Anything on your 2020 Parker/shotgun shopping list?

[Craig Larter]

I had an over the top shopping spree in 2019. BUT I would be unable to turn away from a Parker BH 10ga or any Super Fox with condition. My holy grail gun is Fox 31736 a Super Fox engraved with ducks in C grade that remains undiscovered. How about you?

[Steve Huffman]

Im looking for a good honest PH 12 2 frame shooter at a fair price.

[Reggie Bishop]

My focus lately has been small bore straight stocked Parkers. I would like to turn a couple of nice high condition pistol grip small bores into straight grip guns and continue down that path, but I am easily pulled off course. Especially interested in higher grade 20s.

[Randy G Roberts]

An AH 32" target gun and a nice 32" hammer gun to shoot.

[scott kittredge]

I would lik to find a 32 in 20 ga on a 1 frame with a str. Grip stock. Choked tight and tight. Dont mind a fixer uper. Any one have one ??
Scott

[Mills Morrison]

2018 and 2019 were good years. 2019 had a theme which was small bores. Would like to add some A, B and C grades and some Remington guns. Still need a half frame

[Rich Anderson]

This is a sad, sad thing for me to admit to but I crave nothing really. I don't shoot most of what I have now:eek: I'd like to do some more hunting maybe in Texas for Aoudad, Axis Deer and Blackbuck Antelope. A trophy Mule deer is a quest also. A Kansas whitetail hunt is a dream as well.

2020 starts off well with a four day quail hunt in Georgia. Maybe a sign of the year ahead:)

[Jay Gardner]

I’ll play: 20 ga. V-grade, 28” barrels, straight stock In honest condition that I can hunt with.

[Mills Morrison]

Thinking about making 2020 the year for rifles. I want some pre 64 model 70s. I want a 375 h&h. My son Harry and I have gotten the urge for big game hunting

[Steve Huffman]

Thinking about making 2020 the year for rifles. I want some pre 64 model 70s. I want a 375 h&h. My son Harry and I have gotten the urge for big game hunting

Friend of mine bought a 375 H&H in a Ruger NO 1 shot it once took it back said it liked to stop his heart , He was a small man !!!

[Mike Franzen]

I would like to find a 16 gauge, O frame, straight stock, BTFE, single trigger with 28 or 30” bbls. And a Bogdan fly reel.

[CraigThompson]

Friend of mine bought a 375 H&H in a Ruger NO 1 shot it once took it back said it liked to stop his heart , He was a small man !!!

I have 1H’s in 375 H&H as well as 416 REM Mag they’re not so bad even from the bench . But I shoot a lot of rifles from the bench .

[CraigThompson]

Hmmmm of course it goes without saying I’d like to have EH/GH 10’s with factory original 24 and 26 inch barrels but I’m not holding my breath . I suppose the one I’m going to make a concerted effort for this year is a VH or GH 16 on a 0 or 1 frame with factory original 30” choked atleast full and full . And on a kinda side note a VH/VHE 20 gauge factory original 26” along the lines of IC/M .

[Rich Anderson]

Mills the pre 64 M 70's are the Parker of rifles. A solid choice when looking for a classic long gun. I have a 375 H&H and have a reduced load for it that turns it into a great deer rifle.

[Mills Morrison]

Rich, that is what I have heard. Several have escaped me recently and then I spent all the money on a ton of other cool stuff

[CraigThompson]

Thinking about making 2020 the year for rifles. I want some pre 64 model 70s. I want a 375 h&h. My son Harry and I have gotten the urge for big game hunting

If I was of the urge to do the African thing I believe a trio of Pre 64 70’s just might be the ticket ! A 264 Win Mag(26”) a 300 Win Mag and a 375 H&H Mag . And actually I could most likely eliminate the 300 . I had a circa 1960 Model 70 in 264 Win Mag I kinda wish I had back .

[Rich Anderson]

Craig I've had them all with the exception of the 300 Win. I have a Super Grade in 300 H&H that I'd take over the 300 Win mag any day of the week.

[CraigThompson]

Mills the pre 64 M 70's are the Parker of rifles. A solid choice when looking for a classic long gun. I have a 375 H&H and have a reduced load for it that turns it into a great deer rifle.

I’ve plunked a few deer with a pair of 375 H&H’s over the years . All using the no longer available Nosler 260 BT . But I never reduced the loads , nothing wrong with reducing but I just never tried it . Below are a pair of 8’s I got one morning with my Ruger #1H 375 H&H in about thirty seconds .

[CraigThompson]

Craig I've had them all with the exception of the 300 Win. I have a Super Grade in 300 H&H that I'd take over the 300 Win mag any day of the week.

The 300 H&H is one of the few cartridges I’ve never messed with . Always wanted to be it Pre 64 Model 70 , Ruger #1 or what have you . Just never seemed to luck upon one at the appropriate time .

