National Gun Day

[Mike Franzen]

heading down to Louisville to the big gun show this morning. Taking a GH Dam 20 on an 0 frame as trade bait. I'll see what they have. Sometimes the pgca has a display set up.

[Michael D Hankinson]

How big is big for this show? I have only been to local gun shows here in Grand Rapids Michigan and Holland MI. My experience has been much better at the Holland show which is a once a year show in a former basketball arena for a small college. Purchased a VH there for $600 two years ago and the only Parker I have seen at the Grand Rapids show was a Hammer Gun that must have weighed 10 #, really rough and they wanted $800 for it. At the time I didn't know a lot about Parkers so didn't pursue that one.

[Hammer Gun]

Mike tell me a little about your 20 GH Dam, Gary

[Mike Franzen]

Hi Gary, it was basically a parts gun. The bores were very questionable so I didn't want to offer it here. I wanted to take it where someone could have it in hand and see exactly what it was, sell it and be done with it. I got what I wanted and the guy I sold it to has a new project. I did see several Parkers though most were really high priced imo. For example a Trojan with replacement stock, all blued and a vent rib by Simmons was $4750. Several GH Dam guns with various issues asking $1700 - $2500. A DH 12 gauge for $7500. I looked real hard at an NH grade 2 on a 2 frame, SSBP and 30" bbls for $800. The screws were awful and it was heavily lacquered. I ended up passing on it too. A very early lifter with de carbonized bbls that were cut to 25" for $800. Looked at an 1887? Winchester lever 12 gauge to great condition the guy was asking $475 for. I walked away and 5 minutes later went back to buy but he raised the price to $4850 - go figure. Oh well I did buy a nice wooden cleaning rod and a serious head lamp.

[wayne goerres]

Always liked the Louisville show. The concrete floor was hard on your feet and back. Used to be you could spend all day wondering around in it. Haven't been in 20 years.

[Mike Franzen]

If you want to go and meet up there sometime Wayne just let me know

[Bill Murphy]

I like Louisville a lot, depending on the Southwest schedules. Tell us more about the Trojan with the Simmons rib and BHE price.

[wayne goerres]

It would be a nine hour drive for me now. I live in Ga. instead of southern Indiana.

[Mike Franzen]

The vent rib Trojan looked like a Dr. Frankenstein creation. Every piece of metal was roughly polished to prominent swirls and then blued unevenly. The butt stock looked like it was patterned after the Thompson / Center Encore with the high comb. But the vent rib was the masters touch. The posts appeared to have been ground down to about half of normal height and then welded to the factory rib in stack fashion. However the for end wood appeared to be original and had been finished with a lot of Tru oil to match the stock. You probably couldn't build a gun like that today for only $4750.