Ordinary But Not To Me
 

My grandfather's guns, his duck gun a 12ga Mod 1912 and pheasant gun, a PHE 16ga. These were bought from in laws Kautzky Sporting Goods of Fort Dodge Iowa. In the mid 60's I headed off to school and the Air Force with these behind the seat of a 1954 Ford pick up truck. The truck and grandpa are long gone except in my memories. But these guns were his. Rudy Kautzky told me to hang on to them because they didn't make guns like this any more.

It's a 1921 P with steel barrels on a 1 frame, original bores at Full and IC. I shot heavy loads until I figured out that hitting birds in the head with a 1 oz loads beat missing with heavy loads. I figure about 80,000 rounds have been through the old P, still on face and lever centered.

Great P Bruce, I envy guns like that handed down. In my family that will start with me.

I have a PHE 12 gauge that was my wife's grandfather's duck/pheasant gun. Dad still has the 20 gauge LC Smith he shot his first duck with

Nothing ordinary about those two shotguns! Love the Parker.

Your old PH has a pretty nice stick of wood on it.

I've always wondered when I hear of someone state an honest estimate of rounds through a Parker and it's still on face. In this case 80,000 just how many rounds do you think has been run through the Parkers we see off face?

Bruce, who needs (reasonably wants) more than those two guns?

Ah yes, that is the issue, isn't it?

We confuse our wants with our needs.

My thought, nothing to support it, slamming a double shut when loading much more wear than firing a shell.

William

agreed - looked a a Daily 20 once a guy wanted to sell- lots of finish so I was thinking a good deal was coming

then i picked it up and heard it rattle- when I told him it was too loose and I wasn't interested he said its fine and closes tight-

then to show me - he picked the gun up with just a hand on the wrist and snapped the barrels upwards into battery- and said - hear how they ring :shock:

Bruce - great pair - memories like that are great - and a more iconic set of American hunting guns would be hard to find

I read once where it was suggested to lift on the butt stock rather than on the barrels when closing a SxS because it applied less stress and therefore caused less wear on the hinge pin. I think this has merit.

Two fine shotguns, for sure. Well used and obviously well cared for.