We're finding fewer birds in Maine and more hunters since the numbers just suck elsewhere in the NE. We were finding more birds a half to a mile off the logging roads up high, and that's a mother to hunt. Hard on us but the worry also is if a dog gets injured up there getting them out. So much old logging and blowdowns but the birds aren't stupid. Later in the season they see the pumpkin heads in their trucks road hunting so we try to go after them where they move to.

Andy, my grouse guns look like yours. Lots of hard use , hope I can function as well as them when I'm 100+ years old.

Yeah I hear you Harold. I took a good fall two years back and let's just say that if I wasn't wearing my shooting glasses I might be a uniclops hunter :rotf::shock:

Here's my 28ga repro after 2 years of grouse and woodcock hunting. It started with near 100% CC. I actually think it looks better without those repro colors.

The gun in the picture Wild Skies linked was obviously polished. The hinge pin and the hinge recess still have the factory ‘case’ color.





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I forget which one of his books it was in, but Micheal McIntosh talked about the differences between the type of alloys in original Parkers & Parker reproductions. His experience was that on original Parkers when the case colors faded or got worn off the receiver would turn a more subdued mat like appearance, whereas on repro's when the chemical case colors wore off the metal could take on a more silver coin polished look.

I've found this to be the case with my 16/20 repro which I've carried a lot. It has some remaining colors, but the rest of the receiver looks like it has been polished to a silver appearance when it hasn't been, it's just been carried & lovingly cleaned.

Personally, I like the way it looks now over when it was new.