Your all time favorites

[Rich Anderson]

What are the guns you wouldn't part with for anything not including family guns because they are special in themselves.

Shotguns-Gunner's gun is hands down my favorite obviously. The Hollywood gun then a VHE 28ga with 28 inch bbls choked skt in/ skt out. If push came to shove I could live without the rest of them.

Rifles-This gets sticky but seeing as I like to shoot Prarie dogs the one varmint rifle would be a Cooper Varmint Extreme with upgraded wood in 25 WSSM. I would keep a custom 257 Roberts built on a 1909 Argentine Mauser action and a pre 64 Win M70 358FWT.

Handguns-I have no favorites but would keep one of the Kimbers.

[Rick Losey]

wow- baring disaster, I don't want to part with any of them (ok I lied - i might be letting one minor one go to finance another soon)

I guess the best test of this was during the dark days ( divorce) I sold everything except my first double ( a 12 Fox brush gun which I dismantled and hid the parts of) and my granddad's pistol (which I gave to a family member to hold).

still have both, since then, I might have bought one or two or twelve :rolleyes:. High in that keep list with them-a Fox 20 I bought the day I put my deposit on my first setter after life started getting better, and caplock rifle built by a distant relative in the 1850's, the VH 16, because if I actually find a grouse I can hit it with that, and something to carry in my waistband, cause if I am selling everything ever again, the world has gone to hell.

[John Dallas]

My Dad's M31 Remington pump, a M42 with Factory Vent Rib - Unfired when I bought it 10 years ago. (I've remedied that), and for a pistol, a very clean Hi Standard Olympic .22 Short. Rifles - Nothing I can't live without

[edgarspencer]

Not counting family guns, or one given to me by family, I would have a hard time parting with a German SS stalking rifle in 9.3x72; an I frame .22 S&W, 2 pre-war Model 70s, one in .22 hornet, the other in 7mm Mauser; a GHE 20, and lastly, the one COB never should have sold me, a Gr2, 0 frame 26" 16ga.TL.

[John Davis]

I love them all and wouldn't want to part with any of them, but these would be the essentials:

Parker CH 12 gauge, 30 inch IM/F and 28 inch IC/Mod.

Parker BHE 20 gauge, 26 inch Mod/Mod.

Ithaca NID 16 gauge, 26 inch Skt In/Skt Out. (This one just recently made the list)

[charlie cleveland]

mine would be the parker 8 ga lifter with its cut barrels and unic carvings on the stock of something i ve never figured out..next would be my first parker shotgun iu ever bought a p grade 10 that is a proven turkey killer...for my choice ofrifle is a remington 22 auto in the model 550-1 then my choice of pistol would be my little origanal ruger bearcat 22... lordy theres gona be a lot of mad guns at me for leaving them out... charlie

[Rich Anderson]

Edgar every once in a while on gets away that shouldn't have but thats life. Tell me about the M70 (see if we had a rifle forum we would be using it:)) 7MM Mauser. I had a Super Grade in 7MM but it was to nice to take to the deer woods so I sold that and a NIB FWT 358 for a 90% DHE 20 with all the options. I kinda miss the Super Grade. I bought a Pre 64 M70 7MM carbine last summer to make up for it.

[Bill Murphy]

Rich, if you ask for the rifle subforum, you will get what you ask for. However, you will not get what you thought you would get. I would dominate the subforum with my rifles and yours would be crushed in the dust. I would rather talk about Parkers.

