Yard sale buy of the YEAR!!!!

[alan kirchner]

bought a parker 410 today at a local yard sale Go figure???? You just never know what your going to find. Man said it was granpops and he doesn't like guns but it was to nice to destroy. I won't even tell you what I paid for it.

[edgarspencer]

Year? Try Lifetime.
Pictures now please

[Dave Noreen]

April 1st was a week ago!!!

[Dean Romig]

Now that is "The stuff that dreams are made of".

Congratulations!!

[Brian Dudley]

What a find Al! Way to go. What grade?

[greg conomos]

I've heard about men who don't like guns but personally I find that to be an oxymoron.

[Bill Murphy]

I want to send you a PM, but I'll wait until all the usual suspects get to you first. This isn't as bad as the "Other" shotgun collectors website, but you will get PMs, probably as many from the other guys as from us. Why don't you send me a PM? Then I can say I didn't jump in this one. By the way, congratulations.

[calvin humburg]

Very good for you whod a thought. Bought dreams Dean dreams for me are a certain ball grip C but hey.

[Ed Blake]

Don't tell me, it was sitting in an umbrella boot made from an elephants foot with a bunch of fishing poles and wooden yardsticks.

[David Holes]

In the heyday quail years here years ago a man advertised an Ithaca 37 - 20 ga. .I went to look and he had 6 guns total to get rid of. Plus cases and shells. Couldn't agree on total gun price so went home to get check for the 20. When I got back he had decided to sell me everything at my price. Really a 410 at a garage sale. Congrats

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

Alan: that is amazing.The first chance you get go by a lottery ticket even though you already won.Thomas

[alan kirchner]

it's a V grade with 28 inch barrels. I had to go to NJ to help my brother but I will post pic's when I return. It still has some case colors and bores are perfect locks up thight and is on face. He wanted so little for it I didn't know what to do so I asked him if he was sure on the price and he said he just wanted it to go to a good home. Asked him if he had any other guns said no that this was grandpop's barn rat gun ??? I always used a piece of junk 22 with bird shot for my rat guns. He did throw in 2 boxes of peters 2 inch 8 shot 410 shells nice boxes both full. I guess that is barn rat ammo?? I will have to remember to mark it just for barn rats!!! Thomas I bought lottery ticks the other day somebody else got my money!!

[paul stafford jr]

the only thing I ever see at garage sales are old worn out kids toys and baby stuff. too cool man!!

[Mark Landskov]

Being full, those boxes of cartridges are certainly worth something, especially the 2" variety. A good day for you, indeed!

[Wayne Johnson]

Congratulations. Looking forward to pictures.

[Gerald McPherson]

Here is another way to look at this, Bad day for the seller. Gerald.

[Phil Yearout]

I once bought a Martin D-12-20 guitar at the Goodwill for $20, but a Parker .410 tops that!

[Eldon Goddard]

Some people have all the luck. It is inspiring that this stuff is still out there and the hunt is alot of fun anyways.

[allen newell]

Sometimes I think it's all about the hunt!

[Bill Murphy]

Having a Parker .410 at home in the safe beats the hunt any day. I have told my Parker .410 skeet gun story on this forum so it doesn't need to be told here again. Anyhow, Allen's story if better than mine.

[Ed Blake]

Bill - you have over 5,000 posts. How would we find the story of your .410?

[John Taddeo]

I think there quite a few people (myself included) who can't wait to see pictures of this fantastic find.:corn:

[Mills Morrison]

How many of us are going to start going to yard sales now?

[allen newell]

Down our way, the only think we're likely to find is a beat up lobster pot!

[Wayne Johnson]

How many of us are going to start going to yard sales now?

I have often joked with my wife when passing yard sales that I was going to stop and ask...got any guns?

I may start doing just that.

[Brian Dudley]

I will say that whenever I go to yard sales or estate sales, I at least ask if they have any guns for sale. Hoping that maybe they just didn't put them out.

