Preferred Parker Reproduction Options

[Rex Northen]

A thread here on a recent gunbrokers auction piqued my interest, as a member noted that a 28 Gauge DT, PG, BT with two sets of 26" barrels wasn't highly sought after.

I'm curious about option preference. Here's what I think market preference is (not necessarily my preference) in descending order, would like additional thoughts from you guys who see a lot of these:

Exceptional wood: eye of the beholder
Gauge: 28, 12, 20
Triggers: Double, Single
Grip: English, Pistol
Forend: Splinter, Beavertail
Barrel Length: 28", 26"
Barrels: Two sets
Chokes: Individual by gauge/length, but Q1/Q2 brings a slight premium

[Dean Romig]

My personal preference...

28 gauge
highly figured dark wood (not fond of Claro)
straight grip
beavertail forend
double triggers
26" or 28" barrels - makes no difference to me
Q1 / Q2 is my preference but will accept IC / Mod
ivory bead preferred

Condition of case color and barrel blue is not important as this is a hunting gun for me.

And this is mine - it fills almost every preference I listed.



.

[George M. Purtill]

I saw that GB auction and bid quite aways along but the wood really turned me off. I agree with Dean on the wood.The wood unfortunately can be eye catching or detracting.
I like all the PRs now. Until I found a 28 with two bbls and BTFE for my son to buy I didn't like them at all. Now I wish I had that gun.

[Bill Murphy]

Rex, the two barrel 26" set you mention is clearly a sought after gun. It has all the features we want as well as being a "special order" gun because of the barrel length. It sold way too cheap, in my opinion.

My favorite combo is 28 gauge, straight grip, beavertail, double triggers, 26" IC & MOD, 28" MOD & FULL. The only possible improvement would be both sets in 28" and a set of .410s.

My other dream Repro is the 28" IC & MOD 12 gauge double trigger gun that I purchased from a poster who advertised here. Not actually a special order gun, being mentioned in the final 1993 catalog, but quite rare. I could mention a dream 20 gauge, but they weigh as much as most 12s, so don't serve much purpose.

[tom tutwiler]

I had the 20 most folks wanted and sold it. 28" full/mod, double triggers, straight stock and perfect fit and killer english walnut. Unfortunately it weighed 6 lb 12 ounces. Way too heavy for a 20 gauge. It went down the road as I'm a grouse/woodcock hunter. One of these days I'll find the right repro (28 gauge with DT and BT) at the right price. Until then I'll have to settle for all these Foxes in my safe.

[Rich Anderson]

Dean I thought that 28 was Kathy's gun? Perhaps you just miss typed:whistle:

[Dean Romig]

Good catch Rich!

The barrels (26" Q1 & Q2) and the BTFE are from Kathy's Repro but the back half (straight grip and bouble triggers) is mine. The rest of my Repro 28 is splinter forend and 26" barrels IC/MOD. Kathy's back half is double triggers and a pistol grip. It is fantastic to be able to swap parts around on these two great repros.

Mine with the straight grip and Kathy's with the pistol grip.




.

[Gary Laudermilch]

What I like about this forum is that there is a wide variety of likes and dislikes. It is interesting to hear a variety of opinions. When I saw this thread I thought, oh boy this is tailor made for the light gun guys.

Well, I'm not of that persuasion and I'm an old duffer grouse hunter. I've been down the light gun road more times than I care to remember. Tom says that 6-12 is too heavy for a 20 but to me that is the ideal weight for a 20 gauge grouse gun. My 26" repro weighs 6-12 and is, in my opinion, the finest grouse gun I have ever used. Precisely why I prefer repros to original 20's - they weigh what a 20 should weigh. Just my opinion of course!

[Rex Northen]

Seems like there's something of a consensus, from a very small sample size, on a couple of few items:

28 Gauge is most preferred
Double triggers preferred
Beavertail preferred
Straight grip preferred
Bad wood is a non-starter

That's pretty much what I expected - thanks!

