Parker, Smith, Rem, Go Head-To-Head, 1896

[CSL]

As the story appeared 100 years ago in the Feb, 1918 Breeder & Sportsman. Titled "It Was Some Gun", and vividly recalled by T.E Doremus... Harvey McMurchy of Hunter Arms with his creative imagination seems to have carried the day...

"Here's a story that T. E. Doremus, former president of the Interstate Association, says he has carried in his mind for 20 years. It is worth while and has improved with age, like they tell us certain fluids do. It was along about 1896 when Harvey McMurchy of Fulton. N. Y., at that time sales manager for the Hunter Arms Company; the late Ed Fulford, of the Remington Company, and Jack Hull, of Parker Bros., began to argue about the respective shooting qualities of their guns, to the delight of a crowd at the New York State Fair. Fulford claimed for Remington guns (they were making double-barrel guns in 1896) that they would kill ducks at a distance of 150 yards. Hull insisted that the Parker was good for 25 yards more. That seemed to about settle the argument... Suddenly McMurchy horned in and in his quiet, serene manner told how one day he was out hunting partridges and, upon looking heavenward, saw a small object sailing around 'way up in the clouds. Although somewhat doubtful about the chances of making a kill, he nevertheless let drive. The result was most startling. The object seemed to stop for a moment, then it began to fall toward the earth in a wide, circling flight, and at last gracefully landed on a knoll some 200 yards away. All curiosity, McMurchy said he hurried to the spot, and his surprise was beyond imagination when he discovered that he had injured a baby angel. He carried it to a near-by farmhouse, and after a few days' nursing it recovered from the gunshot wound and flew back home. The Smith gun was unanimously voted some gun. "


Best ~ CSL
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[charlie cleveland]

that is the best storey i have heard in a while...i guess i d better start leaveing them lc smiths at the house when shooting skyward sure would hate to shoot a baby angel....charlie

[edgarspencer]

I love old-time, clean humor, where it wasn't necessary to belittle, degrade or otherwise lower one to make the other better. I believe my dad and his cousin lived only to best eachother's fishtails and grouse shots.

[J.B. Books]

It was reported later that after the Angel was returned to the skies Mr. McMurchy found the stock of his L.C. Smith had a large crack behind the left side plate from the shot.

[Double Lab]

Good one Pete!

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Pete Lester

It was reported later that after the Angel was returned to the skies Mr. McMurchy found the stock of his L.C. Smith had a large crack behind the left side plate from the shot.

Now that's "Fake News" for sure. Remember, this was 1896 when the inletting on Smiths was better.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Garry L Gordon

Now that's "Fake News" for sure. Remember, this was 1896 when the inletting on Smiths was better.

No it's not fake news, it just happened too late to make the last edition of the Bible. It was after the shooting of the baby Angel that God cursed the stocks of the L.C. Smith.

[Drew Hause]

Thanks Chris.
Different, and more congenial times for Professional Representatives then

In 1899, McMurchy traveled through the West with both Col. A.G. Courtney (Remington) and S.A. Tucker (Parker)
Harvey McMurchy and Col. A.G. Courtney (Remington Arms), two popular gun salesmen, attended a holiday shoot at Kansas city Feb. 22. In a live-bird sweep each killed 14 out of 15. Both did well in the target events.

H. McMurchy, of the Hunter Arms Co., and S.A. Tucker, of Parker Bros., are now in San Francisco working the trade in the interests of their respective firms. They took part in the club shoot of the Olympic Gun Club on March 12; McMurchy killing 12 straight and Tucker 10 out of 12. In a six-bird sweep McMurchy again made a clean score.

More on "Prince Mac" here
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...mI9WSc/preview

[Drew Hause]

Trade Representatives at the Seventh Annual Tournament of the Pennsylvania State Sportsmen’s Association June 22-25, 1897.
Captain A. W. Money (shooting a Greener, Parker and Smith), American “E.C.” and “Schultze” Powder Co.;
Fred Gilbert (shooting a Smith), DuPont Powder Co.;
Sim Glover, Parker gun and “Schultze” powder;
E. D. Fulford, Remington gun and U.M.C. factory loads;
Gus Grieff (shooting a Francotte), Von Lengerke & Detmold, New York;
Ferd. Van Dyke, Winchester Repeating Arms Co., New Haven;
Rolla O. Heikes, Winchester Repeating Arms Co. and “E.C.” Powder;
Ralph Trimble, DuPont Powder Co., Cincinnati;
Will Crosby, Baker Gun Co., Batavia, N. Y.;
J. “147” L. Winston, (shooting a Smith) Austin Cartridge Co., Cleveland O.;
Harvey McMurchy, L.C. Smith Gun, Fulton, N. Y.;
Geo. Mosher, Syracuse Gun Co., Syracuse, N. Y.;
Dan Lefever, Lefever Arms Co., Syracuse, N. Y.;
Milt F. Lindsley and wife “Wanda” (both shooting Smiths), King Powder Co. and Peters Cartridge Co.;
J. Fanning (shooting a Smith), U.S. Smokeless Powder Co., San Francisco;
A.W. DuBray, Parker Gun Co., Meriden, Conn.;
L.D. Thomas, Laflin & Rand Powder Co., Pittsburg;
E.H. Kniskein, Schoverling, Daly & Gales;
“U.M.C.” Thomas, Union Metallic Cartridge Co., Bridgeport, Conn.;
C.A. North, Cleveland Target Co., Cleveland, O.;
A.G. Courtney, Remington Arms Co., New York.
Fred Quimby, New York representative of Smith guns, “E.C.” powder, and Hunter wheels (bicycles).

Fulford won the 1898 Grand American Handicap at Live Birds as a shooting representative of the Remington Arms Co., and used a Remington hammerless gun weighing 7 3/4 lbs., 3 1/2 Dram “Schultze” powder in U.M.C. Trap shells, three inches in length; 1 1/4 oz. No. 7 shot.

One of the very few images of Fulford; 1897 at Watson's Park, Chicago



He sadly (and needlessly today) died of pneumonia in 1904

His Memorial Dedication in "Sporting Review" June 24, 1905. McMurchy is farthest left behind the Parson

[B. Dudley]

If they still had shooting at the NYS fair, it would actually be worth going to.