut stock.

Chokes .032 Lft bbl/.012 Rt bbl

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/DSC_6301.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/DSC_6298.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/DSC_6297.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/DSC_6302.jpg


I took it out to the range and straight to the patternboard.

[Chuck Heald]

Patterns

I found that the POI was where I pointed it. If the patterns weren't on top of each other, it was my fault. All POI's seemed slightly above point of aim, not bad. The gun is a higher dimensioned stock than I normally shoot. I'm usually shooting 1 1/2" x 2 3/8" guns.

Win AA SS 1300 fps 3/4 oz 7 1/2 shot

Rt bbl 30 yds
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/WinAASS75oz75shotRtbbl30yds.jpg

Lft bbl 40 yds
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/WinAASS75oz75shotLftbbl40yds.jpg



Rem STS 1200 fps 3/4 oz #8 shot

Rt bbl 30 yds
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/RemSTS75oz8shotRtbbl30yds.jpg

Lft bbl 40 yds
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/RemSTS75oz8shotLftbbl40yds.jpg



Fiocci Golden Pheasant 1300 fps 7/8 oz #6 shot

Rt bbl 30 yds
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/FioGldnPhs875oz6shotRtbbl30yds.jpg


Lft bbl 40 yds
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/FioGldnPhs875oz6shotLftbbl40yds.jpg



Fiocci Golden Pheasant 1300 fps 7/8 oz #5 shot

Rt bbl 30 yds
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/FioGldnPhs875oz5shotRtbbl30yds.jpg


Lft bbl 40 yds
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/FioGldnPhs875oz5shotLftbbl40yds.jpg


Win Super X 1200 fps 1 oz #6 shot

Rt bbl 30 yds
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/WinSupX1oz6shotRtbbl30yds.jpg


Lft bbl 40 yds
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c125/roaniecowpony/WinSupX1oz6shotLftbbl40yds.jpg

[Dean Romig]

Very interesting and informative testing Chuck.

That's a very pretty piece of wood too.

[Joe Bernfeld]

Beautiful Repro, Chuck. They used some spectacular wood in a lot of those guns. I used to have one with the most eye-popping piece of burl walnut I've ever seen. I sold it of course...:banghead:
Joe

[Kenny Graft]

How big are the paterns, size of your paper targets? The left barrel paterns look very good at 40!.....All the loads look about the same. I would guess the left full tube has been opened up a tad or it needs remeasured. I own 4 sets of M/F and all are .038 give or take a point ot two. A close look may see some polishing marks compaired to one that has not been touched....this is only a possibility, it could be a factory spec? Its a very good choke! The factory .038 is overchoke for a 28ga but long as they patern well who cares...thanks for the info and pics... I have a three barrel set 410-28-28 that is my shooter set. I plan some long paterning sessions this spring...(-: SXS ohio

[Kenny Graft]

Chuck..any time frame on getting the 410 barrels from CSM?

[Chuck Heald]

Kenny,
That board is about 36" across for perspective. I'll check the chokes again later today. I was just going by what Jaqua's told me when they measured it while I talked to them on the phone.

Not in the pix is a pattern I shot with the 1 oz Win #6 load from 50 yds. It was dense enough to assure a kill on a rooster at that range.

CSM told me that the .410 bbls will be the last batch of the barrels they run. They said that could be up to a year from now. I'm betting longer.

[Chuck Heald]

My measurement of the chokes comes out to .034/.013

They look to be untouched, as I would expect. This gun had hardly been fired if at all. It was so tight, I could hardly get the forend on without struggling and darn near had to break it over my knee to open it. I loosened the forend fit lastnight. I can't stand a gun that tight.

[Jay Gardner]

I am thinking about having the chokes in my 28" barrels opened a bit. Thinking .010/.025 - something along the lines of IC/IM. Did you happen to pattern your left barrel at 30-yards? That's the one I would like to see.

Nice Repro. Stopped by Jaquas Thursday afternoon. They actually have a few in the racks right now. I don't recall seeing any DT guns, though.

[Bill Murphy]

Who would have ever thought that a double trigger Repro would be a premium item on the gun market? The Skeuses probably went through hell to get the single trigger design finalized. Now they could sell a double trigger conversion for a fortune.

[Dean Romig]

I hate my single trigger... it is just too darn stiff. Can't imagine why there was ever thought to be a need for such a confounded gizmo!

[Chuck Heald]

Dean, I thought my trigger was heavy too. But I think mine is just the way it feels because of how narrow the trigger is.

[Dean Romig]

I should have been clearer Chuck. My trigger pull is okay for me - it's the sliding selector switch that is so terribly stiff and hard to move. I've used the gun a lot and it hasn't freed up much at all.

[Richard Flanders]

That's stunning wood for a Repro. Love it. About as nice as I've seen on any repro. I would soooo like to remove the finish from mine and give it a nice oil finish.

[Dean Romig]

It's easy to do Richard, go ahead and do it. A nice oil finish adds so much character that the original shiny plastic finish does not, in my opinion.