[Mills Morrison]

Not counting family guns, I would keep the NH 10, EH 10, DH 10, Trojan 20 and my early GH 12. Well, and also my XXX Full PH 12 as my light turkey gun. Oh, and the Sterlingworth 16 too

[Michael Murphy]

Shotguns: A Parker Repro 2-barrel 12 ga. set with great wood
A Parker VHE with 32" barrels

Rifles: A Remington Model 700 in 280 Rem. - Lot of deer taken
A Shiloh Sharps in 45-70

[paul stafford jr]

lets see.. I am 59 years young I have been collecting guns since I was 21 , I still have my first one. I have only sold two of them ever ,a 410 browning the shot about 18in high and a surplus M1 carbin with a worn out barrel. if I could only keep two it would be my 1884 hammer gun and my EELL berretta diamond pigeon

[wayne goerres]

Sorry I refuse to settle for just a couple of guns.

[George Lander]

I guess the ones that I could not bear to part with are.

1. Cased set of dueling pistols by THOMAS that were used in a duel in Charleston, SC in 1863 between Major Alfred Rhett CSA & Colonel Ransome Calhoun CSA.

2. A percussion 12 bore double made for Radcliffe & Guignard, Columbia, SC in England & bought at HOLT'S in London at auction.

3. A 4 bore double converted from pinfire by E.M. Reilly, London.

Best Regards, George

[Eldon Goddard]

My first parker and my first gun a 870 12 gauge 3 1/2''. I would say my colt python but that was given to me by family.

[Rich Anderson]

Rich, if you ask for the rifle subforum, you will get what you ask for. However, you will not get what you thought you would get. I would dominate the subforum with my rifles and yours would be crushed in the dust. I would rather talk about Parkers.

I have asked for one that would be a members only formatt. I love talking Parkers but there are interesting rifles our members have. Bring on the rifle wars:biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

[Bill Murphy]

Rich, my rifle forum of choice is the "Single Barrel Customs....." subforum on Dave Weber's site. Two members and I persuaded Dave to create the subforum several years ago. Unfortunately, that subforum is weighted toward prewar customs and custom gunsmithing, with very little discussion of collecting modern rifles.

[Rich Anderson]

Bill if you like single barrel customs you will love the one I'm haveing done as we speak. I'll post pics in the Off Topic forum when it's done in probably a month or so.

I don't visit other forums on the web and have no desire to, thats why I'd like a rifle sub forum here so I can speak to people i at least some by name and some personally.

[Harryreed]

Here are mine:

Until my recent CH Parker was re-done into shooting condition my shotgun favorite is a Weatherby Orion 12ga O/U. So light.

I have many different hunting rifles, but near the end of every season I end up taking "Ole Slaughter". A Sharps 1874 carbine reproduction 45/70. Good things happen when I carry that Sharps. Hope I can transfer the carma to the Parker.:duck::duck:

[edgarspencer]

Tell me about the M70 7MM Mauser.
Nothing much to tell. Unremarkable except never been scoped. Not a lot of finish left. I paid $200 for it 40 years ago. My Dad offered to trade me his .257 Roberts for it. I said no, cuz I figured I'd end up with the Roberts anyway.

[will evans]

As for me...I own a Benelli Ultralight 12ga. Why in the hell would anyone ever sell one of those? As David Allen Coe would say, "After using it, I realized that my friends at Benelli had constructed the perfect country and western upland shotgun."

Not counting family guns, I would keep the NH 10, EH 10, DH 10, Trojan 20 and my early GH 12. Well, and also my XXX Full PH 12 as my light turkey gun. Oh, and the Sterlingworth 16 too

Ahh, the heart and mind of a gun lover. This response by Mills and a few others brings Steve Martin's famous scene in "The Jerk" to mind. "...I don't need any of this. I don't need this stuff, and I don't need *you*. I don't need anything. Except this. [picks up an ashtray]

And that's the only thing I need is *this*. I don't need this or this. Just this ashtray... And this paddle game. - The ashtray and the paddle game and that's all I need... And this remote control. - The ashtray, the paddle game, and the remote control, and that's all I need... And these matches. - The ashtray, and these matches, and the remote control, and the paddle ball... And this lamp. - The ashtray, this paddle game, and the remote control, and the lamp, and that's all *I* need. And that's *all* I need too. I don't need one other thing, not one... I need this. - The paddle game and the chair, and the remote control, and the matches for sure. Well what are you looking at? What do you think I'm some kind of a jerk or something! - And this. That's all I need."

