I guess some of us are making the point - you don't want cracks from shooting heavy loads in a 100 year old gun.

I assume you don't reload. A 16 gauge Parker for 40 yard turkeys could easily be loaded with about 1 1/4 ounces of #7, #7 1/2, or #6 at 1100 fps and would not harm any Parker. I shoot nothing but the 1 ounce promotional load and would just pull both triggers if I got a gobbler in my sights. On the other hand, how about a slug and a body shot.

I would only do that if the gobbler had five beards in graduated lengths from 10" to 15" and be sporting 2" spurs.....






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i agree with bill...i dont believe the few heavy loads that would be shot at a turkey in 1 1/4 ounce in 16 ga would do any harm to a 16 ga or any other gauge..i have shot several heavy loads thru my old parker 8 ga s with no problems to there 100 plus year old wood.....charlie

Don't fool yourselves about shooting heavy loads in vintage doubles. I have had three guns develop cracked wrists shooting moderate (1 ounce Factory) loads. One a 1923 vintage L C Smith Featherweight and two Fox Sterlingworths, a 1922 vintage and a 1935 vintage. Now I load all of my own ammo for my double guns maintain recoil energy at or less than 20 foot pounds for low volume shooting hunting loads and 16 foot pounds of force for high volume clay target shooting.