What mistakes have you made buying Parkers?

[Andrew Sacco]

I searched for titles related to "mistakes" and "mistakes made" and didn't find much. This is prompted by a recent thread which I found instructive as many of them are. I have 4 Parkers including a repro. I guess I could say my biggest mistake so far is buying a 26" VHE 12g choked M/F. It doesn't handle all that great and I've been bitten by the 16 bug anyways. The 12 is in decent
and mostly original condition from what I can tell, and at my price point I don't think I'll have much downside if any at all. I usually specialize in losing money on guns. I hope to avoid a big mistake in the future as I feel another purchase coming on. So far I feel blessed that folks here helped me avoid the big loser.

Anyone care to share a mistake they've made for purely educational purposes? Of course : )

[Rick Losey]

i bought the first one

[Joseph Sheerin]

Not made a mistake on a Parker.....

Did make a minor mistake on an Ithaca 16ga, but it all worked out really well, when someone traded me a very nice Browning Citori 12ga Super Lightning for it. I came out well ahead at that point. The Ithaca was my first sxs pickup, and although the gun was mechanically fine, I paid too much for it. Luckily, someone traded me something that was worth more than I had paid for it originally.

[Jeff Kuss]

I can't remember them all.

[Andrew Sacco]

i bought the first one

Now that is funny as hell Rick

[Gary Laudermilch]

A long time ago, probably 35+ years now I was in a phase where I was convinced the answer to the ideal grouse gun was light weight. I purchased a GH 20 with 26" barrels primarily because it weighed only 6 pounds. It was a miserable gun to shoot for many reasons and was about as far from an ideal grouse gun as I could get. It went down the road after 1 season. Still believing that light was the answer I put out a pile of money for a Purdey 20 thinking that surely anything that costs that much must be good. That Purdey turned out to be one of the worst I ever had. Fortunately, both were sold for more that I paid for them so my lessons were not expensive, just time consuming. Eventually I got somewhat smarter.

[Dean Romig]

I've made 2 1/2 mistakes on Parkers -

The first was on the first Damascus gun I had ever bought, a GHE sixteen gauge on the 0-frame. It had 26" barrels that I learned after I took delivery that they had been cut from 28" but that didn't bother me too much because I bought it for close work. The worst thing about it was that some kid had got ahold of it and tried to make a POW grip with no cap out of a capped pistol grip. What a butcher job! it had a very nice DHBP and real pretty grain in the stock but it was "butt ugly" and Tony cut me a deal on it,,, yeah right...
But it was the first SXS I ever killed a grouse with and it kept on killing grouse and woodcock until I retired it ten years ago or more. By the way, I sent it to Oscar Gaddy and he measured the chambers and barrels and pronounced it safe to shoot with low pressure shells.

The second mistake was a beautifully refinished GH 12 gauge with 30" Damascus barrels on the 1-frame. It was a gorgeous gun but I didn't realize it but I believe the barrels had been honed. I shot it to try to qualify for Team Parker back in '06 or '07 and almost made the team with a score of 18 smashing some clays just before they hit the ground out about 50 yards. Problem with that gun was it came off face too soon and I figured somebody had tightened it up somehow but the fix wore out prematurely. I learned the barrels were thin by the way the right tube flattened along its length when I fell with it on my brick walkway when I got home from my trap/Skeet club. My grandson had left a toy on the walkway and in the dim light I didn't see it and went down but I sure didn't think it was hard enough to do that to the barrel.

My 1/2 mistake was on a 16 gauge, lightened 0-frame Grade 1 hammer gun I bought at Hausmann's about eleven or twelve years ago. Turns out it was the only one made in this configuration. It had Laminated Steel barrels with a length of 26" and it was a pretty little thing. Problem was that I didn't notice the ring bulges (of only .007") at both cones. The seller wouldn't take it back but gave me $2,000 off the price, I wrote about this gun in Parker Pages "Shot To Destruction." I had Brad repair it and he blessed it with "It's fine to shoot to your heart's content." and I still have it and have killed a lot of birds with it.





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[Chuck Bishop]

My mistake didn't involve a Parker but a Westley Richards SBT. I learned a big lesson. When I bought my first Parker from Ken Waite iii at Pintail Point, I had Dewey Vicknair and Craig Libhart check it out before purchasing. I try not to make emotional and snap decisions thinking you know more than you do. Knowledge is power.

[Robert Brooks]

I bought a 20 ga DHE way back with 26 inch barrels that i learned had been cut 4 inches! Bobby

[Paul Ehlers]

My number 1 Parker misfire was a big one, but it wasn't the guns fault. I bought a sweet little VHE-20 ST vent rib gun off Gunbroker from a seller in Maine. "Dean Knows the gun" After I had the gun in my possession for a least six months a cop showed up at my door asking about the gun. He told me it had been reported stolen & had the paperwork from the Maine court system showing he was to take possession of the gun and send it back to Maine. The last I saw of the gun was the cop walking down my driveway with it & putting it in the trunk of his cruiser.

