Beavertail forend
 

Hello, and Happy New Year.

I'm considering a 20 ga Repro with a beavertail forend however, I have only actually handled one beavertail configuration and it was a 28 ga and fitted to 28" bbls. My question is whether there is any difference in the BFE's from gauge to gauge notwithstanding scale? I really liked the balance on the 28" bbls and the forend felt perfectly sized. Would one expect a bulkier BFE on the 20?

Regards,

Jerry

The 20GA Beavertail forends are much larger than the 28's. Personally I don't like the 20's nearly as much as the 28's. However if you are going to shoot sporting clays or skeet the beavertail will help with heat from the barrels.

Gerry,

That's just what I needed to know! Liked the BFE on the 28 ga very much for game but wouldn't want it any larger and I don't intend to use the 20 for clays rather for upland hunting... May switch gears and look for a 28 ga, 28" bbls to obtain a lighter carrying gun and that slim beavertail forend.

Regards,

Jerry

The 28GA are to my mind the perfect upland gun for grouse, woodcock, quail. They carry light and function well. That being said, I own a 20GA with beavertail, double triggers and it is nice for pheasants. I wish they would have made the beavertails shorter on the 20GA guns. They aren't really wide, but they are too long to my mind. If you look for a 28Ga with 28" barrels you will be looking at modified and full chokes. I just listed a 28Ga with single trigger and splinter but it has 26" IC and Mod chokes. It has taken a few grouse over the years.

Just measured my two forends. 20GA is 11 1/8, and the 28Ga is 9 7/8". So it is 1 1/4" longer. If my send me your email I'll send a picture to you of the two side by side. The 20Ga is still sleek in width, just a little long. By the way, it is the same length as the 12GA beavertail.

Gerry,

Photos would be great. I'm thinking long term as far as the 28 ga. Lighter carry is big deal considering the boot rubber burned up chasing grouse these days. I wouldn't mind having the chokes opened up if I find a suitable gun with factory M/F chokes. Currently hunting with a 12 ga Repro 2 bbl set - 26" bbls measure about sk/ic and do the trick. Not much heavier than a 20 so, rethinking strategy. My email is jmccarty5000 at gmail.com.

Regards,

Jerry

A 28 gauge Repro is an experience. A 20 gauge Repro is just a shotgun.

There aren't many BTFE 28g guns out there, add 28" bbls to the reqm't and the list pretty much vanishes unless it's a 2 bbl set . (I didn't see any in GunsInternational that were not 2 bbl sets).

I owned a repro-20 DT-PG-BTF with 28' barrels. I never warmed up to the size of the beaver tail and sold it. Probably due to the fact that I never saw or owned a beaver tail sxs when growing up...they were all small splinter forends!. On the other hand the 28 repro's with a BTF are so small and scaled...not oversize at all. Get your cash ready and watch the net...a gun will show up. I like double triggers and have collected a few 28ga. beaver tail guns to use, even a 410/28 three barrel set with 2 beavertails. They are my faverit little guns...(-: Thanks all SXs ohio...

I agree! The 28ga Repro with a BTFE is perfect.

Also, I really like my two barreled set, once I had Bill Schwarz open the barrels to Q1 & Q2 for the 26" and IC & M for the 28" barrels. This is the way the gun should have come originally, IMO. Keep in mind that the "full" choke on the 28" barrels is ridiculously tight, something like .035 as I recall (XXF).

Now the 26" barrels are great for skeet or pen-raised quail as found on some of the quail farms around here. The 28" for everything else. And the 28" barrel still works well on skeet too, just smokes 'em a bit more (which I don't find objectionable, since I don't eat skeets :)).

Now before I get lectured on opening up the chokes, I'm a shooter not a collector. But still, I gave it a lot of thought before doing it. Now that it's done I wish I'd have done it sooner. It makes a really useful, and fun, two barreled set.

Here's mine:

These two barrel 28 gauges are out there right now and are selling for thousands less than they were a few years ago. Go for it.

Anybody that has ever altered their Parkers from original have thought the same thing. And therein lies the problem.

A very pretty set. My 28Ga only has the 26" barrels with Q1 & Q2 chokes and I shot if for the first time Sunday at skeet. Ran a 25 with it first time out and I never broke a straight with my IC and Mod 28Ga. The Q1 & Q2 chokes really impressed me. I'm going to try it for grouse in Wisconsin next season.

Problem? Maybe for my heirs. I ain't ever gone sell it! :rotf:

I have made up my mind, no more unfired guns in my "collection". I'm only keeping guns I will shoot and enjoy. If that means opening up a choke to make it work for me, then so be it. I'll let my wife haggle with the new owner after I'm gone.