[David Dwyer]

Rick
This is a hard one- My upgrade A underlever 12ga, 16 ga toplever D grade hammergun and my 20 ga toplever D grade hammergun. and ....

The rifles : a pre 64 Win 70 in 243WM, a Model 700 in 22-250 and a mod 700 in .17 REM Mag

Pistols Glock mod 30 45 cal
Good thread C O B

[Rich Anderson]

Edgar I have always steered away from the pre war rifles because the rear bridge wasn't drilled and tapped for a scope mount and to do that is kin to cutting off a couple of inches of barrel length on the premis of opening up the choke! That will turn out to be a great investment if you ever decide to sell. I also have a pre 64 M70 in 257 Roberts and with H414 and a 100gr bullet its a deers worst nightmare. I'm looking forward to getting a load developed fro my 7X57 M70 carbine another great deer cartridge. So many rifles so little deer season.

[ForrestArmstrong]

Parkers? Don't have that many yet but I really like the VH 12 gauge I got from Cabelas (featured in my avatar!) and at least one of my unfinished A1 repros currently in the hands of GG & Robert Strosin.

[Bill Zachow]

In Parkers, probably my two remaining 8 gauges. A PH with 36" barrels and a hammered V equivalent with 34" barrels. The rest to keep are all my pre 64 Winchesters, especially the .22s and the model 70s. Nothing beats a Winchester 22 to walk the farm with and wipe out apples, golden rod galls and other sundry beasties. In this last group, my favorites are model 90s in 22 short and 22 long rifle, and a pre war model 61 in 22 shot. If you want sport, sit on a grassy hillside near a small pond on a hot summer day and shoot dragon flies with such a gun. My wife bought it for me 25 years ago and it is my all time favorite.

[edgarspencer]

That will turn out to be a great investment if you ever decide to sell.
We wouldn't be talking about it in a thread like this if I thought I'd ever sell it, but I guess I could double my money.

[Rich Anderson]

Forrest you will like Bob Strosin's work, he did the engraveing on Gunner's Gun. Please post some pics when it's completed.

Edgar all I meant was the current value of a pre war M70 7MM Mauser is unbelievable, not that you would sell it.

[Carl Erickson Jr]

I have two rifles that I would not sell. A M1D that has never been fired since rebuild in the 60s except for proof rounds and an M21 that I built with all original parts (except the receiver.)

As for shotguns I have a GH that I repaired the stock on and an early Elsie transitional hammer gun that has had all the checkering sanded off and the barrels cut by at least 2 in. Neither of the guns are above utility grade but they are fun to shoot!

[ForrestArmstrong]

Rich, it was Gunner's Gun that steered me to Bob Strosin. I wanted GG to do all the unfinished A1 repros I got from Eurochasse but Geoff is very busy and I may not live that long! I believe Bob can do an equally good job. There are other great master engravers but not all excel in styles appropriate for a Parker, are very expensive, take a long time to complete the work, or more likely I do not know them. By the way, the other smiths who contributed to Gunner's Gun are also very outstanding in their areas of expertise.

[Rich Anderson]

I'm very happy the Gunner's Gun provided you with the contact for Bob Strosin. He was on time and the cost was very reasonable. I would love to see some pics when your gun is finished.

[ForrestArmstrong]

I would love to see some pics when your gun is finished.Absolutely, even at the risk of getting squeezed out of his backlog!

[tom leshinsky]

mine would be my VHE 20ga that I bought for $35 and some work on a Stevens 311. My Ruger bearcat 22 pistol, Winchester mod 90 22cal and Winchester mod 70 featherweight 30/06.

