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MarcusCarey
11-23-2024, 05:54 AM
Greetings from Steepleview Farm in Kentucky. My name is Marc. I'm 71 y.o. and have been a hunter since I was 8. I was intrigued by the men who hunted the railroad tracks above Ludlow Kentucky that I met when they laid out their rabbits to clean on newspapers in my great uncles back yard, next to my grandma's house. The men, in fedoras, their brown duck jackets, tobacco pipes, and the dozens of rabbits over which they told the stories of this hunt and other ones, captured my attention.

My father apparently hunted some years before I was born but abandoned it when, as he tells the story, he was pelted with shot coming from some other hunters up a hill from where he was walking. Said he quit that day and never went back. His old hunting coat hung in the basement. It was hard from drying out, a heavy, large waxed canvas game coat was all that I needed to inspire me to hunt.

I was able to roll the sleeves up and get my little arms to hang out a bit. I had a BB gun, Red Ryder type, and began squirreling away my lunch money to buy paper tubes of BB's at the local drug store. I fantasized about hunting and put the tubes into the shell holders in the pockets and set out every chance I got to walk the woods and fields around our little post war 900 sq ft house. I absolutely belonged outdoors. I loved it.

When I was 16 a friend in school one day mentioned that he was going squirrel hunting after school each day. I prodded him to take me. I had no shotgun so I borrowed one from and uncle. We went, I got a squirrel and was hooked. From that day on, I saved to buy a shotgun, a 12 ga. Stevens from my shop teacher. It was my go to gun until I was in my 30's. I used it to hunt rabbit, quail, squirrel and ran slugs through it to deer hunt.

I've owned many guns over the years and always admired Parkers. I have a friend who still uses his dad's 12ga Parker on our annual Thanksgiving morning rabbit hunt on my farm here in the North Central part of America's first frontier.

I've just acquired my first Parker and look forward to using it this Thanksgiving. It's a 16 ga. with 28" barrels stamped as type 1, VH class made in 1928 I believe. I haven't fired it yet but thanks to the advice of many on here, I think I will test it today after deer hunting with my grandsons.

Glad to be a part of this forum and appreciate all the advice and help I've gotten so far. Happy and safe hunting friends.

Arthur Shaffer
11-23-2024, 06:10 AM
Welcome! You live in a true natural part of the state with many outdoor opportunities but within easy driving distance of major metropolitan areas.

Dean H Hanson
11-23-2024, 06:49 AM
Marc, A wonderful start into the world of Parkers. You'll find a 1 frame 16 quite versatile and effective on small game and upland birds. Good luck on those rabbits and welcome!

Garry L Gordon
11-23-2024, 07:18 AM
Marc, welcome! I enjoyed reading your introduction, and I'm sure it resonated with many of our members -- it certainly did with me.

I'd advise getting someone with some knowledge to look your Parker over carefully. They are well built guns that, as John Cameron Swayze would say, just keep on ticking. Over the years it's possible things were done to your gun, such as honing the barrels to take out rust pits. Things like this can make the guns unsafe to shoot. Also, the wood on your gun is old, and it could be sensitive to the effects of modern shells which are often of higher pressures than what your gun was designed to shoot.

Consider membership in the Association. It's a great investment. Also consider attending our annual meeting in late April. You will find many folks who came to Parkers in ways similar to your own. I'd certainly look forward to meeting you and hearing more of your stories of hunting in your part of Kentucky.

Enjoy that special gun.

keavin nelson
11-23-2024, 10:59 AM
The 1 frame 16 ga. guns are very sweet to carry, I know from experience. It books with 28" barrels, so that will tell you if they may have been cut. I would check the chokes to see if original, likely M/F. From the few pictures it does look in reasonable shape for a gun of it's age. Great 1st Parker!

Mike Franzen
11-26-2024, 08:03 PM
Hi Marc, thank you for becoming a member. I live in Northern Kentucky near Alexandria. That’s a great gun you’ve got. Let us know how it shoots.