Ron, have we seen pictures of your H&R A Grade? They are wonderful guns and we don't see enough of them.

Bill -- this thread (http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthr...ton+Richardson) is about the gun that belonged to my great great grandfather. I also wrote an article about that gun for DGJ which I believe Daniel and Joanna will be publishing in the next issue (Vol 31, Issue 4).

In addition to that one I bought 2 more. A 12 and a 10 gauge. Since these guns are not marked (non were) as to the grade you have to go by the amount of engraving and checkering & quality of the walnut. My great grandfather's is without doubt an A grade. I think the 10 gauge is too but it lacks some of the artistry, especially on the fences. It does however have very similar checkering. The 12 doesn't have either but it does have the fancy Damascus which only the A and B grades had. So I'm thinking the 10 gauge is an A grade, the 12 gauge a B grade, and my great grand father's an extra fancy A grade. The DGJ article has a ton of information about that gun and my theory about where it came from.

These are a few snap shots of the 10 & 12 (the 10 gauge has the straight grip) -- these two guns are consecutively serial numbered. Compare them to the gun pictured in the thread and you will see the difference in the grades.

The other interesting thing about two 12 gauge guns is that they both have the more open choke in the left barrel and the right one is tight. The 10 gauge is choked the "normal" way -- right barrel open , left barrel tight. There is a lot more we don't know about these guns than do know.

Well, it starts with the first Parker bought by Dad for me in a Farmville, Va. hardware store when I was 14, which I still have. I think he paid $45 for it! And I still shoot it once in awhile. After that have added 3 DHs, 3 GH, one a 16 ga GHE, one 16Ga O frame P, Two more 12 Ga Ps, 3 16Ga. VH, one 12 ga hammer, one 12 Ga D grade hammer gun, an assortment (4) of Foxes 12s and 16s, 4 LC Smith including a 20 Ga. FW, a sweet Belgium 16ga made for a Boston dealer, a Ithaca SKB Mod 100 12, a Browning BPR 12 g w/three barrels, an Ithaca 16 ga Mod 37 that I shot my first grouse with at 12.
But in the end the Parkers are the favorite of all.

Keavin, What a great collection! Just curious, as a native Virginian once having relatives in Farmville, are you from the area? Do you recall the name of the hardware store?

Kevin,
Bad news you have the Shotgun Disease, "Just One More"! Its almost never curable but just some much fun finding that next "One"!

Well for me mostly Parkers, German double rifle, couple Winchesters, Hellis 410 hammer gun, William Atkinson 28 hammer gun, Shilo Sharps 45-70, Original 1874 Mid range Sharps 40-70, At present I only have 4 hammerless Parkers, Most interesting Parker AA Hammer gun and a grade 3 with Bernard barrels and gold oval in the grip as you would normally see in higher grades, Looking for a grade 3 16 gauge, fun ain't it! Gary

Not much in life is more fun than searching for the next gun you just have to have.

I guess I could add a few Prussian Lindners, one in the mail, a few big guns, an assortment of single traps, a gaggle of Model 12s and 42s, a mix of Lefevers and Foxes, and a couple pair of Berettas and Krieghoffs for clay targets when I want to lose money at a greater rate than I do with the pigeon guns.