Howdy!
I joined PGCA a few months back and have been actively lurking. I was born a CT Yankee, but was transplanted in Texas as a child.
I grew up hunting and fishing on the Texas Coast, but was always intrigued by the stories I heard from my father and grandfather about grouse and woodcock hunting in New England. Evidently my Dad's extended family was from the Meridan CT area. They hunted around New England, had English setters and were members of the Quinnipiac Rod and Gun Club.
Upon graduation from high school in 1984, my grandfather presented me (the oldest grandson and most avid outdoorman) with his 16 gauge Trojan in a Redhead leg-o-mutton case. It was the last shotgun he owned. Grandpa told me that his older brother, Romaine, had bought the gun used for him from Charlie Parker for $19 sometime in the late 20's. Supposedly Uncle Romaine and Charlie Parker were hunting buddies. My Dad's Uncle Romaine allegedly had a beautiful collection of Parkers that were liquidated after his death, much to the chagrin of my Dad and Grandpa.
In his younger days, Grandpa played professional hockey and didn't have a lot of money, however he did get to travel with the hockey team. He carried that Trojan around with him and was able to hunt pheasants in the mid-west and geese and ducks in Maryland. The old Trojan got a ding in the barrel when it fell over and hit a rock when my Grandpa was crossing a fence. He said the gun was unloaded at the time, but the dent remained to him as a continuous reminder to be safe while handling guns.
Over the years, I have shot Grandpa's old gun a few times. Not knowing any better when I was in college I even committed the sacrilege of shooting a few ducks using steel shot. Since finding the PGCA, I have found an outlet to nourish my desire to learn more about Parker shotguns. I was always afraid that I would damage the old gal or that it would be damaged if I shot it regularly. Through this site I found a gunsmith who lives close by specializes in old s x s. He looked over the Trojan, lifted the dent from the barrel and recommended RST ammo. She's now the favorite gun of her fourth generation of shooters. With four boys, I am going to have to get busy finding some "new" family heirlooms.
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