"The Best Gun in the World"
 

I don't recall seeing "The Best Gun in the World" on Parker advertising. Not sure when A.H. Fox Co. first started with "The Finest"

Breeder and Sportsman, 12-2-1905

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I was at a friends in Sanford, Connecticut and he showed the cased matching Purdey 12 bores he inherited from his grandfather. They were delightfully lite guns and I did not get to shoot them. At the time they felt awkward compared the the balance of the Parker's I had grown up with. I agree with the poster.

In 1909 Teddy Roosevelt took his AH Fox gun to Africa on his famous safari. It was then he dubbed it "The finest gun in the world."

Harry, many Purdeys were ordered by idiots with a bunch of money, and turned out to be miserable guns. However, my extremely late Purdey Whitworth barrel hammer pigeon gun was not ordered by an idiot and handles like a well ordered Parker. Your friend, Bill Murphy

Bill, as a follow up on those awkward Purdey's, my friend could not shoot them well. He took them to Abercrombie's with his complaint. They told him the guns were too short and added checkered buffalo horn to the stock at a cost of some $800. This was in the early 1980's. I wrote and told him it would be ok just send the guns to me and I would reimburse the $800. I never received the guns. Harry

$80,000 Purdeys are generally wonderful guns, almost as good as a nice #1 frame DH Parker.

A friend of ours had a Wendy's franchise and when he cashed in, he bought a matched pair of Purdey's in 20 and 28 gauge. Beautiful guns, although I am not sure how they shoot. Several of Dad's friends own Purdeys and it seems they are breaking down constantly

Roosevelt's Fox endorsement was apparently "No better gun was ever made."

National Sportsman 1911

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Hunter-Trader-Trapper 1912

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Foxes and Parkers complement each other well.

Mills, after owning and shooting dozens of Parkers and Foxes that I continue to shoot very well, I found, locally, a screaming very late Purdey hammer pigeon gun that I only dreamed of owning. I don't know what point I am making, but all of us should keep searching.