The pawnshop seller in Maine said he checked if the gun was stolen before he listed it on GB and basically said it look's like you have a fight on your hands, it not my problem now and refused to refund any money on it. I did get named as a restitution person from the criminal case involving the thief for what ever that was good for. Bottom line is I lost close to $5000.00 on that deal!! I do have a Eastern insurance policy on my collection, but they deigned my claim due to the clause about not being covered for government confiscation.

This one still stings to this day!!

[Andrew Sacco]

Paul.. OUCH!

[Steve Cambria]

Paying J-LOEW in Bitcoin.........:whistle:

[John Davis]

I don't worry too much about the past mistakes I've made. I learned valuable lessons from each of those. It's the future mistakes that I dread.

[Reggie Bishop]

Well I sold a couple I should have kept and bought a couple of should of left alone. Why do I do that?!

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Still frett about the VH 20 with 30" barrels Jerry Andrews wanted to sell me back in the late 1980's--I thought 26" were what I needed for grouse, so I passed on it. Now I prefer 30".
Harold , you dumb ass!

[Rich Anderson]

I didn't press a friend on a graded 20 with 32 and 28 inch barrels. He lived out of state and wouldn't ship it and there was a minor trigger issue he wanted fixed first. I told him I could get it fixed and it didn't concern me but it was his gun so I left the issue alone. I tried to meet up with him on the way to the Southern one year but it didn't work out. He later died and I couldn't connect with the family.
I have to much money in a high condition CHE 16 with 30 inch barrels.

[Bill Murphy]

I have three sawed off Parkers and love all three. The price was right. BH 10, 18", DHE 12, 26", DHE 16, 24", all great condition, all working well.

[Andrew Sacco]

My biggest challenge is in my head figuring out what something is worth. Not good enough yet to know what grades fetch what and why, without digging out books and charts and doing some serious research. Usually by then the gun is gone. Most of the ones I keep going back to and consider remain there which tells me I must have no flipping idea what I'm doing because nobody else is buying them either.

[Ken Waite III]

One mistake I've made is NOT BUYING great Parkers I thought were priced too high...just to see them skyrocket in price a few years later!

[Craig Larter]

I have made my share of mistakes until I bought a wall thickness gauge, bore mic, and order a Parker letter or Fox factory card before taking my wallet out. Judging condition only comes from years of looking at guns and purchasing a couple of bench mark guns. I question collectors that say they have never lost money on a gun. The only way to accomplish that in my opinion is don't buy your first one LOL!

[Andrew Sacco]

I have made my share of mistakes until I bought a wall thickness gauge, bore mic, and order a Parker letter or Fox factory card before taking my wallet out. Judging condition only comes from years of looking at guns and purchasing a couple of bench mark guns. I question collectors that say they have never lost money on a gun. The only way to accomplish that in my opinion is don't buy your first one LOL!

Man, how I would love to be shown how to use these tools properly. I have a drop in choke gauge, chamber gauge and the gun measuring tool from Robert Louis I picked up used.

[Garry L Gordon]

I have never made a mistake acquiring a Parker.:eek: (So, Andy, I've got a couple to sell if you are interested.):rotf:


(OK, in case the humor was missed in that statement, I should mention that my middle name is "Mistake.")


(OK, to further my case, I have every double gun I ever purchased.:crying::banghead: So what does that make me? Again, middle name -- Mistake.)

But, I'm content with what's in my gun safes.

[Andrew Sacco]

I appreciate the "offer" Garry : ) I'm now sitting on a real nice condition 12g LC Smith with 28" barrels that I thought I "stole." I can't sell it! I'll donate it to the RGS or fundraiser for the NRA and at least feel good about it. Probably the best use I can make of it. I keep wondering what to get next and I don't really need anything more to use but somehow I think I'm going to lose that battle. Overall I'm blessed to have what I have.

[Mike Koneski]

Not a Parker mistake, but early on I would buy any double that was priced right. Gauge and configuration didn't matter neither did maker. Shot them all and sold them all. Got my money back from all but one. Even that one I only lost out on about $150. So, specialize in what you want to buy. Me, Parker and Lefever. I pass on Eurotrash!! :)

[Rich Anderson]

The wisdom of Daryl Corona comes to mind here. You don't pay to much but you might pay it to soon. Meaning sooner or later you will realize the value of your past purchase.

[todd allen]

The biggest Parker mistake I ever made was NOT buying one. At a pigeon shoot somewhere in a super secret not to be named place. A gun dealer offered me a 32" DHE 28 gauge (out of an estate sale) for $3500.00
I figured I didn't really need a 28 gauge, so passed.
My buddy and I still lament that one to this day.