[Kenny Graft]

I have been told by Jack Skues that aprox 50% had DT....If all 3500 28ga guns were bilt that would be 17-1800 guns That tells me folks love their DT repro's!!! I have been collecting DT repro's for several years now and have paid all the money at the time in past deals...but guess what...? I could not replace them for that amount in todays market...(-: Even if I use them for a while they will still would bring back all I paid and some...Great guns, good investments and its something you can hold in your hands other than Gov't paper. Im still looking for 12ga model steel shot spl or sporting clays with PG-DT 14 1/4 pull....and any B grades with DT...thanks all SXS ohio....(-:

[Bill Murphy]

I've said it before, but it may be time to say it again. Mr. Skeuse is a hero in the modern gunmaking business. He did what "couldn't be done". Of course, there are other heroes like Steve Lamboy and Tony Galazan, but the Skeuse project was the rare successful venture carried out by someone with no gun background other than emotion about a brand. I am thankful that Skeuse had enough money to carry it through to completion. I only own one Repro, but it is the holy grail. I am only lacking a set of .410 barrels. Maybe the Galazan project will end my search.

[Jay Gardner]

I had my 28 refinished a couple of years ago by Jack Haugh. Jack told me some of the repro stocks took stain better than others - that was the only tough part about refinishing them.

[Kenny Graft]

Early on I perchased a repro close-out from Jaquas. It was my first Parker gun and had the SST. I have hunted with SXS with DT and also pumps,autoes and over unders. I do not have any problem knowing the operation of the trigger types when hunting. The problem with the repro's SST is its to hard to change at moments notice in hunting situations. I may still buy one of them hard to find 12ga. models that I can't find with DT and drill a small hole in that switch and install a small roll pin. This would give me something to get hold of to move it quickly. Would also go inside and find out why its so hard to move? If this issue could be fixed I would not mind the SST feature. Its a good trigger system that works...it does have to be kept clean and free of dried up oil. 99% of doubleing is due to gumed up trigger parts. Its not easy to get inside a repro...them trigger plate screws can be very tight and froze. Only perfectly fitted screw driver tips hand made to fit each screw if necessary and a very carfull hand! Thanks all SXS ohio...(-:

[Chuck Heald]

Kenny,
Like you, I have no problem going back and forth with double or single triggers. I do it often when hunting and range shooting in the same day. I think both types offer something. I actually prefer a single trigger for some hunting conditions where I hunt valley quail. The terrain is steep razorback hills with lots of cover. A super fast second shot is sometimes worth a bird. I'm pretty quick on a 2 trigger, but sometimes not quick enough. Often, I don't think about it one way or the other. I find myself worried more about weight, overall length, gauge, and choke, than trigger arrangement. The gun has what it has.

As for single trigger selectors, I haven't used one that is worth messing with when a shot presents itself. The 'usual' situation I (and probably most) encounter, is when the trigger is set to the more open choked barrel and a bird presents itself further out than we think the open choke barrel is capable of. I shoot with the open choked barrel and follow up with the tighter barrel if necessary. The only style SST that I've seen that made sense to play with barrel selection was the Win 21/SKB style with the selector at your trigger fingertip, requiring only a push to the left. But, I don't own any of those guns.

[Chuck Heald]

Who would have ever thought that a double trigger Repro would be a premium item on the gun market? The Skeuses probably went through hell to get the single trigger design finalized. Now they could sell a double trigger conversion for a fortune.

:rotf: I thinks its pretty entertaining that the same guys that would pay a premium for an original single trigger DHE 28g, will pay a premium for a double trigger Repro.

I have several DT .410's and thought a SST .410 would be fun. And with the CSM barrels being advertised, I thought a plentiful 28g SST Repro would be a neat way to get one.

[Bill Davis]

Talking about single triggers that make sense--when I was collecting Ithaca guns, esp the small bore 28's, many of those that I owned had an SST that selected with the use of the safety itself. To me it was the ultimate single trigger. The gun was on safe when the safety was in the center position. Pushing it forward as the bird flushed, fired the right barrel first. If it was a longer shot, pulling the safety to the rear fired the left barrel first. The tang was marked with an R in front of the safety and an L behind it. I believe Miller built this system first and Ithaca copied it eventually. Later Miller triggers used the toggle in front of the trigger as a selector. This ultimate safety/ barrel selector required care in making sure the trigger was in the safe position and prevented Steve Lamboy from using it in todays litigious world when he was building the ICD guns.

[Dean Romig]

Bill, the Miller SST on my Skeet-er is exactly as you describe on your Ithacas and is times easier to use in a hunting situation than other designs I have used.

[John Dallas]

The Remington 3200 has a similar concept safety/selector, with a toggle. Best system I've used

[Chuck Heald]

Bill,
I have a NID 3E 20g with that Miller trigger copy. After some discussions over on the doublegunshop board, I think it was revealed that Ithaca copied Miller's design and drove him away from business with them. I haven't had an opportunity to hunt that gun since it's at Gunter's for a restock and finishes.

[Bill Davis]

I had forgotten about the Rem 3200 safety/selector. That's also a good design but was only available in that gun in 12 bore and 8lbs plus weight. Regarding Ithaca/Miller tiggers, it might have been Walt Snyder that told me Ithaca was paying Miller a $5 royalty and decided just to make the trigger themselves. forget the royalty and cut Miller out of the deal. $5 went a whole further in the 1930's!!!