poly chokes are ugly as sin but the best one choke ever made..i have a model 12 with a cutts on it and it does not look good either...charlie

Charlie,

For years I have used a 3 1/2” Browning BPS with a 30” barrel and invector+ chokes for geese and bay duck shooting. I was in Cabelas “bargain cave” about 15 years ago, and picked up a true poly choke, with the ported front that was threaded to be used on invector+guns. It adds almost 5” to the BPS, but it is a freaking anti aircraft gun for those high flying honkers!,!

Pretty is as pretty does

Mark I am in agreement with you for using BPS for duck hunting. They are flat out one of the best guns ever made for it and can work for just about everything else you can think of. Nothing more dependable than a pump shotgun that your not afraid to get wet, knocked around, or get into muck. Also when it is down right awful out is the best time to be out duck hunting and I have never had my pump lock or freeze up like any semi-auto. What I like most about BPS is the safety. It being mounted in same place as typical double shotgun is perfect. For me that perfection also extends to the fact gun is bottom loaded and ejected, obviously neutral and ideal for lefty's.

For many years only owned 2 guns an 1100 and a BPS. After I got the BPS I never used the 1100 again and used that pump for everything. Loved it when in early 90's sporting clays was emerging. A few buddies of mine went and got Beretta's and I would show up with BPS and out shoot em. Even on true doubles I could work that pump so fast and gun just fit me so well it was magic.

I love old sxs's and Parker's as much as anybody, but if you follow Eyptian custom of taking what you need with into an after life and you can only take one gun, I am taking my BPS with me. Leaving my nice sxs's for others to enjoy in my absence. BTW I have been to a few funerals where someone was buried with their favorite shotguns, but they all forgot the shells. A gun with no bullets is a club, gotta take some rounds with you.

A BPS 12 gauge was my duck gun for years.

The first shotgun that I bought with my own lawn mowing money was a 12 gauge BPS in about 1980 (the Japanese version). I am sure the it was about $275 at Oshman's Sporting Goods in Houston, Texas as my mother had to fill out whatever paperwork was required at the time. I sent the barrel off and had a poly choke installed on the 26" barrel because according to my Dad that was the thing to do. I still have that gun. It has killed a bunch of birds over the years but I would like to get a replacement early BPS barrel to switch out for that ugly Poly Choke thing.

Its hard but I bet you can find one or an older BPS. But probably might as well just buy the whole gun since barrels are dang expensive. My first BPS was the first year Browning had come out with the Invector screw in choke and started overboring barrels. I think it was in 1982.

1980!!?? You're making me (and I'll wager I'm not alone) feel pretty darned old!

First duck i killed (a blackjack drake) was taken with a 20 gauge 11-48 with a pickle on the end

Pickle. That is awesome, Never hear that term before and it is accurate trying to figure out which choke that gun is set on.

Hunting yesterday was rather slow. Hunted until 10:30 when the temperature was 100. It was the first time I actually hunted with this gun. My shooting capabilities are definitely not up to par with this fine Parker.

:shock::shock::shock:

That's a beauty! Thanks for posting.

Didn't seem to matter much what gun I took either day for doves so far - the incessant off & on again rainstorms have disoriented the birds so much that I believe they have left our immediate hunting farm(s) area.

Opening day (1 SEP) I was one of the high guns with 2 birds for 2 shells; Labor Day I couldn't go but thankfully so since upper 70s per cent humidity and high temp of 89; heard that a total of 10 doves were shot off our 800+ acre lease. Went back today, not bad weather at all; humid but not excessive, high in the upper 70s, but literally saw NO BIRDS at all - none on the wires, sitting in trees, jumped in the fields, shown in people's hands, nothing flying at all - a real first for us this time of year hereabouts (central MD and NO VA).

