First ,like Dave ,I like to shoot all of my guns ,at the moment ,I have one ,I have owned a while and still haven't shot yet ! With that said ,if I am selling a gun ,and it is a good solid functional gun ,but maybe has had the wood refinished ,or the colors redone ,or perhaps new bluing ,or maybe had a broken stock ,and I replaced it along the way and I know the stock is not serial #'ed to the gun I would advertise this particular gun as a "Good Solid Shooter " ,I had a VHE 12 Ga. that Ivory Beads sold for me a while back with good honest 95 percent plus original condition ,although I am sure this gun would have shot quite well ,I never found the need to pull the trigger or carry it a day in the field ,consequently ,I sold it ,I would not refer to this type of gun as a " Shooter " but a collectible piece ! Just thought I would add my two cents for what its worth ,but it is something how the same question ,can receive so many different opinions !:corn:

[QUOTE=Russ Jackson;13997] ,but maybe has had the wood refinished ,or the colors redone ,or perhaps new bluing ,or maybe had a broken stock ,and I replaced it along the way and I know the stock is not serial #'ed to the gun I would advertise this particular gun as a "Good Solid Shooter " QUOTE]

So in the ads, when you see "good solid shooter" it really doesn't mean it shoots well? :)

T

Come on Tim,You know the drill.....:rolleyes:

[QUOTE=Tim Sheldon;14001]I guess that all depends on who's pulling the trigger !:rotf:

So what it really means is buyer beware, if you can't tell whats been done to the gun, better keep doing some exploratory surgery because you are probably going to find the special area that has been worked on but it has only been advertised as a "good solid shooter"

This practice is not good or bad, maybe it is in a various shade of gray. But this is how it happens in lots of dealings.

When it's a fairly high quality gun and it is represented as a good solid shooter, here is where the red flag pop up like there is no tomorrow.

Tim

Ok. To me a shooter is a functionally sound gun who doesn't have the overall condition or rarity to warrant being stuck in a safe somewhere. Bo Whoop would in some people's mind be a shooter, restocked (twice) and used constantly throughout it's life by its owner (until it vanished of course). However, the provenance of that gun trumps all. Most Fox guys would certainly shoot in HE in that condition. I venture to say there are some well used high end Parkers that fall into the same category. For me in particular a shooter is a gun with mechanical fixes and/or sprucing up that rendered it no longer collectible to most, but certainly worthy of providing a enjoyable outing in the field, whether that field means the game of shoot clay birds, or real birds. Anyway, one person's opinion.

Tim,Exactly...Thanks for spelling it out...:)

Tim ; As I read your reply ,I certainly hope its not me you have a bone to pick with , maybe you have been burn't by a seller that wasn't up front and honest about a gun they were selling ,but the part of my reply you forgot to post is where I said , " If I am selling a gun and it is a good solid functional gun ",then this is the way I would advertise the gun !I was just making a point that a gun that has had excessive work ,or after market colors or bluing could still be a nice field gun and a good " Shootin Iron " I think if any one is buying anything ,it is always nice to deal with good reputable honest folks ,but as we all know ,that isn't always the case , when I am selling anything ,I ,will tell the buyer exactly and everything of what I know about the gun in question ,replaced stock ,fore end etc. But in each gun dealing ,it is really up to the individual to make sure what they are purchasing and as you say ,really take the time and do the exploratory surgery !Then make their own mind up as to the condition and if its what they want ,A " shooter " or a Collector piece ! Simply all I was saying !:) Russ

As long as we are including the HE Fox "Bo Whoop"
 

And as this thread asks the ?- shooter and to my way of reading this, maybe not restricted to just Parkers. Yesterday at the area gun show- as always, lotsa overpriced junk, tee shirts, older ammo and such- a real sleeper, but just as if Gina L. walked into a Biker bar full of "biker babes" would catch your eye-

AH Fox 16 CE Grade fully optioned- later Phila gun I would guess, Chromox barrels- either no 2 or no 3 weight range- I wish I knew more about the Fox guns- Kautsky single selective trigger, ejectors, straight hand grip with very long trigger guard tail, field style beavertail- flawless wood to metal fit, not refinished about 80% case colors, checkered buttstock with my dims. to a T- 28" barrels and a brass galazan's leaf chamber and choke feeler gauge showed 2.75" chambers and mod. and full on the chokes-about as nice a Fox as I have ever seen- just didn't have the 5K in my pocket- Is this shotgun a shooter? I don't know, but I would not want to be the one to get the first scratch on the stock or let dried pheasant blood collect on the barrels--

We are all 'custodians in the passage of time' on our possessions, whether they be Parkers or Patek Phillipe or Porche- no matter how many we gather and study and treasure, our life span is limited, and we can only hope what TNB called the "come-afters" in our families will also treasure same, and NOT pawn them for drug $--:crying::duck::eek::duck:

In my opinion an "80% case color remaining" gun is a shooter for sure, if only occasionally.