New Parker PH 12 gauge
 

Some time ago I purchased a Parker PH in 12 gauge with Twist barrels. I had the gun sent to my brother, Dan, in Colorado as I presently live in California. A couple of weeks ago I flew to Colorado and my brother picked me up at the Denver airport so we could drive to upstate NY for our 50th high school reunion. That is another story though. Dan brought with him the Parker PH so I could see it and play with it in the motel room at night. I was totally impressed with the gun as it had modern dimensions and seemed to be original to me though possibly a coat of something had been added to the wood. I will submit my photos and let those of you who are experts on the forum decide. Upon my return to Colorado before going on to California we took the Parker plus a L. C. Smith 10 gauge Syracuse Model described in another post, up to my house to shoot them. While I only shot the PH at clay targets I hit 22 out of 25 which is about as well as I shoot my Parker GH. I think I mentioned when describing my GH that it literally powders clay targets like no other gun I have owned. The PH does the same thing. Oh, I hit the clays with other guns but just not as decisively. I will never change a choke on a Parker shotgun. Whatever they Parker Brothers did to the choke in their barrels is magnificent. I meant to show photos of the very heavy L. C. Smith 10 gauge next to the Parker PH photos but I forgot. I will show the comparison in this post.

Dennis

The PH really starts to grow on you they are great looking guns and I like twist barrels. I think that is an Ithaca pad on there.

Nice PH-Grade. Great example. Ithaca introduced that "bridge trestle" pad in their 1931-2 paper. So, it is at a minimum 40+ years newer than the gun.

I have no technical data to back up my impressions but I swear my older tight choked Parkers, ithacas and winchesters really smash birds. Of course that is what a full choke does but I notice this particularly on the trap line when compared to modern guns. It gets to the point on a good day that if you just take a chip from a bird it feels a little disappointing. Tight as my older guns are choked I love them on 5 stand and sporting clays even though my scores are lower with them. So many older guns are choked tight but I am with Denis and will never open them up. And then there is the fact that all my summer shooting fun merges into duck season and the hoped for satisfaction of hard, decisive and effective hits.

Dennis ,Very Nice ,I like the P Grades also and the Twist Barrels look great ! Congrats on your new Parker !

Nice gun! Gorgeous wood and that front bead on the 10ga looks very unique. Brass capped ivory??

Richard and others, thanks for the positive comments. I really like the P grade too. It always seems tastefully decorated with engraving and wood but didn't put a prospective buyer in the poor house to obtain one years ago. Even today they seem pretty reasonable in price. The brass capped ivory bead on the L. C. Smith is the only one of these I have seen but I know I have seen others on this forum before. For me the skill level just to make that sight was pretty high. I couldn't do it today and have it come out that great.

Dennis

That is the Marbles Bi-Color front sight. A favorite of Nash Buckingham --

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ColorSight.jpg

thats a nice old parker you got there and your right it dont break a bank too buy one of these old guns..i really like the old ten i think it was gonna be a 8 ga but somebody forgot to bore the holes big enough..nice gun...we would like to hear about the reunion down on the bottom forem my 50 year reunion is also coming up shorttly... charlie

Yeah where in Upstate NY was it, I'm from Utica, (UFA) 1975 era.. have family in Syracuse as well.
Also took a tour of the Remington factory in Ilion NY last summer when i was up there, very cool to see the old factory.. and all the machinery, custom shop etc etc..