[Mike Franzen]

A buddy I used to work with back in the 1979’s, one day showed up at my house with mod 70 375 HH. Said he had just bought it and couldn’t wait to try it out. He pulled out a cartridge and handed it to me and I thought holy sh€¥!! We set a tin can up about 50 yards out in the field. Neither of us had hearing protection, safety glasses or other non-essentials. He brought the rifle up and nestled it against his T-shirt. He took careful aim and squeezed the trigger. The massive blast momentarily stunned us. He reeled backwards 3 or 4 steps. Handing me the rifle he said you try it. I told him to go to hell. He never shot the gun again and shortly thereafter traded it away.

[Brett Hoop]

Mills
The Queen of the medium’s is very easy to learn to shoot well. Much of dealing with recoil is mental. Pre - 64s in 375 H&H can be very good, but much like Parker’s, a bunch of them have been messed with so you want to Vet them like you would any other. I would suggest you seek a later higher stocked Monte Carlo style if you plan to use with a scope. The early versions had too much drop for comfortable scope use. In a true big game/ dangerous game rifle form follows function- meaning in this case flawless feeding from the magazine. While many Pre-64 model 70 do meet this need. Don’t assume they all do, with all ammunition.

If you’d like a 375 on a Model 70 to try and see if you enjoy it let me know. It can be arranged. The big mistake made with these calibers that have some recoil, is to sit down on a bench with a scoped rifle and start trying to deal with it. A much better start is to shoot off sticks or a standing bench using open sights. We aren’t trying to shoot groups but just hit a target and function the bolt. Starting off correctly makes all the difference in the world.

[allen newell]

Set of 12 ga frame 2 , 26 inch barrels

[Mills Morrison]

Thanks Brett!

[Mark Ray]

small bore hammer gun

[Bill Murphy]

I seem to remember buying both of my .375 H&H rifles in the same year, just because they appeared on the horizon close together. My favorite is an original London Rigby ordered by a good friend and shooting buddy who had an illustrious career that included duty as CIA Station Chief in Kabul during the Russian difficulty. He sold it to me shortly before his health declined and not long before his death. I have pictures of him standing over a Gaur, holding the Rigby, and also have his written request for a tiger hunt when he was stationed in New Delhi. Unfortunately, tiger hunting was off the map at that time, even for spooks and diplomats. All factory correspondence is intact and very detailed and interesting.

[Jay Oliver]

I had a good year of collecting and really should spend money this year fixing/restoring some of the Parkers and other guns I bought in 2019. However...

I would like to continue to go after some early Parkers, so a good condition back action would be nice find in 2020. I passed on a real nice back action a few years ago with a serial# in the 100s and I may start the year off by trying to pursue it again(if it is still available).

I am also so enamored with my early Remington Whitmore 10 gauge that I feel I need to get one in a 12(another early one with non-rebounding locks that are reset by opening the action).

A 16 top action hammer gun would be nice and fill a missing spot in my collection.

Lastly, maybe a DH or CH 12 gauge with a straight stock and composite barrels.

That's not asking too much...right?

[Stan Hillis]

....The big mistake made with these calibers that have some recoil, is to sit down on a bench with a scoped rifle and start trying to deal with it. A much better start is to shoot off sticks or a standing bench using open sights. We aren’t trying to shoot groups but just hit a target and function the bolt. Starting off correctly makes all the difference in the world.

Amen. Offhand rifle shooting allows one to rock with the recoil. Bench shooting does not, unless allowances are made. My 10 year old son used to shoot my Ruger #3 .45-70 with 300 gr. Rem HPs at a pretty speedy velocity, off the bench, with no flinching or discomfort whatsoever. I would seat him so the the recoil would move him around a bit on the stool. He loved it, and subsequently killed his first, and many other, deer with it. It went down the road for a new #1 .45-70. I have loaded it with 500 grainers at only 300 fps less than a .458 Winchester Magnum, per the RCBS loading manual. Fun to shoot, and big medicine for hogs and whitetails.

SRH

[Craig Budgeon]

At this point in life, I won't know I want it until I see it and I still may pass.

[Garry L Gordon]

I hope to find the one I can't live without. Not sure what that might be until I see it...and hold it. It will probably be a turn of the
Century-ish Parker (I like the era's engraving) with Damascus (or Bernard) barrels, light in weight, with a straight/splinter/two triggers, high dimensions configuration (and open chokes). Who knows, I may just find it.

[CraigThompson]

The big mistake made with these calibers that have some recoil, is to sit down on a bench with a scoped rifle and start trying to deal with it. A much better start is to shoot off sticks or a standing bench using open sights. We aren’t trying to shoot groups but just hit a target and function the bolt. Starting off correctly makes all the difference in the world.