[Dean Romig]

I went to a yard sale in Augusta Maine about 7 or 8 years ago where the family of a deceased gentleman had a lot of his useless old stuff they didn't want or need spread out over about a dozen 8 foot banquet tables. Kathy and I went from table to table not really seeing anything we thought particularly interesting - just the usual "old guy's stuff" - until we were heading back to the car and passed by the first table we had briefly looked at earlier and I put on the brakes so hard Kathy walked right into me. There on the table was a very early Colt 1911, probably made in the teens, in nice condition with only very minor loss of blueing. The tag said $50 but I had no interest in semi-auto pistols and had no idea of their value so I passed on it. But right there on the same table was a Colt .45 revolver. This one had my interest because it also had a $50 tag on it. Turns out the revolver had a good amount of rust (or maybe dust?) in the barrel so I passed on it too.
It was only a couple of weeks later that discovered the value of that 1911..... I could have slit my wrists... :eek:

[Richard Flanders]

A WWII test pilot friend of mine here took me into his gargage before he passed away and opened a locked steel box sitting on a damp cold concrete floor in a corner. Inside was a 1918 vintage 1911 in the original leather holster on a Sam Brown belt. Pistol was in near new condition and well oiled. After he died they had an auction and they sold that box for $50, not knowing what was in it. I was sick that I never asked Randy if I could buy that Colt from him; he likely would have just given it to me.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

At an estate sale awhile back I bought literally a bag of clips for about 10 different pistols and rifles. I asked the lady running the sale where the guns were and she said they don't handle guns and had told the family they had to sell them by themselves. Bet whoever bought them wondered why non had clips.....

DLH

[Jay Gardner]

I believe most people are just plain afraid to put guns out in a garage or small estate sale. When I stop I always look for hunting/fishing related gear and if I get the feeling the deceased was a sportsman I ask whom ever is running the sale about guns and/or rods. Often there are and usually they don't know what to do with them. Haven't stumbled onto anything of value but I have seen more than a few rusty turds.

I imagine anyone with enough $ to own a small-bore or high-grade gun would have a substantial enough estate as to not have it in thr driveway. Regardless, thr hunt is half the fun and you never know when you'll get lucky.

[Donald F. Mills]

I imagine anyone with enough $ to own a small-bore or high-grade gun would have a substantial enough estate as to not have it in thr driveway.

Might be less about the value of the estate compared to how the beneficiaries value the estate.

[paul stafford jr]

are there any pictures of the gun posted yet I have been waiting, if I cant see it soon I will hold my breath till I turn blue

[todd allen]

Pictures, and price paid would make it an even better story.

[Jay Gardner]

Not sure I want to see pictures or know the price.

[John Dallas]

Has anyone ever paid more than $100 for anything at a garage sale?

[Dean Romig]

Yes...

[Scott Janowski]

I bought a wooden bottom Luger magazine at an estate sale it was marked .50 cents, I got it for .25 cents! The sale ran for a whole day before I got there and everything was half price!

[Mike Franzen]

No pics! Probably means high level negotiations going on for the sale of this gun. Maybe while we're waiting Bill could link us to his post of how he acquired his 410 he referenced earlier.

[alan kirchner]

sorry guys I am out of town with limited computer use. I will tell you this if I get one more nasty message I am going to ask to have this thread locked. I paid the man what he was asking and it was more than $100. I would have hoped you guys would be happy for me with a great find but it appears some are not I am sorry you feel that way but I am sure given the same chance you would have purchased the gun yourself. I always thought this site had a bunch of guys with a lot of class but for some it appears I was wrong. I will post a picture as soon as I return home next week . I tried to get my wife to take a picture and email it to me so I could post it but it came out about 1 inch tall and 2 inches long???? I have no idea how she did that but I give her an A for trying

[calvin humburg]

Sorry Alan but there is jeliousy (if i use spell check does that make me a better person;)) and honestly this sight is not as fun as it used to be because of thoes people. best to you Alan. ch

[Bill Murphy]

For Ed and Mike, I will tell the short version of my .410 Skeet on a new thread. The long version tells the stories of the many Parker .410s I haven't bought over the past fifty years.

[Wayne Johnson]

I paid the man what he was asking and it was more than $100. I would have hoped you guys would be happy for me with a great find but it appears some are not

Don't worry about it. Happens on the Smith & Wesson boards too. Although it's usually "You stupid sap. You paid way too much for that gun. Why I know where I can buy them all day long for half that, and they'll throw in a pizza and beer to make the deal." I stopped posting how much I paid for that reason.

Funny thing is they never offer to sell me one for half what I paid. Imagine that.

