Straight Grip Premium

[John Nagel]

Hi guys I was wondering if there is any general consensus on a dollar amount or percentage premium on straight grip repros vs pistol grip?

[Dean Romig]

A straight grip has always been my preference but in a Repro a straight grip will usually mean higher DAC and DAH.
There certainly were fewer made with straight grips but there are also fewer people who want one. But I will say if there were two 28 gauge Repros side by side and everything was equal with the exception that one was a pistol grip and one was straight but the straight grip was $300 more I’d still buy the straight grip.






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[Bill Murphy]

All my Repros are straight grip, but some day I may own a pistol grip.

[allen newell]

Mine are straight grip. very satisfied with them. would buy more

[Gary Laudermilch]

All of mine are pistol grip. When I view a for sale listing of a repro the first thing I look at is the stock configuration. If it is an straight grip I skip right on buy. To each his own.

[Brett Souder]

I have used both and sold the straight grip. I have more control with one hand with a pistol grip in heavy cover when I need to use the other hand for dog GPS or move branches while hunting Grouse and Woodcock in Michigan.
- Brett

[CraigThompson]

It’s all in how you look at it ! I can do equally well or equally bad with either configuration .

[Greg Baehman]

***...snip...***
There certainly were fewer made with straight grips but there are also fewer people who want one. ***...snip...***
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I'm somewhat surprised you think fewer people want a straight grip Repro. I believe it's just the opposite, although I have nothing to base that on other than personal observations.

[John Nagel]

Last week a 20ga straight grip SST 26” UNFIRED repro sold on pook & pook auction for $5500. Would it be safe to assume a gun in the same configuration in unfored condition but pistol grip would fetch near that?

[allen newell]

Good question John

[Greg Baehman]

Auctions can sometimes be fickle and bring surprising results. If two, three or more potential buyers are bidding on the same item, emotions very often take over and the "winner" will often pay a premium to get what he wants -- some may say he came away the loser. If there's only a single bidder he can often walk away with an item under current market conditions -- some may say he walked away with the best-buy-of-the-auction.

IMO and generally speaking, that scenario you described John, yes a straight grip Repro would sell for more than a pistol grip gun. Having said this there's a couple that have posted in this thread that would probably disagree with that. The old lady often said as she kissed the cow's a$$, "To each their own taste."

As an aside, many years ago I visited New England Arms in Kittery Point, ME. Their salesman Steven McCarthy told me at that time that a Parker Bros. gun with an original straight grip would be priced at about $1000 more in their shop than one with a pistol grip, given similar condition and grade.

[allen newell]

Thank you Greg

[edgarspencer]

Last week a 20ga straight grip SST 26” UNFIRED repro sold on pook & pook auction for $5500. Would it be safe to assume a gun in the same configuration in unfored condition but pistol grip would fetch near that?

John, with commission it sold for $4530.

[John Nagel]

John, with commission it sold for $4530.

On my end is shows bid ending at $4664 plus 26% buyers premium.

[edgarspencer]

On my end is shows bid ending at $4664 plus 26% buyers premium.

It hammered at $3600 plus commission. Trust me. My buddy bought it.

[Jay Gardner]

I'm trying to understand why anyone would pay $4,350 for a 20 ga Repro when one could probably find a 20 ga VH in the same configuration for close to the same cost?

[Jay Gardner]

Interesting discussion. PG vs English/Straight has always seemed more personal preference that technical superiority, but that's a conversation for another thread.

Let's switch this up a bit: hypothetically, how much would the gun have sold for if it were a 28 in the same configuration?

[Bill Murphy]

Some day, I will buy a 20 gauge Repro, because I think they are great guns. However, in the meantime, I will buy 28s and 12s, which I think are HOT. I have enough, so I recommend my PGCA friends to buy the 28 and 12 gauge Repros.

[Bill Murphy]

I probably shoot smallbore pistol grip guns better than I do straight grip smallbores. However, the straight grip guns look so much better, and that is why they bring more money. 28 and .410 Parker skeet guns are very rare, but 28 and .410 skeet guns are off the charts rare with pistol grip stocks. I think the reason for this is that most 28 and .410 bore Parker skeet guns were meant for hunting birds, not clay targets. Bird hunters liked straight grip stocks because they look good.

[Jay Gardner]

Bird hunters liked straight grip stocks because they look good.

In addition to the cool factor, I have always been told my forehand should have most of the actual grip on the gun and should control gun movement/swing and the rear hand should only apply enough grip to keep the gun shouldered properly and to keep the trigger finger in contact with the trigger(s). IMHO PG's are fine for single trigger guns, but double trigger guns allow me to adjust grip to more smoothly reach the rear trigger.

[edgarspencer]

Bird hunters liked straight grip stocks because they look good.
I may be wrong, but I think even non-bird hunters would agree with you.
IMHO PG's are fine for single trigger guns, but double trigger guns allow me to adjust grip to more smoothly reach the rear trigger.