Quite frankly I AM trying to shoot groups and I generally shoot pretty damn good groups with the bigger boys . The 375 H&H is fine from the bench , the 416 Rigby and Rem Mag are okay with a break after two or three 3 shot groups . I will say however I had a Ruger 1H in 458 Win Mag that thumped pretty well , but still shot some decent groups with it when I was working up a load . The 505 Gibbs I thought was going to punish me but in reality it wasn’t as bad as the 458 or so I thought . The guy that owns CH-4D and I had a pretty decent discussion on shooting double rifles and he was an advocate of the standing bench , personally I’ve never cared for a standing bench but to each his own .

[CraigThompson]

A buddy I used to work with back in the 1979’s, one day showed up at my house with mod 70 375 HH. Said he had just bought it and couldn’t wait to try it out. He pulled out a cartridge and handed it to me and I thought holy sh€¥!! We set a tin can up about 50 yards out in the field. Neither of us had hearing protection, safety glasses or other non-essentials. He brought the rifle up and nestled it against his T-shirt. He took careful aim and squeezed the trigger. The massive blast momentarily stunned us. He reeled backwards 3 or 4 steps. Handing me the rifle he said you try it. I told him to go to hell. He never shot the gun again and shortly thereafter traded it away.

Back in the mid to late 80’s Remington brought out the 416 Rem Mag and of course it intrested me . So six or so months after it had appeared in the gun rags a very slightly used Remington 700 Safari turned up at Clark Brothers in Warrenton VA and it just so happened my skeet shooting two man team partner and I were on the way to FAirfax R&G To shoot a couple rounds of skeet and then on to the old Betetta Gun Club that’s now the Prince George’s Shooting Center to shoot two more rounds . Anyway the 416 was in the better used rack behind the counter with a sign that said FIRED TWICE two boxes ammo missing two included. Turns out some over paid doctor or attorney from the NOVA DC area decided he needed it for an upcoming safari , so they called the Remington Custom Shop and got it for him along with a box of solids and a box of lead tips . Guy paid for the gun carried it around back to shoot it . Put up his target at I assume 50 yards shooting iron sights and let fly . He laid the gun down with very wide eyes not believing what just happened . Then drank a soda walked around a bit and decided to shoot again . After the second shot he picked up the two boxes of ammo and the gun with the bolt still closed on the empty case holding it by the barrel close to the muzzle end and walked back in the shop handed them the gun and told them to sell the damn thing . When I saw it they were asking around $800 I think if memory serves . I often regret not buying that gun .?

[Brett Hoop]

Quite frankly I AM trying to shoot groups and I generally shoot pretty damn good groups with the bigger boys . The 375 H&H is fine from the bench , the 416 Rigby and Rem Mag are okay with a break after two or three 3 shot groups . I will say however I had a Ruger 1H in 458 Win Mag that thumped pretty well , but still shot some decent groups with it when I was working up a load . The 505 Gibbs I thought was going to punish me but in reality it wasn’t as bad as the 458 or so I thought . The guy that owns CH-4D and I had a pretty decent discussion on shooting double rifles and he was an advocate of the standing bench , personally I’ve never cared for a standing bench but to each his own .

I was referring to someone that has little or no experience with medium or large bore rifles and is wanting to provide themselves with a good introduction.
And at this first introduction the seated bench is not your friend. Later once you have realized you can squeeze the trigger and not be altered, you can move to the bench and evaluate the rifles accuracy potential and learn all about eye relief and it's importance.
Your friend at CH-4D is absolutely correct when it comes to the use of a standing bench for double rifle regulation and load development. Getting two pipes to shoot to the same point and not cross can be great fun.

[Mills Morrison]

I need a 1911 45 too.

[Gary Laudermilch]

I shot a 460 Weatherby once. Never again. That damn thing would give you a concussion.

[George Davis]

Three guns are on my wish list:
1. Browning Citori 725 28 gauge 32 inch barrels grade III or higher.
2. GH Parker 16 gauge with 30 inch barrels for complete make over and restocked to my dimensions.
3. Parker GH 12 gauge with 32 inch barrels.

[charlie cleveland]

on my list would be a 8 ga hammerless parker with 4 1/4 inch chambers 36 inch barrels and weigh in at 12 lbs....and my other gun would be a 4 gauge double holland and holland maker and 4 1/2 inch chambers to shoot ball or shot...weigh in at 16 lb....charlie

[Bill Murphy]

Charlie, most 36" eight gauge Parkers weigh more than you specify.

[Brett Hoop]

I have been thinking on this and like Gary I will know it when I see it. But most of all, I want for my friends who missed last year to be healthy and able this year.

[allen newell]

Any clean, all original 20 ga Parker in shooting condition

[Stan Hillis]

At this point in life, I won't know I want it until I see it and I still may pass.