If the seller is happy, and you're happy, everybody got a good deal.

[Mike Franzen]

When I read your post I thought the gun was better off being with you

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

Alan: I for one really enjoyed your garage sale 410 story and will be repeating it for years to come because it is true. I just think like Calvin said you have some jealous people and there are a few in every group.Congradulations and can't wait for pictures. Thomas

[Bill Murphy]

I'm just waiting for Allen to PM me. I have a heavy checkbook and plenty of Parkers.

[Bill Murphy]

I'm just waiting for Alan to PM me. I have a heavy checkbook and plenty of Parkers. I enjoyed his story too.

[todd allen]

sorry guys I am out of town with limited computer use. I will tell you this if I get one more nasty message I am going to ask to have this thread locked. I paid the man what he was asking and it was more than $100. I would have hoped you guys would be happy for me with a great find but it appears some are not I am sorry you feel that way but I am sure given the same chance you would have purchased the gun yourself. I always thought this site had a bunch of guys with a lot of class but for some it appears I was wrong. I will post a picture as soon as I return home next week . I tried to get my wife to take a picture and email it to me so I could post it but it came out about 1 inch tall and 2 inches long???? I have no idea how she did that but I give her an A for trying

I'm sorry to hear that you are catching grief from some unfortunately jealous people. I, for one, thought it was a great story, and enjoyed reading it.
Someone offers something for sale, you pay him what he asks, where's the harm?

[Destry L. Hoffard]

I went to a garage sale this morning, my big purchases were a Zippo pocket knife and a vintage bicycle seat. Sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you. Alan you ate the bear this week for sure. Hell make that two bears! You are officially my hero for this entire garage sale season.

The only story I ever heard that was close to this was a picker guy around here locally buying a Model 21 20 gauge in a LOM case at a garage sale for $10. He told them there was a gun in the case and they said they didn't care just take it. I've made some real money out garage sale picking over the years but I've never hit a lick like that one or the one discussed here that's for sure. My day is coming, hope springs eternal.......

Destry


P.S. Screw the naysayers, they're just jealous.

P.S.S. When a man makes you a price on something and you pay what he asks, you have done no wrong.

[Harry Sanders]

Once got a Fox 16 Sterlingworth Deluxe with original hang tags for $225. They had it priced as if it were a Fox B.

[edward mccay]

Buy low sell high! Good job!

[Andy Kelley]

Very happy for you Allan and it keeps the fires of hope burning that there are still treasures to be found. I am sorry you have been the target of some nasty, jealous emails which to my mind have no place on a site like this. Andy

[allen newell]

I just went through all the posts in response to Alan's 410 yard sale 'find' and except for one post that I would consider 'negative', the rest were outright complimentary of Alan's finding this Parker 410 or were about how others have experienced various yard sale finds. Unless Alan received some pm's that were not complimentary, the vast majority of posters I think were in the main congradulatory. Anyone would hope to have a find like this, it's not jealousy, it's wishful thinking.

Alan, congrats on a great 'find' and keep posting no matter what. This is a great story and a dream come true.

[scott kittredge]

sorry guys I am out of town with limited computer use. I will tell you this if I get one more nasty message I am going to ask to have this thread locked. I paid the man what he was asking and it was more than $100. I would have hoped you guys would be happy for me with a great find but it appears some are not I am sorry you feel that way but I am sure given the same chance you would have purchased the gun yourself. I always thought this site had a bunch of guys with a lot of class but for some it appears I was wrong. I will post a picture as soon as I return home next week . I tried to get my wife to take a picture and email it to me so I could post it but it came out about 1 inch tall and 2 inches long???? I have no idea how she did that but I give her an A for trying

just point them out:knowbetter: GREAT BUY AND GOOD FOR YOU, scott

[Andy Kelley]

Allen Newell, my comments were directed toward the emails not the posts which were very positive . Andy

[allen newell]

That's what I figured Andy after having gone back and read all the posts. thanks for stating it in the clear though.

[Bill Murphy]

Alan, sorry for misspelling your name. I'm still waiting for the PM.

[greg conomos]

Alan, I will offer $1 more than Mr. Murphy's best offer. Whatever I pay, it will be worth it.

