Plenty of Parkers

[Stephen Hodges]

I took a ride yesterday from the Granite State to our good neighbors to the Northeast, the State Of Maine. Of course my destinations were LL Beans in Freeport, and Cabela’s in Scarborough. In about an hour and forty five minutes I was at my first stop, LL Beans. I don’t visit Beans as much as I used to before they “modernized” the store by tearing down the old, square, creaky floor original building and replacing it with the new, “modern” store. I suppose it caters to the “yuppie” generation better. But I digress. For a small used firearms area I found quite a few vintage doubles, to include two nice shooter Parker VH’s, both 12 gauge. One on a #2 frame and another on a #1 ½ frame. Both priced around $1700 or so. They also had a decent DHE in 12 gauge for about $3450 which was on a #2 frame. The other double that struck my eye was an AYA #2 in 28 gauge. Pretty sweet gun. Oh, and a Parker Reproduction in 20 gauge with a PG stock for about $3400. Case coloring was about gone on this one.
Then lunch and off to Cabela’s. I was very surprised to fine several Parkers in the Gun Library. Three VH’s, 12 gauges with two sets of barrels. One has a set of 28” and another set of 24”, both serialized to the gun. I was told the 24” barrels were added to snipe hunt with. A nice shooter 12 VHE with 28”, choked ic/mod, and a DHE 20 gauge with two sets of Damascus barrels. This gun is in pretty nice shape. The nicest one is a VH in 28 gauge, but it has 3”s of drop. The price on that one is about $11,500. But I came close to walking away with a WW Greener 16 gauge. This gun has very nice wood, with sleeved 27” barrels choked SK/SK. At 6 Lbs even it points very will and could be carried all day. $1650 I think. The only thing that held me back was the darn safety on the side. I don’s think I could get used to that. All in all a great day with some nice gun to look at and handle. If anyone is interested in more information on a particular gun just pm me and I may be able to give you more. John, I am sorry that I did not get all the way “down” to KTP, but I usually visit at least once a month anyway:bigbye:

[Dave Noreen]

What no report on the Kittery Trading Post? Ah for the days of going out to Jim Austin's lovely cherry panelled old barn at Kittery Point!!

[Stephen Hodges]

No, I didn't have the time to get "down" there! But as you know, it's ALWAYS a great stop......................:bowdown:

[Dean Romig]

Steve, where did you stop for lunch?

A few weeks ago Kathy and I stopped for lunch at the Cape Neddick Lobster Pound and were very pleasantly surprised at the fare there. Prices reflect those of a nice seafood restaurant on the Maine coast but it was well worth the side trip and we were one of only four couples in the place. Right on the Cape Neddick River with flocks of mallards and blacks swimming and flying right by the big panoramic windows.

I've handled the DHE 20 at Cabela's - a very nice Parker indeed.

I surely miss Jim Austin's place too. I was only there twice but spent some quality time with some of his fine SXS guns.

[Bill Murphy]

I haven't seen Jim in several years. I assume he is still buying and selling.

[Dean Romig]

I think Jim is "off the radar" so to speak.

[Stephen Hodges]

I had lunch at Jameson Tavern which is righ next to Beans. Been there a long time and has great burgers in the bar:bowdown: I have also eaten at the Cape Neddick Lobster Pound, it does have fine food and a great view. In the summer though the best place for lobster and steamers is the Ogunquit Lobster Pound on Route #1 in, of course, Ogunquit. You pick your lobster out of the outdoor tank, along with a bag of clams, get seated either indoors or outside and enjoy your favorite libation while everything cooks. When the lobsters come to the table they are split in half for "easy pickens":cool:

[Pete Lester]

Ayuh, the jokes about Ogunquit that come to mind..... :rotf:

[Stephen Hodges]

:eek:Ok Pete, this is a family show:rotf:

[edgarspencer]

Must be cabin fever time. We took a ride up to Kittery, and pre-arranged with friends in Union ME to meet us. The trading post has the same Parkers they had last September; I went to pick up a pre-1898 Winchester. Unless you haven't eaten in days, there is no proper eating place on Rt 1, in Kittery. 5 minutes into Portsmouth and you have your choice of dozens. We chose Jumpin Jay's Fish Cafe, at the top of Congress across from the public parking lot. Then back to KTP to see if the NICS paperwork ever went thru. Seriously, can't they hire some people?