[Garry L Gordon]

The biggest Parker mistake I ever made was NOT buying one. At a pigeon shoot somewhere in a super secret not to be named place. A gun dealer offered me a 32" DHE 28 gauge (out of an estate sale) for $3500.00
I figured I didn't really need a 28 gauge, so passed.
My buddy and I still lament that one to this day.

I will say again, in gun collecting (and life in general), regret may be the strongest felt emotion. It's certainly one of the longest felt emotions. Todd, that one must truly haunt you.

[Reggie Bishop]

The biggest Parker mistake I ever made was NOT buying one. At a pigeon shoot somewhere in a super secret not to be named place. A gun dealer offered me a 32" DHE 28 gauge (out of an estate sale) for $3500.00
I figured I didn't really need a 28 gauge, so passed.
My buddy and I still lament that one to this day.

I am speechless.

[Bill Murphy]

"Not buy" or sell to make a few bucks is the most common mistake. Examples in my case are selling a #2 frame 32" factory 3" because I felt that no VH 20 is ever going to be worth $1000. Another potential mistake would have been not buying a wonderful little VH 28 because it was a nice restock with a blued receiver. $2600 sounded like a lot money at the time, but the gun has perfect barrels with all correct bore and choke dimensions. It is also a lightly used seventh 28 gauge made by Parker Brothers. There are thousands of examples of collectors not buying a gun because it is overpriced TODAY. The market price of a class of guns is not the most important factor to consider. Even more important is that the particular variation, not just a class of guns, will disappear from the market because they are all bought up. Then they disappear into collections for decades. In my opinion, long barrel smallbores, even 16s, and Super Foxes are a class of guns that will disappear in the next few years, to be injected into collections for years. Overpaying for such guns today is just something you have to do if you want to own one. If you want to own an AHE trap, and one comes on the market, you have to buy it, even if overpriced. WHY? Because the next time you see it or one like it, it will be in a luxury auction and it will sell for $30000, way more than the first time you saw one. OK, that's my story and my advice.

[Garry L Gordon]

"Not buy" or sell to make a few bucks is the most common mistake. Examples in my case are selling a #2 frame 32" factory 3" because I felt that no VH 20 is ever going to be worth $1000. Another potential mistake would have been not buying a wonderful little VH 28 because it was a nice restock with a blued receiver. $2600 sounded like a lot money at the time, but the gun has perfect barrels with all correct bore and choke dimensions. It is also a lightly used seventh 28 gauge made by Parker Brothers. There are thousands of examples of collectors not buying a gun because it is overpriced TODAY. The market price of a class of guns is not the most important factor to consider. Even more important is that the particular variation, not just a class of guns, will disappear from the market because they are all bought up. Then they disappear into collections for decades. In my opinion, long barrel smallbores, even 16s, and Super Foxes are a class of guns that will disappear in the next few years, to be injected into collections for years. Overpaying for such guns today is just something you have to do if you want to own one. If you want to own an AHE trap, and one comes on the market, you have to buy it, even if overpriced. WHY? Because the next time you see it or one like it, it will be in a luxury auction and it will sell for $30000, way more than the first time you saw one. OK, that's my story and my advice.

Bill, I think there is a great deal of wisdom in what you wrote. Let me ask you (and others), though, since it seems that many of us are, how shall I say, more experienced in life (OK, older), don't you foresee that those guns that are being bought into collections to be held, might not be held for so long and might then become available to younger collectors? Then, there is the seemingly diminishing pool of potential collectors that is often cited in discussions among today's collectors.

Just curious how you or some others might respond.

[Richard Flanders]

Mistakes?? Plenty, generally by paying more than I could ever get out of them even now. Recently I sold one for $200 - a #1 frame 30" twist PH12 w/pristine bores - that I had shortly before paid over 3x that for..... didn't look at it closely enough when I bought it and wanted the new owner to have room to fix it without suffering. Then there was the choke opening fiasco of a gorgeous SG 26" Remington era VH12 with a gorgeous blonde stock that resulted in the barrels being so thin you can take dents out of the muzzles with stick.... that one really hurt. Only way to really fix it is to chop it to 24". There's not enough metal for choke tubes of any kiind. Ouch!! I killed 54 birds in one day at a preserve with that gun on one trip. My all time daily record by far.

[Rich Anderson]

Unfortunately the younger group of shooters are more orientated to modern guns. If you shoot sporting clays at the local club you will see semi autos and pumps not sxs. Also the younger shooter for the most part doesn't have the disposable income for a say VH/VHE 20 thats $3000 or more, they are raising their families and working just as we did at that stage of our lives.

[Bruce Hering]

Unfortunately the younger group of shooters are more orientated to modern guns. If you shoot sporting clays at the local club you will see semi autos and pumps not sxs. Also the younger shooter for the most part doesn't have the disposable income for a say VH/VHE 20 thats $3000 or more, they are raising their families and working just as we did at that stage of our lives.