The more i've thought about Craig's post the more sense it makes. Thinking back, none of my favorite guns are guns I went after, trying to find. All of them were offered to me by friends, either close by, or long distant internet friends, or i just happened upon them.

Reminds me of an old saying that....."You'll back over more good luck than you'll ever run down".

Fun, ain't it?

SRH

[Dave Noreen]

I think I want some 20-gauge Skeet Guns -- Fox-Sterlingworth Skeet & Upland Game Gun, Remington Model 31 (1941 version), Winchester Model 21, etc.

But, as above we'll see what actually strikes my fancy.

[charlie cleveland]

bill i want that 8 ga light to were i cantote it better....charlie

[Robert Brooks]

28 gauge GHE with 28 inch bbls 00 frame if they ever sell it.

[George Lang]

I have collected and acquired all kinds and makes of rifles and shotguns and all kinds of hunting and fishing memorabilia my entire life but now I am at the point in time where its time to let most of them go. Way to much stuff to leave to my sons and grandkids, just some that have true meaning to me or them. I would like to keep a few riles, shotguns and handguns that I actually use and use the hell out of them till I no longer can. But if I had to have one more I would like it to be a Joseph Lang Best 12 gauge sidelock.

[Mills Morrison]

My new official goal is stuff I don't already have. Higher grades, later steel barreled Parkers, Remington Parkers. We shall see. The small bore goal in 2019 was a success

[allen newell]

12 ga, frame 2, 26 inch titanic or Vulcan barrels. uncut

[Steve Cambria]

That 34" SC (choked .045) that ran away from me at Julia's back in 2012.
Come back to me Little Sheba.....:banghead:

[Alfred Greeson]

Thinking on the big rifles, was in Green Top in Richmond and overheard two guys discussing a 375. Went over and one guy was a marine who had served with a friend of mine before going to Africa and becoming a PH. He said the 375 and larger were good but it is all in how you stand and hold them.
I asked him about that movie shot where the guy stands and shoots the charging lion. He said that won't happen, only in the movies. He said unless you aim low, the lion will run under the shot and you may only wound him in the back if you're lucky. He said the experienced shooter will drop to one knee and kill him coming straight on.
So, Mills when you get that 375, make sure you drop to one knee before shooting that lion.

[Rich Anderson]

The 375 H&H is a very versatile cartridge. I have developed a reduced load that turns it into a great deer rifle.

[allen newell]

I took 2 scoped model 70's to Africa. One in 30-06 and the other was in 375 H&H mag. That 375 caliber dropped everything i aimed it at. Recoil was stronger than i had expected.

[charlie cleveland]

is the recoil on a 375 worse than the 12 ga 3 1/2 inch magnum duck loads...charlie

[Rich Anderson]

No not in my opinion. I'd rather shoot my big guns the 375, 416, 450-400 NE and 500 BPE than a 3 1/2 inch 12ga:eek:

[Ken Hill]

is the recoil on a 375 worse than the 12 ga 3 1/2 inch magnum duck loads...charlie

You may be interested in this table https://chuckhawks.com/compared_rifle_shotgun_recoil.html.

Ken

[Ed Norman]

I have a grandson that is 7 years old, he is showing an interest in hunting. My daughter and I are taking him to a sportsman banquet in a couple of weeks. It is at a church and they have a food drive, you get a free raffle ticket for a shotgun for every can of food you bring in. He has contacted everybody he knows to bring extra cans in so he can get more raffle tickets. They give away 5 youth guns on friday night and 5 more on saturday night. My daughter said he is very excited about all this. If anyone has a single shot .410 or 20 gauge in decent condition that they want to sell, I would have an interest. I will post something in the wanted section too.

[charlie cleveland]

thanks ken for the info on the rifle versus shotgun very interesting...i figure this info is pretty correct...i have fired many heavy loads in shotguns i agree on the weight factor...the hardest kicking shotgun i ever shot was a new england 3 1/2 inch single barrel 12 ga...this gun will get you to flinching in a short while... i guess a 338 winchester magnum is the biggest and kickingest rifle i ever shot...i forgot one of those old spanish 10 ga s kicked like a mule too but the new england 12 ga gun was the worst recoil in guns i have...charlie

[Richard Flanders]

G grade or higher 26" open choked single trigger 20ga. Damascus bbls preferred.

[todd allen]

is the recoil on a 375 worse than the 12 ga 3 1/2 inch magnum duck loads...charlie
In my experience, you don't feel recoil when shooting a big game animal as much as you would shooting a bird.
That said. Sighting in a .375 on a bench is not for the feint of heart.

[allen newell]

Thats right Todd. When sighting in my new 375 model 70 for my So. Africa safari hunt, the recoil was brutal. Far less noticeable when shooting game.