As long as you beat Pete and Billy, it was a good day! :rotf: In all seriousness, shooting with the NH Boys is a lot of fun. Looking forward to when we all can shoot some sporting clays when this "social distancing" comes to a close so I can shoot my newly acquired "boat anchor" 30" twenty gauge Lefever with XF chokes.... :shock:

Dang! We could have done a small-bore shoot but I just sold my XXF 20 gauge Sterly.





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Do you shoot steel shot in the old guns? I've considered buying one for duck hunting, but I was concerned about the barrels holding up to modern waterfowl loads.

I would never use steel in a Parker or any classic double gun, you are asking for trouble. I don't like the commercial loadings of bismuth for their price and their loadings. I reload my own bismuth to what are period correct shot weights, velocity and pressure. I think that is the only way to go with old doubles when it comes to ducks and geese.

get one of the parker repos they are made to shoot steel shot in the 12 ga water fowl guns...i have a field grade lc smith long range gun that i found a secound set of barrels that are modified choke that i have shot steel shot in it with no problems so far...but as pete said best to leave steel shot for guns made for it...

That's what I was thinking. I don't reload for 12ga anymore (for clays or upland birds), as factory ammo is as cheap or cheaper than reloading these days. But I would reload for waterfowl, if I had an old gun that required it. I reload for all my rifles. I enjoy it. Kinda like tying flies. An old field grade double would be fun to hunt with.

Shane:

There is something special about hunting waterfowl with a Parker 10 gauge. Get one and read up on loading the “short ten” in our reloading subforum. Once you do, those steel loads in your arsenal will sit and collect dust.

-Victor

Ian,

I am a fairly recent member, compared to guys like Dean and Edgar, to mention two. I am not an affluent individual, and cannot afford most of the mid level Parkers. I remember John Allen having two 16 GA. Parkers at a gun show, and wish now I had bought both of them. At the time I might have been able to scrounge up enough cash for one. I am one that is not as young as I used to be. I have always liked the D grade Parkers as being attractive enough, but not so collectible that they cannot be hunted with. In my neck of the woods, I have seen three DH(E)'s come to auction. The first was a 12 with short barrels that I was the first loser on. The second I bought, not knowing all the ill's it suffered, and because I could afford the price (initially). The third was my preferred 16 GA, but it had tighter chokes than I wanted and longer barrels. It sold for close to 10K, then was listed on one of the gun sites for 10K more than the telephone bidder bought it for. Turned out it was one of seven made in that configuration. I really didn't want a 12 GA DHE, but it was what I could afford that came up for auction locally. I have spoken to a prominent member here about restoration of that Parker, and everyone tells me not to do it because the restoration cost is way more than the gun is worth. I have been told that a 12 GA #2 frame Parker with 30" barrels is a very common gun, but I have yet to see many parts I need advertised for this gun. It is MY DHE, the only one I have, and may be the only one I will ever have. I would prefer a 16 DHE, 26" barrels, or a two barrel set, with one set at IM and MOD. But I haven't found one period, much less one that I could afford. So my suggestion is to buy what you want and be happy with it.

I buy guns that I happen to like, and are at price I think is fair. I am not into collecting guns I don't plan to shoot, so have not purchased any "graded" guns..... Yet. :-)

I have a small collection of field grade guns, that includes more than one "boat anchor". I am a big guy, 6'1" and 240 finely sculpted pounds.. hahaha Beer does a nice job of scuplting a mans body. So, I like 12ga double guns with 30"+ barrels. I enjoy shooting them, etc. I do own some fast and light guns, 20ga O/U w 26" barrels, AH Fox 16ga that weighs in less than 6lbs, and love shooting those too.

As Forrest Gump would say, life is like a box of chocolates, and so are shotguns. Having a nice variety to shoot is what makes them so fun.

As for the other stuff going on in this thread, I am very new to this forum, but have been a very long time member on some others.... This forum is not unlike any other one I have been on. You have guys who have got to know each other, probably via in person visits, etc... Then, new guys come along and feel they are not part of the "cligue", which is a term I hate.... But in reality, they have just not been around long enough, to build that bond... That's ok, that's how things work. I wouldn't expect to be taken in like a brother 2 weeeks after signing up, that takes time, and getting to know people. No sense in worrying about it.