This is certainly the truth. In retirement I have more disposable goof around income then I had less then 20 years ago and I am 73 now. Good planning on my part. I managed to "sneak in" a few good ones even then but it was hair razing. Course they were not collectable Parkers et al.

I must say this exact topic of loosing young shooters after they get out of college and off college teams is a real thing. They are out on their own in many cases and as such need to budget $$$ for repayment of school loans, everyday living expenses and for some the onset of a family. Sure there are some who are silver spooned or even manage tp retain some sort of sponsorship but those are few and far between. So from the numbers we looked at back about 8-10 years ago we will not see those shooters again until they are in their 30's having established themselves with enough disposable income and time from family to allow such endeavors.

Just a comment from an old coach.

[Andrew Sacco]

To answer Garry, yes I do I believe I see collections being put back out into the market place for young guys like me (56 is damn young...) and I'm starting this endeavor later in life. With kids in college and some years to retirement, I look for sound usable guns that I can hopefully sell later without a problem. I just can't afford a $10-15K 16g gun to slog around the woods in, and can't justify hanging on for an investment, unless I'm pretty darn sure it's going to go up (this part of the game I have never figured out...). About young kids not having disposable incomes, well, these kids also shoot $2600 Benelli Super Sports and have Polaris Rangers and snowmobiles that cost a LOT of money. They just don't have the knowledge yet. You can only hope that once they clear puberty and grow up and get a few gray hairs they'll come around. I shot my very used 16g VH at skeet last week. There were nothing but sporting guns, and nice ones at that, all around me. But I could hear over and over "He's shooting a 100 year old Parker...that's a Parker.." So that was pretty cool (until they saw my shooting). Do you know that every single one of those guys was FLOORED when I told them it cost less than the vast majority of the guns on the rack. The best thing you can do is educate them I guess. I let anyone shoot it who wanted to, and some of these guys shooting for years never handled one. There is a wow factor. I think if I weren't married my Parkers could be an effective chick magnet, almost as good as a puppy.

[John Allen]

My biggest mistake of the many I have made was selling a 28ga. AHE that I had picked up in the early 90s for $10K. I sold it for $15K and have been kicking myself ever since.

[Chris Robenalt]

Interesting topic. No regrets, but I think my mistake was buying every Parker I could afford on my blue collar income. I may have an assortment of maybe 11 or 12 Parkers. I could probably be happy with just the two 20s. Both straight stocked VHs, maybe 1904 - 06. One is a beautiful early Delgrego restoration. The other well used, but tight. I'm probably sitting about the same with my many Foxes. I've also many early Ithacas, Smiths, Lefevers, and a couple other makes. I've too many to enjoy. Throw in my two Fox 20s with the Parker 20s, and I'd be content. Someday I'll get down to maybe 10 total. It's easy to learn from our mistakes, even harder to let go of some of them......
Chris, AZ

[Patrick Lien]

I think if I weren't married my Parkers could be an effective chick magnet, almost as good as a puppy.


Why don't someone put that on a patch to sell......:)

PML

[Andrew Sacco]

Why don't someone put that on a patch to sell......:)

PML

I think that Destry dude could do it. "Who Needs a Puppy When You Got a Parker?"

[todd allen]

I will say again, in gun collecting (and life in general), regret may be the strongest felt emotion. It's certainly one of the longest felt emotions. Todd, that one must truly haunt you.
Yes, that one haunts me. Even though it was close to 25 years ago, I should have bought that one. Funny thing is, if it were a 20 gauge, I would have been on it like a duck on a june bug. A 32" 20 gauge would have been a find.
My old friend, and PGCA member Chuck, was there and handled the gun as well, so I have someone to share the shame with.
BTW, I picked up a sweet little 0 Frame 16 hammer gun at the same shoot. 200 bucks.

[Garhart Stephenson]

The only Parker mistake I ever made was trying to buy a GH 16 ga. from Griffin & Howe last year. Barrels measured well below safe minimums. I was the second member here to buy and then send that exact gun back (found out when I posted about the gun here).

I ended up getting soaked for the shipping and insurance both ways, even though I brought it to their attention that they knew full and well it had been returned by the other gentleman and they insisted on passing it off on me anyway.

I know G&H has a gunsmithing department with the tools to measure that barrel set. Not sure what happened to the gun after I returned it. Hopefully they fit another set of barrels to it to render it safe and useable.

This deal soured me on G & H. I skip right past their listings on GI every time. I won't even consider purchasing from them after this ordeal. I however, am not soured on Parkers. I love my EH 10 a good deal and enjoyed taking my last 20 Canada geese with old damascus lady this past season.

