UK Based Parker Collectors

[Sanjay B]

Hi Steve,

How interesting - and yes, I can understand that you'd need to load your own! What is it choked at? I would love to load up some tungsten/bismuth for some of my older guns - taking them duck flighting is just otherwise not doable with their chambers. But bismuth is hard stuff to find!

Best,

Sanjay

[Tom Flanigan]

Kensal, do you come across Parkers in England? I would suspect that there aren't many. There are so many great London and BIrmingham guns. My favorite English gun is a Harrison and Hussey. It has the best engraving on any gun I have seen, better even than the Purdeys. The were only made for a short period of time in the early twenties. It is a typical London best with oak and leather case. It was proffed for 1 1/4 oz. loads and I have used it extensively on Sasketechawan ducks and geese. The best guns the world has ever seen have come out of London by the classic makers.

[Kensal Rise]

Mr. Flanigan:
The only "English Parker" I've ever seen was a DH I once owned that had been sleeved by Westley Richards, and so marked. Otherwise, I fully agree with your assessment of classic British guns. They have no equal in this day and age. However, I would re-think those 1 1/4 oz. loads you're using in the Harrison & Hussey. That stock wood is over 100 years old, and could be a bit brittle...

[Tom Flanigan]

Good point Kensal. I hand load my 1 1/4 oz. loads to 1200 fps. I don't use any of the factory shells that produce over 13,000 fps. My loads kick mildly and the pressures are under 7,500 psi. The Harrison and Hussey patterns beautifully with them. I wouldn't shoot any of the factory 1 1/4 oz. loads in my Hussey or any other gun. The gun was proofed at the factory for 1 1/4 oz. loads obviously built for an American. I believe that I am doing the gun no damage with my hand loads. But you have a great point. Thanks for your response.