[Dean Romig]

The gun room at KTP can get pretty busy at times. Was Mr. Dunkle in attendance when you were at KTP?

I've spent a bit of time at the Weathervane enjoying raw cherrystones and oysters washed down with a splash of JD but "unless you haven't eaten in days" can't bring myself to ever set foot in the dining rooms again. :eek:

[edgarspencer]

The gun room at KTP can get pretty busy at times. Was Mr. Dunkle in attendance when you were at KTP?I have to plead ignorance (any 1st year law student could win that case) and am embarassed to say, I don't know John by sight.

I've spent a bit of time at the Weathervane enjoying raw cherrystones and oysters washed down with a splash of JD but "unless you haven't eaten in days" can't bring myself to ever set foot in the dining rooms again. :eek:Funny you should mention that; Our friends from Union have precisely the same opinion of the Weathervane dining room. Something akin to a backwoods colonic.
Having spent a few minutes on the bench with yesterday's KTP purchase, Kittery may not be a regular stop on my trips north anymore. To say I'm disgusted may be a bit mild.

[Pete Lester]

The trading post has the same Parkers they had last September

Did someone mention John Dunkle works there? :)

[Dean Romig]

Having spent a few minutes on the bench with yesterday's KTP purchase, Kittery may not be a regular stop on my trips north anymore. To say I'm disgusted may be a bit mild.


I stop at KTP about once a month and that's not enough... I've missed a lot of good Parkers by not being there at the "right time" but I've never had a bad experience there... all have been positive in one way or another.

[Pete Lester]

I have been gong to the KTP since before I had a drivers license. It's a neat place and the firearms section still trades and buys just about everything, from old guns to old ammo, reloaders, bags of lead, holsters, cases etc. I think they still pay a few bucks for green deer hides. Sometimes you can find a good deal, a really good deal if they misidentify something. I was fortunate to find a mismarked graded Parker once. I also saw a VHE sell as a VH, sub $1K, because I was there when somebody was already looking at it, hoping they would put it back and look at something else when I saw the forend come off, they bought it. Sometimes they take in a pig in a poke, unknowingly I think, because most used guns with issues have a price reflecting the issues. Unless they bought it wrong. Sometimes they mismark the other way too, a Remington 1900 advertised and priced as a Remington 1894 sitting for more than year comes to mind. However in the business of selling used things, caveat emptor still applies. They have some good people working there along with JD, it's good to know the managers. If you are not happy let one of them know, privately. I am fortunate, I live 15 to 20 min drive away. I still miss most of the good stuff, but every now and then....

[edgarspencer]

I've had very good dealings in the past. This particular gun had been there since I looked at it last September, So I called and negotiated a lower price. They wouldn't honor it after I drove 3 hours saying "Well, he's not here..." Also, I wasn't familiar with 3 different SNs inside still meaning 'all original'. I'll change the broken carrier spring myself simply because I have one, and don't feel like driving another 6 hours. I bought it as a project, and now it certainly is and then some.

[David Holes]

Every one should have 1 pieced together parker. I wonder how many of us have 1? I have a trojan with a hammer gun forend iron. Dave

[edgarspencer]

This was a Take Down Deluxe 1894 Winchester

[charlie cleveland]

i have the prettest johnny cash gun you ever saw...i changed the forarm release on it and it made 5 differant parts from other guns i know...but what a beauty she is.... charlie

[Rich Anderson]

My interest was peaked with the DHE damascuss 20 at Cabelas untill I saw the price $16K:shock: One of their stores sold a DHE 20 2 bbl set (not with cut bbls) last year for $6K. Makes me think my GH 16/20 damascuss combo I'm asking $5900 forisn't such a bad deal afterall:whistle: