Pete, that statement is correct except that D grades did not have Acme steel barrels, which the statement implies.

The issue is whether as Brian mentioned that the D is the first "Quality" Parker, as if the G and lower grades weren't. Nothing supports that statement. The better statement is that the D has many details considered desireable by collectors, is considered a mid grade Parker and was frequently ordered with custom features.

One of our top collectors had a fabulous and full collection of high condition P grades in every gauge. Do we walk by and dismiss those as not being considered "Quality" Parkers?

That is not my statement, I am simply pointing out what is on our web site. I also did not comment on what is a "Quality" Parker. I would be impressed with a collection of high condition Trojans in every gauge and barrel length much less P grades. They are all Quality guns to me, just varying in their features, rarity and value.

Well here's what I think. I have a VH 12 ga 1&1/2 frame 26in not exactly choked mod and full 3in drop. It is light and quick. I am 5ft 6in tall. Of all the guns I have shot and hunted over the years and that is a lot this gun has kept me happier than any I have ever shot. It is still very tight even though it has been hunted hard and I think regularly since 1914. It is totally honest no rust no cracks even the forearm is almost smooth.In Georgia bushes and dove fields I hit better with it than anything I have ever used. I think the 3in drop at heel and the chokes are the secret. I do wonder what is going on inside the tubes as it kills close as well as far. The wood is better than I usually see on Parkers here more like a G or D grade. So if satisfaction is what you are looking for and you find one that does that for you. then go for it. One more thing the screws appear to have never been turned. That being said 98 years is a long time to go without needing repairs
or cleaned inside. To me that is Quality. JMHO. One thing I have noticed on the G grades that I have seen here in the South they almost always seem to have more case color even if they are worn out and almost all are. I seldom see a Parker around here and many people have never even heard of them. Gerald.

I've noticed, as we all have, that old shotguns often have a lot of drop and I've often wondered why, since shooting is shooting and those guys in the 19th Century were as serious about it as we are. Pigeon shooting was expensive and it wasn't until the advent of flying clay birds that trap shooting became a rage, but it did. Of course bird hunting was popular then and it wasn't hard to find a place to hunt...least I think so.

So, I guess that the low comb was used to better shoot birds, but I don't know why.

I'm going to hold off on buying a new Parker until I can attend a good show. I think the Reno show is going on now. They hold it three times a year and I'll have to catch one of the later events.

How much do I have to spend? A few bucks, but I'll hold off spending 4K unless I actually have the gun in my hands. Then reason dims and lust overtakes.

I will take a Trojan over most other non-Parker shotguns any day of the week. My first Parker and perhaps my favorite gun is a Parker Trojan. I think it was Pete Johnson who said a Trojan is to guns like the Model T Ford is to cars - an American classic.

It is clear that the word "quality" was not the best actual word to convey what I was trying to say. The whole "custom shop" idea is what I was getting at.

i think most of us fellows especially me know what you fellows mean about these great old guns...the prettier and more engraving on it means it usally set in the house while my go to guns are not that pretty but are quality....charlie

I don't have all the reading material most of you have, but I have had, to the detriment of my retirement savings, the intuitive ability to distinguish 'quality' irrespective of the form into which it is contained. I believe that product lines which are based upon a foundation model are simply enhanced, or embellished more than the lower price version. It may simply be semantics, but I don't think these embellishments, or enhancements add to the quality, so much as they add to the desirability. In the case of Parkers, Form doesn't alter function.

Question. I have noticed that when grading parkers (useing a D grade as an example) that some are listed as D an some are listed as DH and others as DHE. Now if D is the grade and E is for extractors than what is the H stand for .Just quirious.

Wayne, To clarify things a bit for you. A D grade would be a hammergun. A DH would be a D grade hammerless gun sans ejectors and a DHE would be a D grade hammerless gun with ejectors.

Although this is the proper terminology many times these designations are used interchangably.