[Daryl Corona]

Looking back more years than I care to remember the only mistake I could admit to was buying too many 12 ga. and not enough smallbores especially in AH Fox. Of course that means 20 ga guns as I don't consider 16 ga a smallbore but I have a few of them also.

[Brian Dudley]

I regret letting a few guns that I have owned go. But, you cannot keep them all. You just hope that another one just as memorable is around the corner.

[edgarspencer]

My neck is killing me from looking around corners.

Of the many I've made, my biggest regret, was not a regret at the time I sold my dad's 28" BHE20 to pay for my daughter's Master's degree. It became a regret, when she quit meteorology and got her captains license and now runs a boat in the Gulf. When she was home at Christmas, she said she wishes she had done it sooner. So do I.

[Robert Brooks]

I passed on a BHE 16 gauge skeet gun with vent rib back in the 60s in near mint condition and 0 frame for $1750!!! If it had been a 20 or smaller gauge it would have been mine. Bobby

[Terry Hobson]

Not buying Clark Gables Parker back in the '80's I believe. Often while watching Turner Classic Movies my wife will say "I wish you would have bought Clark Gable's Parker". I would had to have taken out a loan at the time but should have. It would be worth more today and the idea of it is neat.

[Dean Romig]

Was it Carol Lombard who inherited Gable's or did she have one of her own?





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[George Davis]

"paralysis by analysis" is been an issue with me for years, hence losing multiple fine firearms to other shooters and collectors.

[Terry Hobson]

[QUOTE=Dean Romig;327091]Was it Carol Lombard who inherited Gable's or did she have one of her own?
Lombard predeceased Gable. She died in airplane crash returning from war bond drive. Supposedly she was the one who purchased it for him though. The way I remember it Dave Riffle in Florida had it advertised, CHE 20 about $10-12K.

[Dean Romig]

When was it advertised at that price? A bit too cheaply by today’s evaluation standards, don’t ya think?





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[Harold Lee Pickens]

Was in Clark Gable's home town this morning, Cadiz, Ohio.

[John Dallas]

Dave Riffle! That's a name from the past. Just looked at his website. Appears to not have been updated since 2019. His business was only 15 minutes away from our rental in FL. Years ago, tried to contact him about coming over to see his wares, and he couldn't have been more rude

[Reggie Bishop]

Dave Riffle! That's a name from the past. Just looked at his website. Appears to not have been updated since 2019. His business was only 15 minutes away from our rental in FL. Years ago, tried to contact him about coming over to see his wares, and he couldn't have been more rude

Gun dealers baffle me. I contacted two dealers this week about guns they have listed on their website. One was using their "for more information form". No response. No "we will get back to you". Nothing. The other dealer I communicated with via email several times about a particular Parker and actually made an offer. Nothing. No further responses. No "thanks but no thanks". Nothing. I really don't know how half of them stay in business.

[Andrew Sacco]

Gun dealers baffle me. I contacted two dealers this week about guns they have listed on their website. One was using their "for more information form". No response. No "we will get back to you". Nothing. The other dealer I communicated with via email several times about a particular Parker and actually made an offer. Nothing. No further responses. No "thanks but no thanks". Nothing. I really don't know how half of them stay in business.

Oh God, I have had the perpetual ignoration (is that a word?) of my requests. Two highly touted dealers that have been recommended on this forum. But I keep looking at their websites and salivating...

[Patrick Lien]

Dave Riffle! That's a name from the past. Just looked at his website. Appears to not have been updated since 2019. His business was only 15 minutes away from our rental in FL. Years ago, tried to contact him about coming over to see his wares, and he couldn't have been more rude

Oh, yes he could. You just have to engage him more than once......

PML

[John Dallas]

Could be more rude? Scary

[Bruce P Bruner]

Old Johnny Mustard and I were were walking by one of Dave's tables at a Denver show and there was a real strong odor coming from one of the tables. I went closer to investigate. His display exhibited some "New in the box" Winchester Model 70's. I casually told Dave that he really should let the ink dry on those "Winchester" boxes before he sells them. He came unglued and told us to "Move along" and more.

[Andrew Sacco]

Old Johnny Mustard and I were were walking by one of Dave's tables at a Denver show and there was a real strong odor coming from one of the tables. I went closer to investigate. His display exhibited some "New in the box" Winchester Model 70's. I casually told Dave that he really should let the ink dry on those "Winchester" boxes before he sells them. He came unglued and told us to "Move along" and more.

I don't get this at all and who that is : ( But I'm sure with time I will. I emailed one dealer more than a half dozen times off their website and no response. Called, no return call. Finally got a semi humanoid to pick up on a 16g I was really interested in. Total asshole. Sorry, he just was. I have a feeling I'll end up buying most stuff off folks from this site. Just a gut feeling and that's OK.

