Rich -

just guessing- but i always thought it was a thinking process of the time.

Many would have one good gun -

a traveling hunter could handle one gun case with two barrel sets easier than two cases, and he was less likely to have different guns for different game anyway.

so, off to the prairie by train, going to hunt sage grouse and ducks - or ducks and woodcock in the Maritimes of Canada - the set may make sense.

we - now days - are more likely to have a dedicated gun (or 2 or 12) for what ever species we hunt, and an extra case in the truck is no big deal.

no proof of it at all- just a thought

I need about 3 of the guns I own: a rifle, a double for ducks and turkeys and a double for upland game. The rest fall into the "don't need, but couldn't possibly live without" category.

Mills I could narrow things down quite a bit myself. Somebody asks "how many guns do you have?" The response is "More than I need but not as many as I want":rotf:

Not counting a .22 LR I could get away with one deer rifle (just hard to choose which one), The Hollywood gun, Gunners Gun and the VHE 28.

That is a good response. My standard one is "lost count"

Who was it that said, need has nothing to do with it.

I may be wrong, but I don't think there were many 'gun collectors' back then. Making one more useful was more in line with the average man's thinking. I've passed on guns which I really liked, primarily because the seller felt the 2nd set of barrels added more value than I thought. Maybe 20% could be justified, but not 40 and 50%.

I have a lot more two barrel sets than I need, but not nearly as many as I want. I have only one more three barrel sets than I need, but, again, I want a few more. My original two and three barrel sets are my favorite Parkers. I believe I displayed my 16 gauge GHE Damascus three barrel set at the Fall Southern three years ago. I displayed my CH Grade Bernard two barrel set "Charleston Gun" at the Fall Southern two years ago. I plan on bringing the completed and cased CH to display at the Northeast Shoot this June. I may also bring my outstanding DH #3 frame two barrel Damascus gun to the Northeast Shoot also.

Bill's CH Charleston Gun is in the NEED category for sure

More photos please. There have to be some more out there for us to see

UH, Mills, I guess you know the case is finished, but I still have to wrap the straight grip in copper wire so I can shoot it. Are you coming to the Northeast Shoot? We "need" you and Julia there.