This choke opening is so expensive and the shipping and insurance is so ridiculous. I think I'll learn how to shoot a shotgun instead of going through all that punishment. No fuss, no muss.

Harsh.

Keeping unfired guns is like sacrificing virgins.

Never heard that one before, but I guess you are correct. Pretty good analogy. And I guess that is why I sell unfired guns and don't hold on to any virgins.

Opening chokes
 

Marvin,
I agree with you 100% about opening chokes if needed. I am a shooter and not a collector. If I bought a gun solely for an investment shooting it would devalue it also. I feel that handicapping yourself afield is no worse than a little modification where needed.
When I finally punch out, all of my Parkers will be well worn with decades of wonderful provenance.
Steve Kleist Ely, MN

As much as I've been disappointed with some old guns, people need to get over what other people do with their own shi#.

Hmph...as a kid, I learned to shoot pheasants and partridge with a Remington 11-48, 30" full choke, semi auto...methinks my new Reproduction with 26" mod/IC will be a killer combo...don't need no steenkin' open chokes...:)

Yup, cut away folks. Open the chokes or cut the barrels... whatever. Restock them or refinish them... it doesn't matter. For each gun that is altered it just slightly elevates the value of those that are not. :cool:

:dh: :knowbetter: :dh: :banghead:

While on the subject of beavertail forends, I am hoping to replace one "lost" in West Palm Beach. Florida and later sold on ebay two years ago.
12 gauge, 2" SN 9XXX0. I would of course like to recover my BFE or purchase a replacement. Responses will greatly appreciated will be kept confidential.

Thank you,
John Gerbino
(954) 303-0444

"Sacrificing virgins" has different meaning for different folks.

I forgot about that. Wow, I said that two years ago. I must have been referring to some obscure tribe in the Amazon.

So where do you guys find these virgins? :rotf:

At the virgin store silly....

beavertail clunker
 

A couple of moon ago I bought a 12 repro beavertail dt pg 26in barrel because we had an Italian gun in that configuration when I grew up hunting in Chihuahua and it was death to quail. I don't like it - it is too clunky. Never thought I would say that about a parker but there you go!

Although the Repros probably represent the best buy in a modern SXS shotgun they have never been purported to have the same balance and feel of an original Parker configured the same way.

To me at least, an older gun, be it Remington, Fox, Smith or Parker, all "feel" different when you close them. Sort of like closing a heavy door on an old Buick. I love my repros but they are different.

I lied about the virgins. I have only seen near virgins so no sacrifice was involved.
-plc-.

Yep, if you're lucky enough to find an original Parker with only a 2 1/4" drop and a 14 3/8" or longer LOP it's amazing how similar in feel they can be to the sweet handling Repros. :whistle:

Oh, you mean like this one. :whistle:

The only Repros I have handled that balanced as well and felt as good between the hands as any original Parker are the 28 gauge Repros. Twenties and twelves, to me, feel 'dead'.

No offense intended... I have and have had those other gauges as well.

Maybe you and I ought to work out a trade: My light and lively 12-ga. Trojan for your deadweight 20 Repro. Even up, eh? (just kidding!) :smiley7:

:smiley7:................:biglaugh:

I tested your theory Dean. Our sporting clays winter league is on and yesterday I shot a round with my 12 VHE 26" choked IC/M or thereabouts. I did not burn up the course but managed a 75. I usually do a little better but had not shot the gun for some time. Today, I shot the same course with my 12 gauge reproduction and only managed a 74. Oddly, the ones I did well on yesterday and the ones I did poorly on were reversed today. Guess I should carry two guns. The original in my hands was at least one bird better!

More importantly, son Wyatt beat me both days by 4 birds on each occasion.This is a first and he won't let me forget it. He had been shooting the 28 repro but opted for his mother's Beretta Silver Pigeon using it's 20 gauge barrels. He shot his best ever scores and is now smitten with it so I guess I can reclaim the 28 Parker Repro. Actually the 28 gauge Parker's stock is a tad straight for sporting clays.

I was chagrined enough to get out my 16 gauge Elsie when I got home and walked over to the hay barn and nailed a cottontail on the dead run. I told Wyatt he can have those clay birds for supper!

I am a member of the dreaded "He opened the chokes" club:
I have a 28 Ga double trigger 28" BTFE Reproduction that had mod/full chokes that were just silly tight. The "full" was over 30/1000ths. (No kidding)And the "Mod" was 20/1000ths.
I opened them up to IC/IC. I am happy, the gun handles like a dream, and my heirs can quibble over my sin, because I am not selling the gun, I am SHOOTING it.
I don't own "wall hangers;" and my motto on side by sides is: "If I own it, I shoot it."
Sam Ogle, Lincoln, NE