Early and Rough, but still a Parker…

[Richard Flanders]

My most prolific day of bird shooting ever was at a preserve in Utah over pointing dogs. I was using my transition era 26" VH12 that I had XXX open the chokes to IC/MOD from F/F. It ended up being +.004"/-.003", so it's a blunderbuss on one side. By the end of our 3 days of unlimited birds there I couldn't seem to miss with that gun and even killed a rooster at 70yds(guide called the range)with one #7-1/2 pellet to the head. I pulled off a double on chukars that took off 180deg to each other and nailed a quail that rocketed past my ear requiring me to spin 180deg and take him going away. I think I was more surprised than the bird. One day I killed 54 birds with that gun and was feeling pretty deadly with it. I can't imagine ever having another day like that. I was surprised how effective the open chokes were on every kind of shot. I have two other Parkers that are pretty much if not totally 0 choked and both are deadly over pointers in cover, especially my 24" PHE16. For open country pheasant and sharptails and for pass shooting ducks, I'll take choked guns.