[Mike Poindexter]

My mistakes have mostly been buying low condition guns needing work, having the work done, and getting upside down on the cost. My best deals have been buying nice guns from dealers that were seriously underpriced, which happens once every so often but not a lot. Its usually the other way around and I run like a scalded cat. Best advice I ever heard was "You make money on a gun when you buy, not when you sell," and "Cash is King." But I'm a shooter not a collector.

[CraigThompson]

The word I got on Riffle a number of years ago was that the ATF guys got him for something and in later years his FFL as he may have called it was in actuality in his wife’s name . Bottom line the word from my friends that were or are Winchester collectors was to stay away from him .

[CraigThompson]

There’s another dealer I’ve been watching for about two years that has a shotgun I’d like to have . Their initial pictures did nothing to show even the problems they chose to disclose . So I called them and mentioned the pictures or rather lack of any showing detail . They were quite nice about taking more and posting them after a few days . Then I called back and discussed the gun , in the discussion I mentioned I’d had my eye on the gun for awhile and based on that wanted to make an offer , I was informed that the gun was a consignment and they did not entertain offers on anything PERIOD .

[CraigThompson]

We sell a bunch of stuff on the net and from storefront of which a LARGE percentage are consignment pieces . If someone makes an offer I consider fair or if the consignor is motivated I’ll make them the offer . If however the sellers set in stone or the offer is stupid low I don’t bother plain and simple . Until you’ve done this for awhile you have no idea the amount of stupid offers or questions you’re asked .

[Mike Franzen]

My biggest mistake so far was getting into a bidding war over a Parker during an online auction. I seriously regret winning that war.

[John Davis]

I've been giving this some more thought and the mistakes I've made include but are not limited to:

1) Paid way too much.
2) Sold for way too little.
3) Sold guns I should never have parted with.
4) Bought guns I should have run away from.
5) Poured way more money into restorations than any reasonable person would dream of.

[Andrew Sacco]

I have only paid twice to have guns restored. One, a Browning Gr III Citori that I doubled my money on as I got it CHEAP. Another a Browning A5 given to me by a cousin that for personal reasons I wanted done. Arts Gun Shop charged me $800 and even though it's not worth much more than that, there's a family history and it won't be sold so that makes it worth it. I have vowed going into Parkers I will NEVER pay to have one restored. Wish me luck on that one.

[Rich Anderson]

The only Parker that I.ve had any real work done to is gunner's gun. I took a VH 20 and had it fully customized with his portrait engraved on the floorplate. Made it into a straight stock. To much money but the sentiment is priceless to me. We hunt together through his gun every fall. He was my little buddy and the best companion I could have hoped for.

[edgarspencer]

I've been giving this some more thought and the mistakes I've made include but are not limited to:

1) Paid way too much.
2) Sold for way too little.
3) Sold guns I should never have parted with.
4) Bought guns I should have run away from.
5) Poured way more money into restorations than any reasonable person would dream of.

I have to believe that if everyone of us gave it much thought, our list would be pretty darn close to this one.

[CraigThompson]

I have to believe that if everyone of us gave it much thought, our list would be pretty darn close to this one.

I don't think I've paid way way to much for any as a couple of my friends say I'm way to cheap for that :rotf::rotf::rotf:

[John Dallas]

Not a Parker, and not sure if it is the best or worst deal I've made. I really like my CSMC RBL, so when CSMC came out with a round body O/U I bought the Inverness for about $2800. After about 200 shells thru it, I realized that the gun didn't speak to me, so I got ready to send it down the road. In the mean time, Tony decided that it wasn't a $3800 gun, but was about an $8,000 gun. Sold mine for about $5,000. Thanks Tony

[John Davis]

Wish all my mistakes turned out like that.

[Bill Murphy]

The first edition CSMC is about the best over under my lovely wife ever bought. She will never part with it. What a great gun it is.

[Michael Moffa]

My biggest Parker mistake was buying the first one. I've also got an RBL 28 and an Inverness 20. The Inverness is extremely well made. I think Tony lost money on the early sales. He did engrave "Valedictorian" on the top of the barrels as the gun was a graduation present for my Pretty Daughter.

[Bill Murphy]

The Lovely Linda's CSMC over under is an Inverness. Again, the best over under she ever owned.

[Mark Vollinger]

Bought a gun from Ed. What fun.

[Bruce Hering]

I have been reading this thread and ..... Well, I have made a few (yea right) mistakes. The earliest one was back in 1968 when I did not buy a Model 42 Skeet gun with all the bells and whistles for $500.00. Go figure. Still in college and money was to say the least tight.

Since then there have been others including buying a graded LC with 32" barrels that I guess were honed to damn near hitting air.... Finally got it sold to a guy that had extra barrels but lost my shirt and under ware on the deal.

