Back in the day the 16 in New England was the 'bird gun' for grouse and woodcock. And a pheasant here and there..
I grew up hunting with my grand fathers/Dad's 16 Parker VH, O frame, 28 inch barrels. I had DelGrego do a total restoration on it about 8 yrs ago, maybe longer. A family heirloom and prize posession.

A 30" Trojan 16, uncommon to say the least I would think. And it's been on a diet at 6-6. That's a sweet find right there Mr. Editor ! Now if it has condition, whew :corn:

I have only one 16 gauge hammerless Parker. A really nice DHE with Titanic Steel barrels, beautiful dogs and turnips on the floor plate.


All my others are Parker hammer guns.


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And then there are the hammer guns...

But this is just one of them, I don't want to bore anyone with all the others.


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Beautiful guns Dean. You made me look, I have 5 Hammerless Parker 16's in the rack with this Rem Era GHE being the nicest. A few years back I picked up a 32" VHE 16 that I enjoy chasing Phez with. At 6-11 as I recall it's not to bad to carry on the prairie. It's an alluring gauge for sure

Wow Randy - that one would sure be the nicest in my collection! What a beauty!!





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I have a couple both 0 frame a VH and a GH Damascus. They kill pheasants for me like my name was Roberts or Koneski meaning they don't miss. Worst thing about them is that you gotta pay attention to the color of your shells, and only take the purple ones.

Probaly 80% on the bbls and has some CC too. Nice condition and great dimensions. Wasn't really "looking" per se. Came across it and have an idea that will now be fulfilled. :)

I love you guys. I sometimes worry my addiction is severe and find it difficult to control the urge. But I'm a minor league ---- after reading this topic!!

Addiction?? We’re just keeping dangerous old guns out of circulation so nobody gets hurt. Because it’s all fun and games until someone loses a digit, then it’s just fun!

Kind of like Dragnet, “The guns have been purchased to protect the innocent.”

My only 16 doesn’t even have “Parker” on the frame. It may be a fake?

Bore me, bore me!!

Hmmm…that’s an even better excuse than mine for caretaking 16s.:bowdown:

I fear that you are correct Reggie and it may not be original. We should talk before you get in any deeper:)

Burn her, she’s a witch!!

Brett, I used to miss occasionally, but I sold all my Fox guns.:cool:

Ya well the Draft Kings Wednesday over/under line was 45 at the Southern :):bowdown:

John:

For a gauge that reputedly a broad swath of the nation's shot-gunners have deemed passé, your inquiry has generated a very long-legged thread, on our Forum.

I shoot casual skeet with a couple of O/U guys, and with whom I have had no success turning on to the Romance of vintage guns....with one exception.

One of the fellows several years ago got curious enough to ask to try my Parker VH-16 for a round. Full chokes in both 28-inch barrels, a 1-frame, 6 pounds, eight ounces. He shot a superb round, and obvious was his delight in "vaporizing", rather than merely "disassembling", a number of the clays.

Since that day he has shot it again on occasion, and has a standing offer before me to buy the gun when I am ready to let it go. Thirty years my junior, he may well eventually become its next owner.

It is probably a good thing that so many gunners consider a 16-gauge of marginal practicality. It has to make their acquisition more feasible for some of us.

I have two 16's. A 28" J.P. Sauer knock about, with Krupp (3 ring marked) barrels:

https://i.imgur.com/nB39cu0.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/1Vu5riw.jpg

And a virtually un fired Meriden with 30" barrels:

https://i.imgur.com/SY7fYvC.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/tGOxjT8.jpg

Parker will be next.

People who appreciate the 16 gauge, like people who appreciate the sxs, are a minority but a minority that understands a good gun.

I have lost count, have one on the way and have another one that is bugging me.

I should mention that growing up (1950's-early 1960's) in very most NE NJ when grouse were still present and only a drive to the "Traditional Drowned Grounds" area of NY, I do remember many of my fathers bird dog Grouse/Woodcock buddies shooting 16g sxs guns.

It now seems to me, as others have said, the 16 was really the gun/gauge of choice for our feathered friends. I sure do wish I could go back to that era and pay more attention to the guns that were used. Oh man.... to go back......

Bruce, the Drowned Grounds was a hunting area for the sporting writer, Frank Forrester (Herbert). He writes of his hunts there in the early and mid-19th Century. Now that would really be going back(!) The changes to that area have been tremendous, and not good for hunting (or wildlife). My brother-in-law now lives in Northern New Jersey and on our occasional visits, I am reminded why I don't want to live in the most heavily populated state. It's neat that you have your memories of hunting the area before the intense development. I grew up in the Williamsburg-Jamestown-Yorktown area of Virginia, and we used to hunt in the woods that are now Busch Gardens. I cannot bear to go back and see what has happened.

Hmmm… I just remembered three more 16 gauge Parker hammerless gun I have. All three are Damascus Grade-2 guns, one an 1893 that was sent back to PB in 1913 to be converted to ejectors. This particular gun is the third Parker I ever bought and the first Parker I ever killed a grouse with.





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I have one hammer 16 but am very proud of it. With some luck, it won’t be the last

Mills, if you can find a 16 ga. Lifter you’ll love it forever!





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I found out one thing about this thread is that the people who own a Parker 16 ga. are very passionate about them. I didn't realize that there was this much enthusiasm over the 16 ga. and now wish I would have jumped on the BHE 16 ga. sooner.Ah well- The next gun I would really like in my Parker collection is a minty 410 but am going to keep the door open on a 16.

I still kick myself for not jumping on yours when you sold it

Well if the current owner ever gets tired of I’ve already told him I’ll buy it back. I really miss that gun.





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I can wait. And if Cameron wants it, Harry can wait

I really love my 16's. They are very nimble to carry and pack a great punch. Even walmart sells the shells

Sent you a PM.....

I like 16 Parkers too...what's not to like? Here is a D grade hammer with 28" Damascus barrels on an 0 frame. Weighs 6lbs. even and is a delight to shoot :)

Pretty gun! Fishtail top-lever to boot! What's not to like?

That is a beautiful Parker Jay WOW

Wow(!), Jay, just wow(!).

The magic of the 16 gauge 0 Frame Parker for a New England grouse and woodcock hunter must be a romance that goes back to the very roots of the founding of Parker.
I often think of the men that ordered my well fitting Parker’s 100 years before me. It wasn’t just by chance that Parker built these guns that are to this day still the favorite of the modern hunter. There is nothing quite like moving in on a solid point, the rush of the flush and mounting a 16 gauge old reliable.

I also own a gh hammer gun in 16 gauge on an O frame but it is a bit heavier and just shy of 7lbs. It has 30" barrels and I believe was built as a waterfowling gun. 16 gauge Parkers are the cats meow in my book. I own 3 of them and love them all. It is the perfect all around gauge for most hunting.

Hey, Bruce. No PM as of this evening.

I'll be darned.... It was a long one too. I'll retype it and send it on in the morning. I am headed for bed.... old guys gotta get their rest.

Sorry about that. I have no idea what the heck happened.

Bruce, look for it in ‘Sent Items’ you mightvfind it there.





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