What do I have?

[DeAn Durham]

Althought the cost is too great for myself at this point in my life, I am not looking to sell it nor restore it to make money or a quick payday. Now, before my mother passed and I had mounting bills trying to help her with her hospital care then ultimately her funeral costs, I did in fact consider selling it because to me taking care of her was of most importance before anything. Somehow by God's grace I was able to pull myself together and take care of everything without having to go that route. I have the mindset that it is what it is and if/when I have the means and resources to restore it, I will but until then it will stay in my safe away from the elements and in worst case of never restoring it, I will display it proudly in my home and brag to my girls it's family history.

I value Mr. Chadick's opinion and am very well aware of his capabilities as well as that of his gunsmith Mr. Chapman. I, again, am grateful for the advice Mr. Chadick gave me, the conversation, and the quick history lesson on my Parker. He was very informative, and by all accounts a true gentleman. Thank you Bruce for your recommendation to him.

Please know, I am just happy that along this journey, I am glad to just have this adventure before me, grateful to the MANY new friends I have here, and am just all around blessed by everyone looking out for me here. I will take each step through this process gracefully and carefully. Who knows, one day I might be taking a picture of myself with this old Parker looking as beautiful as ever....only time will tell.

All in all...........I'm truly blessed by all of you, please know that

I have a suggestion. Normally I would contact a BOD or Life member privately re; this thought, but as both this little Lady from the Lone Star State has "barred her soul" to us about her personal loss of family members and the value of this well-worn 16 bore CHE once owned by her Granddad (and having been favored by my own maternal Grandfather re: a few good guns which I treasure)--If both the BOD and Dee agree, and she is willing to turn over this Parker to the custody of a nearby trusted PGCA member (Bruce Day if he is willing, perhaps) have it on the display table at the Annual PGCA meeting or the Vintagers- with perhaps gunsmith restoration expert Doug Turnbull using it for a seminar on both careful dis-assembly, and evaluation of such an older heirloom for restoration to using/shooting condition in today's mileu. And going one step further, use some of the funds from the Silent Auction to help her underwrite the cost.

We all have seen some possible 'trolling posters" on the open sector of our Forum, and I have always been charry of some of the things I have read on any internet web site that concerns itself with good guns. But I believe this Lady, and I commend her wish to keep this valued Parker. So many of us here (and on the other fine gun websites/forums) have been fortunate in the breaks that life sometimes puts in front of us-so the possible sharing of that good fortune with a deserving person merits some thought, at least IMO!!

[DeAn Durham]

You guys never cease to amaze me!!!! You're kind words and thoughtful gestures are truly a blessing. Thank you

[winplumber]

I am still here and willing !

[Bill Murphy]

I hope my information about the provenance of your gun and its early history was of interest and in congruence with the PGCA letter. I also hope that my suggestion to treat your gun as a piece of Texas and Louisiana history is of as much interest. Restored Parkers are a dime a dozen and are worth a dime on the ten dollar bill when offered for sale. Your gun is a wonderful example of Texas bird hunting history and should be kept as is. No matter what advice you get about rehashing your wonderful and rare bird gun, it is as good as it gets in its present condition. I, personally, will shed tears if this gun goes to the restorer. That's it for me. I tried my best.

Originally Posted by Dee Durham

You guys never cease to amaze me!!!! You're kind words and thoughtful gestures are truly a blessing. Thank you

-- If you ever get up to the Wolverine State, let me know and you can come with me to the gun range-if you like shootin' Colts- mostly 1878 SA Army "peacemakers", most of which my late father picked up while working on a dude ranch in Wyoming in the "dustbowl 30's" Unlike my maternal Grandad, who shot both Parkers and a hammer Purdey- all 12 bores, my Dad was an avid "pistolero" and also a deadly rifle shot. He got me hooked on woodchucks when I was about 10-I have both his two and only two shotguns- both older pre-War M12's (no doubles- most likely due to his heavy emphasis on rifle shooting I'd guess, in retrospect)-- I also have his 1939 MTWoodsman .22LR, his M70 SG in 30-06 he bought in 1939-1940- and his "house gun" a .38 Det. Special snubbie with hammer shroud. I like the Python in .357 full house loads, and the great 1911-A-1 Colt .45ACP for defense and target work--as Texan gun writer the late Bob Brister (Ace shotgunner) once wrote in his book: Moss, Mallards and Mules- about the words from his mentor Uncle Abner-"Man carryin' a big pistol most oftentimes not ever have to use it" perhaps Uncle Abner graduated from Teddy Roosevelt HS--

Anyway, IMO, the nature of our growth in the PGCA, our new increasing membership, the get-togethers and the great research done on Parkers by some very dedicated folks, all speaks to our success in what one might well call a "niche gun market"-- Many fine Parkers are sold or traded amongst PGCA members, and I applaud that- America's Finest Shotgun(s) should be in the hands of those who appreciate a top quality hand made well functioning shotgun from another time and era in American history. You might well say that we "keep the torch burning brightly" for futre generations, what the late sportsman and writer T. Nash Buckingham called "Our come-afters"--Best regards--