[Rich Anderson]

This thread has brought out quite a few Pre 64 M70 fans. As far as a rifle goes other than a custom gun they are by far my favorite:bowdown:

[James R. Black]

I have always been a fan of hammer guns but I have used about everything.The beauty of the hammer gun still is my choice.

[Steve Rivers]

I would keep my grandfathers Parkers. Two 12s and a 16.
His 250 Savage , 1911 Colt 45. Of the shotguns guns that I have acquired I would only keep the 28" Fox Sterlingworth 20 .
I have two rifles that would be very hard for me part with. A Remington model 721 257 Roberts that my Dad gave me and a 1949 Model 70 270.

[allen newell]

I would keep my grandfathers 16 ga Vh which I had DelGrego rebuild about 8 years ago. Nice sweet 16 and the first gun that I doubled on grouse one early Saturday morning in Westwood, Mass. at age 17 and 3 hrs prior to a football game. If my coach only knew I was bird hunting prior to our games he would have been unmerciful! This is also the same gun that killed my grandfather while he was skeet shooting on his farm inn Hookset/Bow New Hampshire in 37'. The gun recoiled and struck him smack on the nose and rather than bleed out, he bled internally. Died the next day. This gun passed to my Dad and then to me upon his passing of Lou Gherig's disease. This gun stays in the family.

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Well for me in shotguns, The Mattie gun like Gunners gun it will be cherished, hope to be finished by the fall, it is at the engravers now, it will be when finished a AA Hammer 16g a with vulcan barrels, also my 20g a A grade hammer. In rifles it would be my Weatherby 30-06 and my AK-47 national match with 25" barrels

[Craig Larter]

Favorite shotgun AH Fox CE/HE Super Fox-I am a waterfowl addict and this gun speaks to me. Favorite Rifle Marlin 39A circa 1950 it brings out the young boy in me and reminds me of my Dad teaching me to shoot.

[Dean Romig]

I sold my Dad's Savage 99 more than fifteen years ago and really have no regrets about it. But I will always keep the Winchester Model 94 .30-30 that he gave me the first year I started deer hunting with him in Vt. It was made in '41 and has wonderful patina and nice wood with some burl. It will go to my grandkids for sure.

In 1965 the brand new Stevens 20 gauge Model 77F was my second shotgun but the first one I ever bought myself. It came with an adjustable choke that I hated so much that I hack-sawed the barrel off just behind that monstrosity. I drilled and tapped the barrel and ran a brass machine screw in and filed it to a bead. That shotgun put a lot of pheasants, ducks, bunnies, and a few woodcock on the table and it will put a rifled slug in a 3" circle at 75 yards. I still have that gun and it will stay.

My Ruger No. 1 in .270 with Leupold Vari-X III 1.5-5 will always stay.

A lot of my Parkers will also stay but I haven't really given much thought to which ones might go and which ones will stay - I like them all so much I would be hard pressed to have to decide.

[Rich Anderson]

GAry i didn't know a National Match version of the AK-47 was ever made. You can learn something new here everyday. Is it chambered for 223 or 308?

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Rich, It is chambered for 7.62x39, They were offered in the early 80's they have milled receivers wooden stocks, I have 2 one still in the box with all accessories, only test fired, the one I shoot is extremely accurate, and functions flawlessly, Gary

[Dave Noreen]

My first choice would be "Meat in the Pot" my 1914-vintage A-Grade Ansley H. Fox with 3-weight 28-inch Krupp barrels and a straight grip, shown here with the first Pheasant I shot with it opening weekend 1966 --

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/Ansleyone/Hunting/OpenningWeekend1966.jpg

Second would be my HE-Grade Super-Fox I got in 1963, that I'm holding in the picture, that accounted for my limit of Ducks that opening weekend.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

I'd sure had to see The Swamp Angel go, and my old Lefever Nitro Special 16 gauge would be painful as well.

Rifles would be my Winchester pump from when I was a kid.

I ain't much of a pistol man.

DLH