In my short time here, I have already observed a wealth of information given freely by the members, some of it, I don't necessarily agree with, but recognize that not every one is ever going to agree. It seems the days of being able to recognize that you don't agree on something, but can still be friendly has past, and that's a shame.

Anyway, love my boat anchors, and maybe one day I'll add a nicely engraved with fine lumber boat anchor to my collection of plain jane boat anchors.... :D

BTW.... You want to get eaten alive on a gun forum go visit the American Long Rifles forum, and post up pics of a Southern Mountain(Mongrel) rifle with a siler lock on it..... :D I made that mistake several years ago, and still have burn marks. But, the rifle was my rifle, made by me, and I used a lock I liked, although not an "English" lock which would have been true to a Southern Mountain rifle.... Rifle is still very dear to me, and shoots great, and will be handed down to one of my sons one day.

Anyway, y'all have a great day.....

Joseph, everybody is welcome here. Our goal is to keep everything as friendly as possible and always in a civil manner.

You pretty much nailed it - that a lot of us have met at shoots and auctions and PGCA Annual Meetings and the friendships just grow and grow from there. I was a newcomer once and even though I didn't know a lot about Parkers, or any guns for that matter, I was welcomed by the long-time members and it has been a wonderful learning experience.

Like I said, everybody is welcome here. We all share a common interest and that's what bonds us in friendship. You'll strike up a lot of friendships here if you stick around... and Please Do! You are welcome here!





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Joe, Please post a picture. I am a closet front stuffer lover, but never had the courage to try flint.

Ok, just don't slam it for not being 100% what would have been a Southern Mountain Rifle. I built a rifle based on that pattern, that I liked... :D

I call it my Southern Mongrel rifle... :D

Don't you just hate rivet counters? ( a term my son used when showing his restored 1943 Willys)

Handsome gun and it looks like you knew what you wanted. First rate quality. What caliber? I would like to find a small bore (36 caliber) Flintlock. I have a Thompson Hawken with .36 and .50 barrels (which I think were made by Green Mountain)

A beautiful rifle! What’s not to like about that?





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If you look closely.... The Lock is a siler lock, wich has that pointed end to it. This was common on German Locks.

"True" Southern Mountain rifles, would have used a rounded, English style lock, Ketland, etc.

I was not "patterning" my rifle from a "known" Southern Mountain rifle. Was just wanting a good quality Long Rifle that I liked, so I ordered things I had seen and liked.

It's a 45 cal, This was sort of the build info.... I did have help from a very good friend, who is very experienced with Long Rifles.... A lot of the metal work was done by him, 1. because he knew how to do it, 2. because he had the right tools.

DeHass 45 caliber 42" barrel, Large Siler lock by Jim Chambers, and extra curly maple stock from Pecatonica River. Will be stained with aquafortis, and finished with a hand rubbed tru-oil finish. All metal parts will be browned using Laurel Mountains browning re-agent.

BTW, after I took those pics, I toned down the ramrod, it was still bare hickory when I took those pics.

What's funny is if you look at Track of the Wolfs Southern Mountain rifle build, it has a siler lock as well. I sort of used this as pattern for my riflle. I liked it, so that is sorta what I built.

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categ...INT-PARTS-LIST

I love it, and it will make a nice heirloom for my son..... :bigbye:

In 1974 a gun shop had a curly maple blank and a .45 barrel by a renown maker, he had given 10.00 in trade for them so i gave him 10.00 and 2 years later i had a percussion rifle made to my idea of what i wanted. It has sights from a german pellet rifle the butt(steel)from a winchester .22 rifle a Thompson center patch box and the rest came from Dixie.
The gun shop owner offered me 1500.00 for it saying he had many guns made in Canton Mass. but was sure that was going to be the last one
The early makers used what they had and made it to suit themselves just as you and i did

Beautiful job and i wish you many years of enjoyment from it.

Those days are still alive and well in some of us, but you won't see it on the news; it doesn't make good copy.

Joseph, don't think that higher grade guns don't get shot. There are many here that are "shooter-collectors."