I probably won't get around to any statistical analysis on it, but the delta in pricing from a PG, splinter, single trigger 20 gauge to a straight grip, BT, double trigger 28 gauge is 70-100%.

Total 20 gauge production was over 6000 while 28 gauge was around 4200, but I'm guessing that only a small percentage of the 4200 were straight grip, BT, double trigger; while a large percentage of the 20 gauge was PG, splinter, single trigger... Supply and demand.

[Rex Northen]

Was typing when Gary responded, but an entirely different opinion.

I decided to shoot my 28 gauge on sporting clays yesterday, and the small contact area, combined with 100 rounds in a couple of hours definitely left a mark!

[tom tutwiler]

What I like about this forum is that there is a wide variety of likes and dislikes. It is interesting to hear a variety of opinions. When I saw this thread I thought, oh boy this is tailor made for the light gun guys.

Well, I'm not of that persuasion and I'm an old duffer grouse hunter. I've been down the light gun road more times than I care to remember. Tom says that 6-12 is too heavy for a 20 but to me that is the ideal weight for a 20 gauge grouse gun. My 26" repro weighs 6-12 and is, in my opinion, the finest grouse gun I have ever used. Precisely why I prefer repros to original 20's - they weigh what a 20 should weigh. Just my opinion of course!

IMO that's the ideal weight of a 16 gauge grouse gun, not a 20. I describe my grouse hunting in the local mountains as Chukar hunting with tree's. Hard to carry a 6 lb 12 ounce gun in one hand while you are using the other hand to either push limbs out of the way, or to put on the ground as you are sliding down a pile of shale down the mountain trying not to die. :)

[Scot Cardillo]

sliding down a pile of shale down the mountain trying not to die. :)

Okay, I'm convinced..gotta' start taking trips north and get into some Grouse next season

:rotf:

[Dean Romig]

Well, Tom left a few things out... Like the blackberry vines that will shred your skin, the grapevines that will 'clothesline' you, the old deserted beaver bogs that will swallow you whole, the webs of little dead branches in the black spruce thickets that try to poke your eyes out and fall down inside the back of your shirt, the surprise snow squalls that create 'white-out' conditions... the list goes on and on - so a short, light gun is the right gun for grouse hunting.





.

[Bill Murphy]

I don't remember ever thinking I was going to die, while pheasant hunting. On the other hand, I have vivid memories of thinking I was going to die while grouse hunting, and wondering whether I would ever be found by my companions. I would still rather be "out there" than anywhere else.

[Gary Laudermilch]

Believe me I have hunted it all. By far the worst cover to be in is a huge multiflora rose patch. You have not grouse hunted real tough cover until you try a rose thicket. The only thing that comes close is the greenbrier of West Virginia. Steep sidehill? Why do you think my one leg is shorter than the other.

I can one hand my repro 20 easily but then it has a pistol grip, not a straight grip. Another difference of opinion. I guess it depends on whether you want to worry about carrying a gun or shooting it often enough to shoot well with it. I'll take the latter.

[Richard Skeuse]

Good catch Rich!

The barrels (26" Q1 & Q2) and the BTFE are from Kathy's Repro but the back half (straight grip and bouble triggers) is mine. The rest of my Repro 28 is splinter forend and 26" barrels IC/MOD. Kathy's back half is double triggers and a pistol grip. It is fantastic to be able to swap parts around on these two great repros.

Mine with the straight grip and Kathy's with the pistol grip.





. Dean that is one beautiful gun. Enjoy!

[Rich Anderson]

Grouse hunting is not for the faint of heart. Scott and anyone else here is welcome to come enjoy October with me in the Upper peninsula of Michigan chasing the King of the Uplands. This is fairly open cover but you can hardly see Daisy. If I remember correctly the bird got away...as usual.

[Gary Laudermilch]

For those of you that are not fully aware of ruffed grouse biology, here is a little known but often demonstrated fact. When a grouse flushes their eyes become disconnected so that one eye looks forward and the other looks backward. The rear focused eye is what enables them to put the only tree or bush on the landscape between you and them.

