8-gauge and Spiller's Parker articles

[Frank Srebro]

Those who take Sporting Classics will find (two) great reads in the current Autumn Guns & Hunting Issue. :bowdown:

First one is the article titled Eight is Enough by Worth Matthewson that covers history and lore of the 8-gauge and info on present day waterfowl hunting with one in Scotland. Second article of interest is Burt Spiller's Parker by Tom Keer that includes a 1-1/2 page picture of Morris holding Burt's VH 20.

Both articles are copyrighted; please don’t ask me for photocopies or scans if you’re not a subscriber to the SC mag or can't find this issue at a bookseller. :nono:

[Garry L Gordon]

I was pleased to see (and read) the articles. Great to see "The Old Reliable" featured.

[Dean Romig]

Burt's VH 20 sure has seen some publicity. It's a neat little gun that Morris was gracious enough to give me a few boxes of his special loads to shoot on the course at Pintail Point in 2008 or '09. I shot my best ever score at SC with that gun that day... I think that gun still had Burt's spirit in it.

I was at the auction at Cobbs in New Hampshire when Bill Tapply auctioned it... it was coming home with me!! I was certain of it, so much so that I had $8k in my pocket to buy a $2500 gun - maybe $3500 or $4k considering the provenance. Boy was I shocked when it hammered at something like $10,500

Austin Hogan wrote a nice article for Parker Pages for the issue following the auction.

Dave Suponski and I went to Spiller's grave site and toured some of his shooting grounds.

On the day we visited the grave site we learned of another higher grade Parker Burt owned and loved but was never written about and unfortunately the details of that gun may never come to light. I've been told there is a pending court case concerning rightful ownership of Burt's legacy and personal property.

Anyway...



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[Garry L Gordon]

Neat "stuff," Dean. Thanks for posting those photos.

[Brett Hoop]

Of stonewalls and abandoned orchards a turn of words that have taken so many along.

Dean
Thanks for those photos! A touchstone Parker if there ever was. I would have a hard time following the bell in your neck of the woods, I would be hoping to hear Mark!

[Craig Larter]

Which issue? I have September October and the stories are not in that issue? Thanks

[Frank Srebro]

Which issue? I have September October and the stories are not in that issue? Thanks

As posted, it's the current Autumn Guns & Hunting issue. It came in the mail yesterday. I assume all subscribers get it; on the other hand I've taken the SC mag for > 20 years now and maybe it's just sent to long term subscribers?

[CraigThompson]

Okay I assume the guy in the pictures with the cigar is Morris Baker ?

Is the guy in the picture in the red black plaid shirt William Tappley ?

I also "assume" the lady holding the bottle of champagne is your wife ?

[Dean Romig]

Right, Morris has the cigar.
The guy in the red/black plaid shirt is Austin Hogan, probably the best editor ever of Parker Pages.

And yes, that is my wife Kathy.



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[CraigThompson]

Right, Morris has the cigar.
The guy in the red/black plaid shirt is Austin Hogan, probably the best editor ever of Parker Pages.

And yes, that is my wife Kathy.

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Your wife shoots also ? I see she's wearing a shell pouch .

I've never been big about buying guns with big provenance basically from the fact I didn't want to pay the price .

I did when I was 16ish want to buy what was supposed to be one of the three Jack O'Conner Al Biesen 270's as it was for sale on Shotgun News back then for the unattainable(for me) sum of if memory serves of $1800 . That woulda been back about 75-77 I believe .

[Dean Romig]

Kathy would shoot with us just to be one of the gang. She’ll admit she wasn’t at all good at it. I bought Kathy a 28 gauge Repro DHE Skeet gun... 26” barrels choked Q1/Q2, BTFE, DT, PG, SSBP. I bought a used stock for it and had the oval engraved with her initials and I fitted a Jostam Hi-Gun pad to it after I shortened the stock 3/4”.

First pic. - Kathy nailed the bunny at Addieville.
next pic. - She missed a straightaway at Addieville.
Next pic. - Kathy and me at Addieville or HHHSC.

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[CraigThompson]

Kathy would shoot with us just to be one of the gang. She’ll admit she wasn’t at all good at it. I bought Kathy a 28 gauge Repro DHE Skeet gun... 26” barrels choked Q1/Q2, BTFE, DT, PG, SSBP. I bought a used stock for it and had the oval engraved with her initials and I fitted a Jostam Hi-Gun pad to it after I shortened the stock 3/4”.
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If I ever get the boss over here I’m going to take her to the club for skeet and maybe trap . If she endures/likes that I’ll let her try 5-stand and if that goes over well perhaps I’ll take her to Central VA Sporting Clays . We are in the process of buying some real estate in the Philippines and hopefully I’ll be able to get in a fifty yard rifle/pistol range and maybe a couple target throwers for clay birds . I’m just not up on how hard it’s going to be to get UNbroken birds there :banghead: And before you ask I have no intention of trying to take any of my American or European doubles there . Although it sure would be nice to have two of the VH 16’s there . We’ve got a Citori a used but unfired Upland Special 20 gauge I’ve been contemplating picking up for the boss . That would be an excellent gun to get over there because if it’s stolen or I can’t bring it back there’s no great sentimental attachment .

[Dean Romig]

Pics added to my above post.





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[Craig Larter]

I visited Morris yesterday with Louis Parker and Rick Simmonds. We got to handle the Spiller gun, very cool. Morris is the most passionate gun collector I have ever met, what he has accomplished is mind boggling.

[Dean Romig]

Craig, I agree with you about his passion - so apparently you have seen his extensive and dusty collection? A very amazing guy whom I would nominate as "Man of the Year".... any year - every year.





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[Craig Larter]

Dean: Yes we got the full tour----my head is still reeling :)
A truly amazing individual with the energy few can rival.

[Brett Hoop]

Craig, I agree with you about his passion - so apparently you have seen his extensive and dusty collection? A very amazing guy whom I would nominate as "Man of the Year".... any year - every year.





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Agree with all the above, and it's well outside the Parker line. Close to 15 years back I bought a Cooper 17ccm and was hunting brass when in conversation with Dan Cooper he told me all the brass is right there in PA. And that's when Morris first came to my aid. We all with the vintage bug are really fortunate to have his ear and his commitment.

[CraigThompson]

Agree with all the above, and it's well outside the Parker line. Close to 15 years back I bought a Cooper 17ccm and was hunting brass when in conversation with Dan Cooper he told me all the brass is right there in PA. And that's when Morris first came to my aid. We all with the vintage bug are really fortunate to have his ear and his commitment.

I’m not sure if it’s still there as I visited the place fifteen years ago , but there’s a gunshop on the right side of I-81 just before heading north into NY called “The Outdoorsman” if I remmember correctly . That guy had some quality rifles at the time Coopers , Cacades and Dakotas . But he also had a multitude of hard to find new “vintage” items . I visited him during my Marlin phase , I had a pair of model 1892/92 rifles in 32 cal . They could shoot both rim fire and centerfire if you swapped the firing pin . Anyway this fella had two hundred pieces of brand new late sixties manufactured 32 Long Colt brass still in the Remington boxes . Think I bought the four boxes for $20 . The stuff for my needs was almost priceless !

[Mark Riessen]

Just curious, can't be sure looking at the pictures, does Spillers gun have a single trigger ? Thanks for any feedback, Mark

[Brett Hoop]

Yes it is a single trigger.

[Larry Stauch]

That's great stuff Dean!