I had a chance to handle a British shotgun the other day. A lovely little thing of maybe barely 6 lbs, small bore and as pretty as a ballerina. And, it got me to thinking about my Parker Hammerless Fishtail. Not sure what it weighs. 9 lbs might be polite. And, it is not even a large Parker, with its ubiquitous 2 Frame and 32" barrels. When it was new, its 12ga would have been a veritable small bore in a stand of 10s and the occassional 8ga. It is choked tight and tighter. And, by the stock, I would guess that she was bought by a man who was thinking of high geese. And, while she may have been a midweight in her day, a heavy barrelled 32" Parker 12 ga is a manly gun.
I had her out a few months ago at Addieville and determined that in the name of "men" it was time for a talk with Dave Suponski's son, Danny. Now Danny is as nice a kid as any father could ask for. Dave drags him out of bed to shoots and in the few years I have known him I have never heard an unkind word from him. He does a pretty solid job against the old clay pigeons, and does so with a gun that has a bore akin to some of my rifles. I have myself at times lusted in my heart after a 28 bore, but there comes a time in a boys life, when it is time to shoot with the men. So, in the name of manliness I ambushed poor Danny and handed him the old PH. He politely sought to decline, but it was too late. The trap was set, and with all looking on he was caught. So, being a good sport he duly loaded the old Fishtail, gave us a last look as if to say goodbye, and I think his eyes were firmly closed as he pulled the front trigger. It did not actually knock him over, and with grim determination he fired the second barrel.
I suspect that next time Danny sees me, he may keep his distance to keep away from that old gun, but I give him credit. He did the right thing, put her up to his shoulder and fired an old Parker as it was meant to be fired.
Why a fishtail. Why not. Then again, maybe Danny told his friends about having broken 12 birds with one shot from that old gun. I am sure it would not be the first story, and I think the old girl has a few more left in her after 118 years. Locks up tight, great triggers, and like the old Commander Cody song, tires are good, brakes are fair.
08-20-2010, 06:32 PM
Hmmm
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