My two Meriden 28s are straight gripped, as is my 28 Repro. Additionally, they are all double trigger guns. This notwithstanding, I find with a PG gun, in the thick cover I hunt in, my grip hand is always where it needs to be when I have to bring the gun up quickly.

[Greg Baehman]

I'm trying to understand why anyone would pay $4,350 for a 20 ga Repro when one could probably find a 20 ga VH in the same configuration for close to the same cost?

David Trevallion, one of the more experienced and accomplished stock makers of our time wrote this: "Parker Reproduction guns are in every respect - equal to - or superior to the originals."

Maybe, just maybe, the above quote authored by Trevallion in the Jan/Feb 2019 issue of Shooting Sportsman Magazine may help you to understand.
http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=25908

[Dean Romig]

I’m primarily a bird hunter and shoot Skeet and other forms of clays games just to “stay in it” in the off season.
I prefer a straight grip because I find it faster and easier to handle a straight grip over a pistol grip. A heavier gun shooting a heavier load, for me, wants a pistol grip so I can better pull the gun back into my shoulder in order to mitigate the recoil





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[allen newell]

Dean, those are my sentiments exactly. I shoot skeet and trap just to stay in shape for the field. I always shoot low gun on skeet for this reason.

[Jay Gardner]

David Trevallion, one of the more experienced and accomplished stock makers of our time wrote this: "Parker Reproduction guns are in every respect - equal to - or superior to the originals."

Maybe, just maybe, the above quote authored by Trevallion in the Jan/Feb 2019 issue of Shooting Sportsman Magazine may help you to understand.
http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=25908

Yeah, I've read all that before and my previous comments and the ones that follow have nothing to do with the quality of the Repros. I'll also preface the following with an admission that I have never shot, let alone hunted, an actual Parker 28 ga, but I have hunted several original (real) Parkers in 16 and 20 as well as repros in 16, 20, and 28 and for whatever reason, repros just feel different to me and because repros don't have 100-years of wear, they don't look the same either.. I'm sure it's psychological, but they don't feel like real Parkers to me.

I can understand the desire to own a 28 repro, if for no other reason than they are a good value for a 28 ga and they will hold that value compared to guns from Spain, Italy, Turkey or Japan, but I can't see spending $4,500 on a 20 ga Repro when I can get a nice, original VH for the same (or less) money, especially a Repro with short barrels, single trigger, and a pg.

[Mills Morrison]

I am becoming a big fan of Prince of Wales grips. As for the original question, straight grips look better but most of my guns have pistol grips so I am more used to shooting pistol grips

[Jay Gardner]

Interesting discussion. PG vs English/Straight has always seemed more personal preference that technical superiority, but that's a conversation for another thread.

Let's switch this up a bit: hypothetically, how much would the gun have sold for if it were a 28 in the same configuration?

I apologize for taking this thread off track discussing SC vs PG. Back to the question I ask in my first post?

Thanks,

JDG

[edgarspencer]

Yeah, I've read all that before and my previous comments and the ones that follow have nothing to do with the quality of the Repros. I'll also preface the following with an admission that I have never shot, let alone hunted, an actual Parker 28 ga, but I have hunted several original (real) Parkers in 16 and 20 as well as repros in 16, 20, and 28 and for whatever reason, repros just feel different to me and because repros don't have 100-years of wear, they don't look the same either.. I'm sure it's psychological, but they don't feel like real Parkers to me.

I feel much the same and find myself wondering, walking with one of my 'old' guns, about the men who carried them before me. There isn't any question about the quality of Parker Reproductions, and I'm sure fifty or one hundred years from now, men will walk with those guns and feel much the same. Those guns will last, and my old guns will be that much older and may impart some of my joy to them as well. Feelings are very much psychological, and are as different as we all are. I take no offense at the intensity of lovers of Repros, though I often wonder, if they have the blessing to walk with an 'old' gun, if they don't also feel something special about them.

[Mike Koneski]

"Having said this there's a couple that have posted in this thread that would probably disagree with that. The old lady often said as she kissed the cow's a$$, "To each their own taste." "

Now I never heard that saying before. Made me laugh so hard I spit out my coffee!!

[allen newell]

I have both original Parkers and Repros. I grew up shooting here in New England my grandfathers 16 ga vh on grouse and woodcock. When I hunt with that old 16 (circa 1927), I often find myself reflecting on my grandfather and Dad hunting with it.
Having said all that, my Repros ,all 20 ga, are very special to me and fun to handle and shoot..My grandson s will probably re.ember their grandfather hunting with it as they take it to the field or range. What goes around, comes around. I should add that my Repros are straight grips. My original Parkers are all pistol grips. I do like the straight grips though.