Now what?? Anyone know a good counselor?
 

I’m in Denver on a short break from the Fairbanks winter and my host and I snagged his gun-laden neighbor and headed to the local trap range to burn some powder. I knew John had a nice 20ga Citori so wasn’t worried about shooting too foreign a gun. It was cold so we were pretty bundled up. Well, his neighbor offered me a nice Merkel 20ga S/S so I tried that first. It felt a bit awkward but not that bad and I think I hit 13 or something. Then he pulls out this very nice O/U 12ga trap gun and tells me to try it…. It felt absolutely awful. Heavy, the LOP felt like it was 16” with all the clothes I had on. Big wide and tall vent rib sticking up…Single trigger…very flat stock…. I thought this is going to be really bad and very embarrassing, but I dutifully took my place on the line and away we went. This gun felt to me like a piece of sewer pipe mounted on a hunk of firewood to mount. Every mount was different and it seemed I was looking down the side of the barrels half the time, but for some strange reason, every time my head came up after the shot, all I could see was black dust in place of the clay that seemed to me to disappear from sight at some random and varying point in my awkward and clumsy swing. Halfway through I swore a rash was developing all over my body and all I wanted was one of my Parkers. The pain and misery continued to mount as the round progressed and clays for some reason, that seemed to me to have nothing to do with my efforts, continued to die. After all that, I ended up powdering 18/25 clays, which is likely the best score I have ever managed at such a game, and with the most uncomfortable gun I have ever shot in my life. Go figure. Next round I figured I had it all figured out and went back to the Merkel 20 to redeem my self respect and to get rid of the rash and I think I hit only 5/25! And I thought I knew what type of gun I shot well and not so well…. These trap shots seemed easy too. I figure I would have shot 20+ every time with my Remington hammer gun or even my DH12. I feel like I'm having some 'back to the drawing board' moments and figure I’m going to need some serious counseling after this experience… I hope my PGCA card won't be summarily burned by the BOD after such a performance....

There is a reason high stocked over and unders and high ribbed "un" single barrel guns overwhelmingly dominate the trap ranges of the world and its not fashion. Most people just shoot them better than side by sides. While I am no great trapshooter, I have shot a few 25s with lots of different shotguns including Parkers, it's just easier and more methodical with a proper trap gun whose PoI is such that one can float the target above the muzzle rather than cover it.

Richard,

The fellows I normaly shoot with refer to my Parker's as crowbar's. Everyone is saying try my gun. Like you, these O/U's feel like a fencepost with a spud bar mounted on it and the single triggers have me stumped. Never could opperate one. My father started shooting O/U's and had a 28 Browning 425 and a 12 gauge 325. I found a 12 gauge 425 and purchased it for him. He shot it for the first time on a Sunday and died the following Wednesday. I shot it some last summer and though I was about 10+ birds better per 100, I want a Parker. Plus Wednesday's had me walking on eggs. I'll give the Brownings to his grandchildren and keep the Parkers.

Harry

Don's correct being able to float the clay above the bbl in the sight picture. I was very careful to not blank the clay when I shot. I just felt soooo uncomfortable and mount so inconsistent I figured I wouldn't hit even 5/25 with it... phew. Not so. And these seemed like shots I can hit when shooting over the river at home with my eyes closed. Just rising straightaways with some angle on the side stations. What could be easier?! At home I let shots like that get out to at least 50yds just to make them seem not so easy; my long bbled hammer guns love those long ones... I wish I could go back today with any one of my Parkers to see how it would go. I've never shot official 'trap'; is that the usual with 5 stations in slight semi-circle with radiating handicap lines and a thrower out front that throws them wherever it pleases?? Trigg: I'm coming down to Anchorage Feb 3-4; we may have to go to Birchwood that evening and shoot under the lights when no one is watching and try this trap thing to see if it's as easy at it looks...

Rich,Trap is my winter game.Sounds like you had fun! Never mind them O/U guns.Sounds like you just talked yourself into a new Parker.All three of my Parker trap guns the VHE and DHE doubles and the SC single are stocked high.I float the bird 6-8 inch's above the bead and these guns crush targets. I had a Browning Featherweight O/U trap gun but sold it because I shot and liked the Parkers better!

Richard,

What you now need is a nice Parker single barrel trap gun. A few years ago I took a friend trap shooting and with his hunting gun he only broke 3 in the first round. I convinced him to shoot my SBT on the next round and he scored 24 out of 25, he was amazed at the difference. I do have a double trap gun that I shoot OK, but not as well as my SBT. On Sunday I am picking up a Parker SC trap gun that I found in northern Michigan, another addictive love affair to go along with the SxS Parkers, God help me.

Bill

I could defnitely see a SBT were I to shoot competitive trap, the chances of which are so low as to be infinitesimal. I'm sure I would have shot 20+ the other day with any one of my Parkers that I'm use to shooting at rising birds and clays. We're going to some large gun show here in Denver on Saturday... who knows what we'll find. I'm going to try for stuff that John can drive up for me in late February..., old shotgun ammo, cast bullets, primers, etc...

Sooo,Bill it was you that pulled the trigger on that great SC! A great price also.I was gonna buy that gun yesterday for a friend but you got there first...:crying:OH Well..That gun has to be in the first few made! Congratulations...:)

I came close to pulling the trigger on that one myself.

I hope it looks as good as the pictures. The fellow that i am purchasing it from just had the firing pin replaced . It seems that it would not fire all the time. The gunsmith told him that someone replaced the firing pin with a screw that had the end filed down to look like the pin. What was the first year that Parker built the SBT?

Bill