I certainly hope you know I'm joking but if you have hunted them I am sure you have had similar thoughts.

[Scot Cardillo]

I am always struck by the kindness amongst folks that love good double guns and good bird dogs, what a kind gesture Rich.

Leaves are not even on the trees yet and somehow the colors of fall beckon.

Signs of Spring sure beats a stick in the eye though :)

[George M. Purtill]

Grouse hunting is not for the faint of heart. Scott and anyone else here is welcome to come enjoy October with me in the Upper peninsula of Michigan chasing the King of the Uplands. This is fairly open cover but you can hardly see Daisy. If I remember correctly the bird got away...as usual.

That is nice cover Rich. In Connecticut we used to have "cover". Now we have McMansions.

[Scot Cardillo]

Sorry in advance for the long winded post..

Admittedly, I have never hunted Ruffed Grouse as I have been addicted to the “Western” world of bird dogs and upland hunting since first exposure.

Pastures, prairies, farmland, the vast wide open - that sort of thing.

I could easily become addicted to hunting the devil bird out west, very easily.

This is a frustrating thing living on the east coast & I do my fair share of daydreaming now that Quail are practically non-existent. Woodcock are a blast during migration but it's short lived and spotty at best.

Oddly enough the notion of “sliding down shale mountains and trying not to die” is appealing as the most gratifying hunts are quite often the most brutal and hard earned as well, a fact not lost on me.

Tom's descript of “Chukar hunting with trees” perked my ears right on up & Gary's tales along with other comments have me in a bit of a fervor.

Age has taught me that the weight of the game bag is of little importance but c’mon..some success every now and again is nice.

Walking along logging roads for easy pickings is not my style.

I’ve read about and have watched several videos that highlight a certain behavior in Ruffed Grouse which demonstrates that they sometimes bond themselves to a human all friendly and whatnot.

Have even read about RG that will tag along w/a fella’ walking through the woods & that it’s not uncommon for them to make a daily appearance to see what the goings ons are around peoples homes etc.

Say little ol’ Ralph the Ruff tags along and just really wants to be part of the gang - what am I supposed to do? Give poor little Ralph both barrels and blast him into kingdom come??

I mean,” Oh..hi Ralph” ~ BAM..dammit..BAM!!

..so long little Ralph the Ruff who just wants to be all social and whatnot

Is it just me?

Something tells me Ralph would become my pal - Kansas (my dog) does not agree at all..am I a fraud and do I need to turn in my man card?

Poor Ralph

[Dean Romig]

Ruffed Grouse that want to befriend people really need to be removed from the gene pool or before long whole regions are affected by the dilemma of hunters feeling bad or guilty about even toting a Parker into their habitat. . . . :corn:


(where's that 'tongue-in-cheek' emoticon?)






.

[Daniel Carter]

Remind's me of a grouse about 30 years ago that would come to call. Took a state trooper to see him. When i called '' come here bird'' he reached to his belt and unsnapped his cuff's.Called again and he edged over closer to me,just then the grouse could be seen walking rapidly toward us. He strutted around the cruiser pecked the hub caps and acted like we were suspicious characters. My life long hunting partner said he was getting ready to take me for 30 days observation in the mental hospital before the bird appeared.

[Gary Laudermilch]

It is all a ploy to get you to go hunting them and then they get their revenge.

[Daniel Carter]

Got sidetracked. Spoke to a biologist friend about that bird and before i could finish the story he told me it was a male probably in spring and it was a show of dominance in his territory.Happens year round but during the fall is usually fatal.

[Rich Anderson]

Ralph the Ruff will be all friendly and nice until October comes around then he'll lead your dog and therefore you on a merry chase through brambles, dense popple stands and thorn scrub before the dog has a chance to point him. Then just as you think you know which direction he'll flush he goes the other way laughing his ruff off.

Every Grouse is a trophy. Come to the U.P. and I'll show you :)