[edward mccay]

Greg,

I was thinking the same thing. Heavy check books are a bad Idea at .01 percent lol.:rotf:

[Mike Shepherd]

If I knowingly advised a widow that the gun she was selling was worth 10% of its wholesale value and then bought that gun from her at that price I would be ashamed.

If I came upon a gun for sale at 10% of its wholesale value and then bought that gun at the asking price I would sleep with a clear conscience that night

Nice buy Mr. Kirchner.

[Scott Janowski]

First off very nice find on the .410! I can't wait to see pictures! We are attending a dog trial in Connecticut this weekend so we left early to go to Cabalas in East Hartford. I brought along a very nice Remington 1100 "D" Grade Skeet 12 gauge for a possible trade. The gun is 95% their offer on it was $350.00! I also brought a Fox Sterlingworth 12 gauge it has 60% colors 80% blue and refinished wood. Their offer $175.00! I can't imagine how many widows brought guns into Cabalas and took offers like this!

[Jay Gardner]

Cabela's, what a joke. The stories of them screwing people, coming and going are many and truly frightening.

[Dean Romig]

FYI, from my experience KTP pays very fair wholesale prices . I know it's a long way from Hartford but for some here it may be worth the trip.

[Scott Janowski]

Dean,
Thank you, I have delt with KTP in the past and they are very good to deal with.
I was half interested in an AYA .410 at Cabalas and thought if they gave me a fair offer for my guns we could come to terms. They list an 1100 D grade on the website site $2600.00!
They had a Fox Sterlingworth on the rack that looked like someone dragged it there behind their car for $575.00! It was a lesson for my wife even she could not believe it!

[Larry Stauch]

Wow, I love this site!

Everyone selling something has the opportunity to do their due diligence and if they don't then they get what they get.

The best I ever did was an ad in the newspaper for a Parker 20 gauge.
I checked the newspaper every morning as soon as it hit the step and finally found something to get excited about. I shot out of the house, headed 40 miles south to a small farm town, driving well in excess of the speed limit and sweating all the way there. Got there just before 7:00am and the nice fella that answered the door invited me in. There on the table was a 30" VHE in about 60% condition. He said, my wife doesn't want it in the house anymore because our son is getting to the age that he wants to start using it. I gave him the $800 bucks and on the way back home I felt bad for a young man that wouldn't have the pleasure of growing up shooting anything; much less a Parker. But that's the society we live in.

They told me they got their price from the local gunshop, so I don't feel one bit bad, that was their due diligence and they were happy with it.

One of my buddies called me about 10:30 that morning to tell me about the ad and I told him that it was already sold……to me.

Great BUY Alan!

[Chris Travinski]

Good for you Alan. Sure most of us wish we were the one who went to the yard sale first, but we should all be glad it didn't get turned in for a $50 walmart gift card!! The way I look at it is, you got a great deal and your happy, you saved another Parker.

[Gerald Majors]

I too am sorry that you received negative posts.
I am very excited for you.
Congratulations
Gerald

[Harold Lee Pickens]

I have a friend that was given a Parker by an old family friend. He gave it to my friend because he could no longer hunt and was afraid that his son was going to sell it to feed his drug addiction. The gun ??-just an AHE 20, that he does carry grouse hunting each year in memory of the man that gave it to him.
Rich, I can introduce you to him and his AHE in Michigan this fall. He generally carries his BHE repro w/ 16/20 barrel sets.

[Mike Franzen]

I want to see pics of the Yard Sale Parker!!

[greg conomos]

There's nothing wrong with making a great buy, and I'm happy for Alan.

I find there to be a difference in buying a $20K gun for $500 from a 45 year old 'man' who's ascared of guns and too lazy to use the internet to do some due diligence, and the old "I screwed some 88 year old widow out her husband's Parker 'cuz she was too blind to read a book and hadn't even heard of the internet." That's just me, though.

[Rich Anderson]

[QUOTE=Mike Shepherd;103918]If I knowingly advised a widow that the gun she was selling was worth 10% of its wholesale value and then bought that gun from her at that price I would be ashamed.]


Mike unfortunately its happened to me by a member here of all places. I was asked to look at some guns by a friend and there was a well known maker that I was unfamiliar with. Another member who is well versed in these told me it was worth x and sold it to a dealer mind you for 3x. I hope he sleeps well cheating a widow:nono:

Harold I'll look forward to meeting your friend. We can compare grades :) Only about 5mos to the opener but they still have snow measured in feet on the ground in Channing.

