1. The Parker is safe to shoot and take afield;
2. When I put her to my shoulder and swing her it feels good. And I will do this a hundred times when considering purchase if at all possible. Half the time I do it with my eyes open and half closed (n.b. obviously this can't be done when buying from a distance but this is where you get to know the dimensions that work well for you and the reason you buy with an option to return to seller
3. Before I buy I know that everytime I open the safe I would want to pick her up and check her out, wipe her down. She just makes me feel good. Sometimes I'll want to take her out of the safe and just hang out in the house while I pay bills or futz around;
4. I WANT to take her hunting and if I drop her accidentally and put a nick in the wood it's not the end of the world- it's just another story;
5. Seek advice from one of the experts here on this discussion board. Most are more than willing to offer solid advice.
6. Because I'm not an expert on specs, history and all things Parker, I do bring a checklist of things to know about the candidate I'm considering purchasing, but frankly this is all secondary to 1-5.
Best of luck.
I don't own many Parkers and I'm a user not a collector.
Best of luck!