Now, all I want are shooters but nice ones. I am careful to the 10th degree. If an add seems to be hiding something I call and ask all the questions. If the folks on the other end seem even a bit sketchy I am gone. Sure I guess I could lose some but what the hell... My money.

As to selling dealers on line. I have had good luck with phone calls and asking questions from several of them. Just today I questioned a gun and wanted MWT and weight on a gun. The gentlemen on the other end said he would call me back within the hour and he did. I will likely buy this gun. I will dicker with him but the gun is exactly what I am looking for so there will be some give and take I suspect.

Some are good and know their stuff while there are still a few not so good. What gripes me the most is on GI where some will make their picture just a bit out of focus or subdued light. That always makes me think they are trying to hide something.

JMHO

[Andrew Sacco]

Bruce I loved your response. I just bought a Browning 20g Citori Skeet 28". Just enough "fuzz" in the photos to make it tough, but I wanted the gun. I paid $1400. I may have over paid by a few hundred but who knows. The gun was DIRTY and chambers corroded. I asked LOP, drops, and if the chokes could be removed with a key. His response was NOTHING to measurements and "I can't take the gun apart and touch the chokes, it's consignment, sold as is...I'm not allowed to even touch it." I won it, it will be fine when I'm done with it with new Carlson choke tubes and Timberluxe, but I gave him a mediocre review and also mentioned the repaired fore end crack repair he apparently "missed". He emailed me appalled that I posted that review and I told him why. He responded "I usually don't deal in shotguns.." To which I replied, "Then F*!^&^# don't deal in shotguns from now on...." I'm not the most knowledgeable but this was yet another lesson for me. BTW it's awesome to shoot : )

[Patrick Lien]

I have followed this thread for a few weeks now wondering if there were others like me and waiting for their stories. I have now come to the conclusion that I am alone. So here is my story.

30 years ago I started buying Parkers as my father had let me shoot his Parkers in my youth. As I found the financial means later in life I wanted some Parkers of my own and started looking for my own guns. Looking back on it, I now realize that my first 10 years of Parker buying mistakes was that I followed the “William Murphy school of Parker acquisition”. This method proved fruitful and gave me varying degrees of gun volume, fun and satisfaction along with some later deep regret. After my first decade of following the “Murphy principle” I had 30 parkers in various states disrepair and 5 or 6 fully working guns that I could shoot when I was not pursuing more orphans or parts to fix the parts guns and pigs that I had already purchased knowing I could fix them with parts found later. This life long trek of buying, searching, and re-uniting actions, barrels, stocks, and forends with their missing parts to make a gun complete is THE MURPHY MISSION and I had subscribed hook, line, and Sinker. I figured that If Murphy could do then so could I.

Halfway through my second decade of gun buying joy I realized that I was being duped(It only took 10+ years). While my functioning guns had increased, I WAS STILL LOOKING AT THE WRONG GUNS TO COLLECT AND SHOOT. I finally discovered that the “Murphy school” was just a sham to get new gun buyers to dig the world for bottom feeders, parts, and parts guns and report to “father Bill” what they found (hopefully with a scan of the factory letter and some good clear photos so that he might use their parts to complete his own 900+ project guns.

That was my #1 mistake in gun buying. I still have the 30 project guns from the decade of my youth following the “Murphy rules”. I am confident that “Father Murphy” has the other half of each of these guns that I own so I refrain from posting any photos or serial # information until he can produce a photo of the other half.…….:)

PML

P.S. Some parts of this story are VERY accurate and some are just busting on Bill Murphy for NOT posting pictures of his guns (project or otherwise). All, are meant in jest! So, if you take offence at my funning on Murphy…… TFB ��:bigbye:
CHEERS

[Dean Romig]

Great story PML!!

But I fear you haven’t succeeded in shaming Bro Murphy into posting any of it.





.

[Russ Jackson]

The biggest Parker Mistake I ever made was not figuring out how to afford one and then not taking the sellers name and contact info. ! I was walking the aisles at the Pennsylvania Gun Collectors Gun Show years ago when it was still in Monroeville Pa. when I glance a few aisles across and see a Fellow carrying a Parker as if he's trying to peddle it ! So ,I yelled across to him and we met at the end of the aisle and to my shock he had a CHE 28 Gauge with 32" barrels !!!!!!!:eek: The first thing out of his mouth was something like this if you don't have 25 Grand , a 67 Corvette or an acre of property in the mountains don't even bother looking at it ! At that time ,I couldn't have come up with 25 G's without a second mortage on my Place , the 67 Vette was totally out but I did have some property but after listening to this guys BS for an hour I decided I didn't want him living anywhere near me :rotf: ! Today , it would be quietly resting in my Safe !

[Garry L Gordon]

Today , it would be quietly resting in my Safe !

Russ, this is assuming you didn't use it to shoot your neighbor, yes?:rotf:

Sometimes it's a big mistake just to start talking to a guy like you describe.

