Question about finding guns

[IW1978]

From reading and hearing from experienced members it sounds like a lot of people find good guns at shows, reputable people and those with shops. My question, and I guess it’s two questions, are is there any utility in scouring places like old pawn shops and antique stores? The second part of the question is what are some of the oddest stories of where nice Parker’s or other fine guns have turned up?

[B. Dudley]

You never know.

[Dean Romig]

Just keep looking wherever you can think of.

A salesman who used to call on me and knew I collect Parkers was at the Brimfield flea market and saw a big old hammer gun for sale in a guy’s booth. He asked if he could handle it. It turned out it was a 10 bore Lifter but the barrels and locks and frame were polished but the engraving was still perfect.
My friend sent me 3 pictures and said the seller wanted $4k for it.
I said I wouldn’t give him $1k for it… the guy said “Sold!”
My friend didn’t have but a couple of hundred on him…
I said “Go find an ATM !”

It’s a really nice gun- Breck refinished the barrels but I haven’t had anything else done to it. It’s a real turkey thumper!!





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[IW1978]

Now that’s a good story.

[Woodcock survey]

At the gun club one day a fellow who saw me shooting a Parker asked if i would be interested in a Parker and a Fox, i of course said yes. He brought them the next day, a VH 12 and a Sterlingworth 16 and said he was trying to raise money for a caribou hunt. I looked them over and rung the barrels and asked how much and was told $700.00 for both. Yes i bought them.

You never know where or when the opportunity will come. Told everyone i knew i wanted a Colt SAA, 45 caliber 5 3/4 barrel. 3 years went by and the phone rang and a friend of a friend had one for $4oo.oo. Never know.

[Bill Murphy]

When I was 14 years old, another 14 year old and I were shooting skeet at an Izaak Walton League range. He was shooting a 28 gauge Parker. I asked what his plans were for the Parker. He said he wanted to sell it and buy a Model 99 Savage. I asked him how much the Savage would cost. He said "About $120.00". We sealed the deal that day. Another day on the same skeet range, I met a fellow student from the University of Maryland. He was shooting his father's AHE Parker 32" trap gun. I admired the gun and forgot about it for years. One Saturday night, he called and asked if I wanted the Parker. I said I couldn't afford such a gun. He replied that I could afford it and he expected me to be at his home near the Bay Bridge Sunday morning. He had the Parker laid out on his kitchen table. He told me to write a check for $2200.00. I told him that the gun was worth several times that amount. He said that I had admired the gun years earlier and he wanted me to be the caretaker for his father's gun, end of story.

[Phil Yearout]

I think it was Peter Johnson's book that said "Good guns are where you find them."

[Bob Jurewicz]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned the gun sales sites; GunsInternational and Gunbroker.
Bob Jurewicz

[Bill Murphy]

I have found nice guns on gunbroker and gunsinternational and on this website, but I wonder if I should keep that fact under my hat.

[Dylan Rhodes]

Good guns or deals on good guns? Dealers and the aforementioned sites are loaded with good guns, not so much good deals. Occasionally, but they rarely last long.