Oh, I know they get shot... It's just my excuse for not spending the money on one. :D

I'll be picking up a graded Fox or Parker at some point, maybe some of each... Just have not run across the right gun, for the right price yet. And, yes it will get hunted, and it will get shot a lot. :-)

Well I just finished my mowing and came in the house for a drink of cold spring water, and turned on the old computer and started reading this blog about boat anchors, interesting to say the least! I got to thinking about my last few purchases going back two years, 3 twenty gauges, 1 -16gauge, 1 ten gauge, 4-12gauges or boat anchors as they are called, but they hold a place of high regard in my gun cabinet! and by the way all were hammer guns but one special 12, Gary

Do tell... :whistle:






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I have seen it happen in other fields of collecting. The sophisticated, advanced collectors reach a level of “connoisseurship” such that only the most rarified examples gratify.

The unseemly corollary to this is that, in off-hand moments, lesser, run-of-mine pieces are occasionally assigned dismissive or disparaging epithets by those same collectors.

In contrast there was that time I arrived at my club’s trap field bearing a 12-gauge; 2-framed, 30-inch-barelled Trojan, all amid a sea of repeaters; and the comparatively unjaded range officer essentially said, “make way for that special gun”.

I have a 12 ga boat anchor to post but having difficulty bringing the picture up

still no pic

in my last year of buying guns has been slim...I bought that 43 1/2 inch barrel richland 10 ga turned into a 12 ga 3 1/2 inch magnum...a savage model 219 single shot in 22 hornet...and will be getting a stevens 22 crackshot in a few days....for some reason as of late the odd ball single shot 22 s have caught my eyes and heart... and to be honest you can buy several of these little rifles to what a good parker will cost....charlie

Allen Newell sent me these pictures of a Very pretty Parker Grade-0 “Boat Anchor” with beautiful “feather crotch” American black walnut.


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Yikes! His boat must be a yacht.:bowdown:

VH with wood like that, what a treat!

Charlie- you will have a LOT of fun with the M219 22 Hornet! They are fun little rifles and most shoot very well.

My boat anchor above is a 12 ga VHE that came out of the estate of my best friend's uncle. It was his wife's gun and the original stock has been significantly cut down so I shipped it out to Brad Bachelder for re-stocking with a blank I bought from Cecil Fredi. Brad did the case colors as well and rust blued the barrels. I don't shoot it that often now as I prefer my 20 ga sxs's but when I do take it out, I get many comments on the wood. I will be eternally thankful that Brad did the restoration on this nice VHE. It's a testament to the quality of work that Brad was known for. RIP Brad and thank you.

I echo your comments about Brad. I remember once asking him if Parkers were really better than X,Y, or Z American makers' guns. I received one of the most expert and cogent responses I've every heard or read. He sold me.

Brad was always the perfect gentleman. Never too busy to answer my questions..He was the best.

I would love to hear what he said. Could you paraphrase?

What is the general opinion regarding 12 gauge hammerguns? Are they also considered "Boat Anchors"?

I have a 12 gauge Grade 4 hammer gun on the 1-frame with 30” Bernard barrels that is a far cry from a boat anchor. :rolleyes:





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Agreed Dean...but that grade, hammer or hammerless, would be sought after in any gauge. I was referring to the more common grade O's and 1's. So, let's assume equal condition and specs...which gun would be more likely to attract a buyer.

You have to factor in grade and condition into this discussion.A true mint gun of any gauge will bring top dollar now.The mid level condition guns that people used to buy to hunt with are very hard to sell now.I would bet that most of us in this association started our gun collecting by buying a used Parker to hunt with.Todays hunters are buying synthetic stocked guns to use.The only way they are introduced to good doubles is by running into one of us at a shoot or show.The middle level guns that held up the price structure are declining and therefor we get the "boat anchor"story from dealers who want to turn inventory.

What kind of buyer?





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Hi, Todd,

I certainly don't have the technical knowledge or command of nomenclature that Brad had, so any detailed recounting from me would be inadequate, but he spoke about the fit and finish of Parker guns, especially referencing their internal parts. I certainly came away from that conversation with an enhanced sense of the quality of the firm's offerings. I've always been fascinated by the barrel striking process, and what initiated the conversation with Brad that I referenced was our examination of a GH that I had recently acquired that weighed in at 7 lbs. The gun is totally original, and the letter confirms the weight. The barrel striker took off quite a bit of weight from the barrels, but still they were finely balanced and had plenty of wall thickness where it was needed. To think that guns that finely crafted were "production" guns still astounds me. Brad really helped me understand just how well Parker shotguns were made. I'm very grateful for all the time he took with me.