hunts of the past

[charlie cleveland]

with my first parker...my first parker to ever hold in hand and soon traded for was a 10 ga ph grade..it had 32 inch barrels full choke both barrels it was my turkey gun as soon as i seen it...my friend and i always stopped at a place call reds tradeing post ever time we went by they always had a good selection of old doubles but was rare to see a parker in our area...we stopped one day and was looking over the racks of guns my friend comes over and says guess whats setting on the rack over there so i go over and pick up a parker 10 ga of all things..i shouldered the old ten and aimed at a imaginary target it was love at first sight for me and this old gun...the price was 600 dollars on the tag hanging on the trigger guard..this was a lot of money in the late 1970 s for me...this was on saturdayand i mite of had a 20 in my pocket i take the gun up to red and says put her back for me i will send my dad back monday with some guns to trade you for this parker..monday comes i sent my dad back with a remington pump rifle in 32 remington caliber and a big pistol in 45 colt and a hundred dollar bill...my dad came home with the gun after a lot of haggleing with red...i was in a very happy state when i seen the old parker in my dads hands to say the least...i had not yet set up the dr pepper range but i sure gave the big ten a work out she shot good and put lots of holes in cans at beyond a normal turkeys range for me.. now all i had to do was wait for turkey season which was 5 months away it soon came opening day...i was up bright and early and was headed for my hunting ground..i had done my home work well before opening morning i knew there was 4 good gobblers in my area and i had one gobbeling before day light that morning..i set up for the old gobbler behind ahuge bush and before long here came that big bird gobbling and tripple gobbeling..i soon seen the gobbler at 50 yards then 45 yards and then 35 yards he started drumming and gobbleling...when he let his feathers down and looked my way the old big 10 took her first turkey for me...since then the big ten has took lots more turkeys for me a few deer and ducks...she has been my companion on lots of hunts and my affection for this old 10 ga has never changed.....charlie

[Mark Garrett]

Great story, I can picture it in mind .

[Joe D.]

Charlie, Were you shooting factory short tens or did you load your own for turkeys back then? Thanks, Joe

[charlie cleveland]

joe i was shooting factory loads back then did not have a loader back then for the short ten but do now...i was shooting the old remington paper with green hulls and blue paper remingtons in the other barrel.. these old 10 ga s are bad medicene on about any thing you would hunt with a shotgun....charlie

[Bill Murphy]

Charlie, is your ten a steel barrel gun or twist?

[charlie cleveland]

bill it is a twist barrel.. it has the brightest and prettiest bores on any gun i have..gun was made some where between 1901 and 1902... i ask about a letter on it but no info available on it...no blueing left on it or case colors but shes still my favorite parker that i have...the left barell shoots slugs really well out to 50 steps the right barrel does not shoot them as well...charlie...

[Brian H]

Great story Charlie, do you any pics of the old girl?

[Sheepherder]

Always enjoy your stories, Charlie. And always ready to hear more of them.

[charlie cleveland]

if i can get the wife to post the pictures i will get a few...charlie

[Bill Murphy]

What's the serial number, Charlie. Someone may have some information.