How I got here

[Kent Nickerson]

My wife's father and his brother Rhett shot birds together for decades here in South Carolina. This was back in the years between the 1930's and the '60's. My father in law was doctor and a Winchester man through and through who preferred the Model 42 for partridges. Uncle Rhett was a doctor, a golfer and a Parker collector. He was Bobby Jones physician, a member at Augusta National and several of the better bird hunting clubs that flourished here back then. There were places Rhett went that the Model 42 was not appropriate so my father in law reluctantly acquired a very well used VH 20 bore from a local shop. For ten years now this has been my gun. My Parker has some bluing left on the barrels, virtually no engraving left on the receiver (which was blued to match the barrels many years ago and has a similar patina) and a replacement pistol grip stock bearing no figure whatsoever, save a large knothole under the varnish on the right hand side.
There are two screws in the rib, right about where a sight might have been once, but I'm not really sure why they are there. It functions perfectly every time I take it out and has accounted for many what we politely call "plantation birds" as well as some wild birds and the occasional woodcock and summer duck at the farm. Mighty fine gun, in my opinion and it got me onto this forum some years ago, which has been very enjoyable. I went up to the Southern last year to watch the Parker team win the Big Cup. I'll finish up by saying that at 72, watching that young fellow with the hammer
gun kill all of those fast crossers in the finals that Saturday reminded me that I need to get out and swing my Parker a little more often. Have a great day, ya'll.