Some of our best fields adjacent to rivers (Potomac, Monocacy, Shenandoah) and sizeable creeks (Antietam in MD, Goose Creek in VA, were obviously over-flooded during the last 2 nights (Thurs. & Fri.) by the outer orbital rainstorms of Florence. The two fields we closely examined immediately adjacent to the river(s) showed signs of a 6"-1 ft. overwash flooding; not a single kernel of corn or other grain crop visible on the ground, only animal tracks visible this AM (deer, coon, fox, etc. - one set could have been a coyote) showed that all other surface impressions in the earth had been scoured away, not unlike a hosed off driveway.

Areas mentioned above are usually very good for dove - but Mother Nature rules!!

Kevin,

It's tough when things like the weather take days, and even seasons, away. It's not like we have an unending number of seasons to hunt. Good luck to you.

The heat we have been having here in the Southland has all but stopped any flights of birds, but we were out there trying this past weekend!

https://i.imgur.com/o9VPvAX.jpg

At least you had something awesome to look at ... what a beautiful gun

Thanks Karl! Its just about my favorite!

Wow Reggie! Is that a 20 or a 28?..... I want it to be a 28.



Aw nuts.... I just noticed the yellow shells.




.

It is a 20. 30” DHE with a 14.75 LOP. It’s a super little Parker!

Beautiful Parker Reggie! On my short list for "the quintessential Parker".

Is it the one in your avatar photo?



.

Forgot to mention factory choked IC/M. Letters just as it sits. And Dean, it is not the one in my avatar.

Had a great dove hunt this past Saturday. Met 2 Parker members Dale and Chris at one of their dove spots in Phoenix.
The dove started to fly welll at 6:30 AM and shot till 9:00 when the tempeture started reach out to 100 degree.
Great shoot with all of us limiting out on Whitewings and morning dove. Topped off with big flights of Eurasian dove that seem to outnumber our native birds two to three to one.
Chris allowed me to shoot a box of his handloads which were loaded with 1 oz of shot and were under 6000 psi. What a great low recoil load that flat knocked dove down at 40 yards.

I just bought a new Parker and cant wait to get it out!! I honestly disocvered my Parker after reading a book called The Traditional Side by Side: King of the Upland Bird Guns by author Doug Stewart. It is loaded with information that got my brain turning and inspired me to switch to sxs. Has anyone else read this book? the website is www.dougstewartauthor.com and I've seen them do contests for free copies on the FB page King of the Upland Bird Guns. Awesome pictures of some beautiful guns in the book!

Congratulations. Doug Stewart comes on here sometimes and he will be glad to hear that he contributed to a convert.

As a matter of fact might I suggest you create a new thread talking about it. Think there are some good guys here that would like to talk it up with you.

Doug's book is very good

Even Mosby was mad that I took a 20 L.C. Smith this morning . After lots of success in the past hunts, only saw three pairs of birds all morning (monsoons from Florence have driven them away). Owned the gun for fifteen years but had never shot it at game until today. Not enough shots to judge.

I concur. I made a thread specifically about Mr. Stewart's book a while back, it is a great read. I dont know if you have heard his podcast on Project Upland as well, the guy knows his stuff and seems like a true gentleman! I think I saw the link to the episode on his website that you mentioned Benjamin!

Thanks @Southpaw, I did create a new thread about the book in the General Discussions Other Fine Doubles section. I'm glad to hear others have enjoyed this book!! I'll definitely be sharing the book with my buddies!

Welcome Ambassador and to whatever providence you choose to serve in your new mission. So, was it just Doug's book that convinced you to go on this SXS journey or did it start somewhere else as a state of awareness.

I stumbled across Doug's book and have never really considered SxS until completing the book and learning about the traditions that come with those guns. Seeing the pictures Doug provided really sold me

So what type gun did you get as far as model and gauge. Might of missed that. SXS's can sometimes take a little bit to get used to but if you get one that shoots at what your looking at, its a great feeling. Especially shooting an old Parker. The sun is a little brigther, the air is a little cleaner, gun is easier to carry, your posture will improve and those adult beverages at the end of the day will taster better, guaranteed.

As a matter of fact saw T-shirt that thought was funny and got me thinking.

"Education is Important but shooting Parkers is Importanter"