I order letters for all my guns, just nice to know just a Little history if at all possible.

I will ask John about that. He is currently helping me with some research on a gun owner in question. More accurately stated he is doing the research and I am very grateful. Hopefully it's worthy of a PPA.

I too order letters on all my guns sometimes they are not available, but still try, these guns have a history and some times a letter will be a map that will lead to interesting history of the gun. I have one gun that was sent back to the factory 14 times, Gary

I keep all of mine in a PGCA binder. It really adds to the enjoyment and it is almost like looking at your guns without taking them out of the safe. For guns not in surviving records, I fill out a Research letter form with info on that gun.

Bill:

Thanks for providing me with the fact that Research Letters are also available on Trojans. For some unknown reason I thought a line had been drawn at Trojans.

However, as for the one I have, the feature on the PGCA website that announces if records are available on a particular gun says that none are of the one I have. It is a 30-inch-barreled; 2-frame; 12-gauge Trojan; serial number 230608, thus a 1929-year gun.

My father bought it from a local farmer who kept it in his truck for pest-control. His son-in-law came back from being stationed in the U. S. Army in Germany and provided him with a more modern Sauer gun.

A few months later the farmer saw my father again, and with a kind of melancholy, beseeching air said he didn't like "that new gun". My father just said, "sorry".

Russ, you're not likely to get a research letter on a 230XXX gun because that book, among many others, is missing and there are no available records in that span.

See this list of missing books.

. http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthr...ng+stock+books





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The long and the short of letters is that after 1919, order books were discontinued with one exception, order book number 101, which included very few ordered guns. Trojans in the early, pre 185,000 or such, are available for letters that may identify original owners or those who ordered such guns for retail concerns. Always give it a shot. Also, check at the Griffin and Howe website for further provenance.

Letters are wonderful. They help any gun of the era come alive.

Sometimes you get the chance to hold/shoot a piece of real history that you've now participated in.

I think all members should be encouraged to order a letter - and especially if it is a so-so gun by grade or condition.

Randy had it right when he said providence doesn't count unless you have it.

Letter's have added and subtracted literally thousands to the value of my collection.

One unusual G grade, not spectacular in itself, ended up being a presentation piece made to an early NWMP officer who escorted Sitting Bull across the US/Canada border, arrested/released the real Sundance Kid, and later was in charge during the Yukon Gold Rush. He passed it to his son who took it with him to Britain during WWI where he had new Westley Richard's barrels mounted - surviving the war while winning the Victoria Cross in the process

Another turned out was one of du Bray's personal guns from his estate when he passed - (verified by John Davis' copy of original list).

Conversely a letter can also potentially save you thousands on a higher end purchase just like a house or boat inspection. I acquired a C grade paying top dollar, and was happy to do so, because I'd been informed it was associated to a famous ball player when my grandfather played. The player was indeed an avid trap shooter but the letter made the date he acquired it questionable because of his relative youth at the time. Plus side it was an 1898 Exposition gun - but that's not why I bought it.

With ALL Parkers we get to shoot both art and history and, sometimes, we get to know we're holding the same gun used by iconic individuals. Letters are a key to that time machine.

Looks like you recently joined the PGCA Mr. Gardner. Welcome aboard and well said. Sounds like you have a couple of special guns there.

Second Randy on that. Also, we love pictures here