[Daryl Corona]

The biggest mistake I made is not buying all the smallbore (20 & 28) Parkers I ran into back in the 70's and 80's when I had the chance. :banghead:

[Bruce Hering]

Bruce I loved your response. I just bought a Browning 20g Citori Skeet 28". Just enough "fuzz" in the photos to make it tough, but I wanted the gun. I paid $1400. I may have over paid by a few hundred but who knows. The gun was DIRTY and chambers corroded. I asked LOP, drops, and if the chokes could be removed with a key. His response was NOTHING to measurements and "I can't take the gun apart and touch the chokes, it's consignment, sold as is...I'm not allowed to even touch it." I won it, it will be fine when I'm done with it with new Carlson choke tubes and Timberluxe, but I gave him a mediocre review and also mentioned the repaired fore end crack repair he apparently "missed". He emailed me appalled that I posted that review and I told him why. He responded "I usually don't deal in shotguns.." To which I replied, "Then F*!^&^# don't deal in shotguns from now on...." I'm not the most knowledgeable but this was yet another lesson for me. BTW it's awesome to shoot : )

Andy: I dont think there is any thing that gets to me more then bad pics then when they say its a consignment gun. At that point I really ask some questions including trying to get the owners contact info. If that is not forthcoming I move on. I have seen shops tell someone that the gun is a consignment when I know it isn't. Just so they can wiggle the price.

[Dylan Rhodes]

I think in my limited years collecting and acquiring various vintage SXS of America makers my biggest mistake is making a fuss to myself over the price. Now, granted I am not venturing into the very high price range here yet, but as I was hunting this last fall and my mind was wondering I began to ask myself how much money I have spent on guns in my life. After a solid 1/2 mile worth of thinking and not paying attention to the dog and missing flushes, I came to the conclusion I haven’t a clue. Then I started thinking if there were any I did not get enjoyment out of, which I couldn’t name one. It was at that moment that I decided the price of what I want is irrelevant, so long as its in reason. I still try to verify things to make sure I don’t get burned by an extreme amount- and it hasn’t happened yet. But I have passed on some nice guns because i felt they were 2 or 300 overpriced. Never again.

[Andrew Sacco]

Dylan great post. I just saw a 28 Repro on GI from Orvis for $9200. Either I'm missing something or that's unreasonable to me. A few of Greg's guns look vastly overpriced to me, but they're not if someone buys them I suppose. Back in 1995-96 I built a duck boat from the ground up, got a motor, new decoys, trailer, needed a truck of course, new duck gun, had some professional training done on my dog, new clothing...etc. I calculated that at the end of the hunting season I had spent nearly $9500 per pound of duck meat when all was said and done. But I built the boat with my father, who is now ill, and the price in hindsight means absolutely nothing. Money can be replaced but we wish to avoid stupid mistakes.

[CraigThompson]

I just saw a 28 Repro on GI from Orvis for $9200. Either I'm missing something or that's unreasonable to me.

If it’s a DHE yeah that’s oughtta line but if it’s a BHE or A1 most likely not oughtta line .

[Bill Murphy]

It is apparently a DHE and is definitely out of line.

[Paul Ehlers]

Dylan great post. I just saw a 28 Repro on GI from Orvis for $9200. Either I'm missing something or that's unreasonable to me. A few of Greg's guns look vastly overpriced to me, but they're not if someone buys them I suppose. Back in 1995-96 I built a duck boat from the ground up, got a motor, new decoys, trailer, needed a truck of course, new duck gun, had some professional training done on my dog, new clothing...etc. I calculated that at the end of the hunting season I had spent nearly $9500 per pound of duck meat when all was said and done. But I built the boat with my father, who is now ill, and the price in hindsight means absolutely nothing. Money can be replaced but we wish to avoid stupid mistakes.

I suspect most of us have been down this road. New trucks & the accessories to go with them, Dogs, their training plus everything that goes with them including vet bills & in my case a Jones six hole dog trailer to pull behind the truck. The Cabela's & other store bills to outfit yourself. The travel costs for all the wonderful hunting adventures. Then comes the justification mental game about the guns we know we just have.

After all those expenses. I'm always dismayed when the discussion with a hunting buddy devolves into why would I want to shoot a $10.00+ box of ammunition when you can buy shells at Walmart for half that amount back in the good old days when you actually find some to buy. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to explain that the ammo is the cheapest part of my addiction!

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Well their are two times in my life of Parker collecting, that cost me a large and I mean a large amount of money, both of these occurred at auctions by phone bid. One was a grade 3 twenty gauge hammer gun, being very rare and desirable I would not relinquish, I still have that wonderful gun, but I could have bought a car with what it cost! The second was a AA Hammer gun same scenario, I love both guns, and what the heck you do not run up on these guns hardly ever I am proud to be their keeper! Gary