A buddy buys an old Parker case and......
 

Well, see a good friend buys a decent old lifter in an original Parker labeled case and its got all the stuff in it. The trouble is the case was never very well built and is kinda falling apart.

So we get in the pick up and drive 20 miles of dusty gravel road, down the hollows, across the creek low water crossing, past the wild turkeys that don't even bother to look, rattled across the wash out, and we come to a house and workshop back in the Ozarks where he has a replica made:

Much like the middle and bottom illustrations in this old Parker Gun catalog.


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What do you suppose we will look like at 100 plus ?

Thanks Bruce, That same gentleman directed me to that craftsman, Funny but we both bought those old cases about the same time and they came from about the same general area!

Dean, the case that Bruce pictures is the "Shelltop Case". Is that case also pictured in your catalog? What year is your catalog?

We've seen it in the 1879 catalog. Let's see if Dean's is the same year. For those who are unfamiliar with the Shelltop style, named because the shells are kept in a row in the top of the case. The case opens up, gun and compartments on the bottom. The top swings open, a panel lifts up, and the shells and more compartments are there. All shells loaded, the case is heavy. They are really not made sturdy enough, its like some kind of fiberboard material, and things tend to break and rip. Not to mention being over 100 years old.

Sorry Gents, it's not my catalog. I photographed a lot of pages from this catalog which belongs to another member. I'll check to see if I have a picture of the "shell top" case as well as the year of the catalog.