[Rich Anderson]

Nice buy Mr. Kirchner.

I'll second that:bowdown:

[Richard Flanders]

Pictures... we need pictures!!

[Jeff Christie]

the only thing I ever see at garage sales are old worn out kids toys and baby stuff. too cool man!!

I picked up a Model 12 at a garage sale. I am sure I saved it from being made into a lamp or worse. It wasn't free but it was cheap. It had never been given the respect it was due.

[greg conomos]

There really should be a rule that no one is allowed to make any post like this without photos.

[alan kirchner]

I have left this post alone because of several messages that I recieved that at the least not very nice. I have not posted pictures because it will just bring more messages.Maybe pictures can be sent to a trusted member and you can share them with each other. I am done with this post and it can be locked

[allen newell]

Alan, there's no room in this Forum whether it be in form of pm's or out in the open for any forum member to be mistreated in any way. My suggestion to you is that if you feel you have received innappropriate messages whether in the public or private forum, you should forward them to the President of the PGCA and let the Leadership of the PGCA review them, make a determination and take appropriate action.

[edward mccay]

I would post pictures just to rub it in :).

[Eldon Goddard]

Maybe you could get pictures to someone and they could write an article in the Parker Pages the name of the owner could be left anonymous. I am sorry to hear people are giving you crap.

[todd allen]

It is highly unfair that the behavior of a very small minority can de-rail the enjoyment of the vast majority here in following this thread.
I'll bet there isn't a participant on this board that wouldn't have jumped on the deal that you got. Hopefully speaking for the majority here, we have really enjoyed this thread, up to this point.
We are all here because of our interest in Parker guns, and your story is definitely one of the most interesting I have read lately.
I vote for posting pics, and continuing on with this discussion.

[Rich Anderson]

[QUOTE=alan kirchner have left this post alone because of several messages that I recieved that at the least not very nice. I have not posted pictures because it will just bring more messages.]

What a shame one of OUR members gets flack like this for makeing a buy that from the sounds of things anyone of us would have jumped at. The negativity he's received prevents him from sharing such a wonderfull find with the rest of the membership:shock: At this moment I'm ashamed to be a PGCA member:nono:

[Mills Morrison]

Don't let a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch.

[Jay Gardner]

I agree. No way I'd post photos after the crap and bs that has been posted.

[Bobby Cash]

I have left this post alone because of several messages that I recieved that at the least not very nice. I have not posted pictures because it will just bring more messages.Maybe pictures can be sent to a trusted member and you can share them with each other. I am done with this post and it can be locked

Fine, don't post the photos. At this point it's almost anticlimactic.
How about posting the messages?
:corn:

[Mark Ouellette]

I am certain that Alan would not post a PM from another member.

If needed he could provide them to the PGCA BOD. One could also seek advice from another member by forwarding an insulting PM.

From the forum rules:

Never copy a PM or private e-mail and post in public - especially if it concerns a feud with another member, business, or entity. I am NOT “Judge Judy”, nor will I take any action on your behalf in your grievance. As well, if/when you do post a private communication in a public forum, you open yourself up to a legal suit. Whether they or you might prevail – we could also care less. What we do care about is protecting this community and the members who are not interested in your complaint.

[Bobby Cash]

Pardon me Mark but I never suggested that Alan "name names".
What could have been a vicarious thrill for most of us has IMHO turned into
"I'm taking my new "garage sale ball" and going home".

Alan, best of luck to you and your new Parker.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Anybody that sent him negative PM's was just jealous of the find, it's that simple.

DLH

[greg conomos]

I have a hard time understanding why someone would send a negative email over such a matter.

[DaneRAtkinson]

So dramatic...

[allen newell]

I think this thread has reached the proverbial dead end. It should end. Nuff said, IMHO

[alan kirchner]

I have pm'd Mark with some future solutions. I am sure that pictures will at some point be provided to all
thank you to all the well wishers for the most part this thread was a lot of fun (not so much for me )

[Mark Ouellette]

Gentlemen,

This thread has gone on long enough to learn of the good and the bad of finding a pot of gold, winning the lottery, or as in this case, finding a rare Parker in a yard sale.

This thread is closed.

Respectfully,
Mark