Longevity

[Hammer Gun]

I am amazed at the quality of the work that went into Parker guns over the years, Ever time I pick up a Parker that is 130-140 years old and it still works as it was intended to, I can't help but shake my head. What if they could make things today that would last that long? Sometimes I think the life span of modern manufactured items are dated to fail at a certain time in order to make the consumer by more. The workers in the Parker Gun Works were craftsmen, that were proud of what they built, and knew it had to pass final inspection, needless to say I bet very few of the guns failed to pass! A testament to proud craftsmen! Gary

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Gary Carmichael Sr

Sometimes I think the life span of modern manufactured items are dated to fail at a certain time in order to make the consumer by more.

Gary, that is absolutely the case and has been commonplace since about the 50's or 60's and is known as "planned obsolecense".

I couldn't agree more with you about the quality of Parker guns and so many other things that were manufactured with pride by consciencious craftsmen.

[Bruce Day]

xxxx

[Autumn Daze]

Gary and Dean, I agree with you gent's whole heartedly. What skilled hands created in this country years ago will never be found here again for the most part. Yes there are a few craftsmen still creating wonderful work but I think we will never see the volume of day to day craftsmanship to occured back in the day.

Looking around and seeing the loss of manufacturing that made this country the world leader just plain scares me.

I think it was GM that coined the phrase "planned obsolesence" Car's built in the 30's to the 50's just lasted too long. I remember my mother bought a brand new 63 Chevy Impala and I remember thinking that this car was junk compared to a 50's era car.

[Chris]

I agree with all… One of my other vises, beside old SxS is antique wall clocks (Regulator types). They have been in daily use for over 100 years and still keep perfect time, every few years a few drips of oil is all they need! The repos that we have received as gift run for a few years and then cost too much to repair.

[C.O.B.]

My wife was reading that the average expected time for your home computer is 5 years. She sells appliances at a major box store and always reccomend that customers buy the extended warranty as these things arn't designed to last.

Look at what you get today even in guns, todays guns are stocked in some form of plastic, there are rubber panels where checkering is supposed to be and they look like something out of Star Wars. This goes for shotguns and rifles. We as a country have lost the air of nostalgia and taking some pride in what we produce.

I'll just keep my antique (solid Oak) furniture, my Parkers and Pre 64 M70 Winchesters or I'll have it custom built. One way or another it's Made in America with some pride.

[Researcher]

Hunting guns are really shot very little, and carried a whole lot. Serious competition guns on the other hand get shot and abused a lot. From the records we've seen many instances the big name shooters sending their Parker guns back to Parker Bros. every few years for "removing dents and repolishing the barrels", "tightning the action", "restocking" and "overhauling". The guys at the gun club today were just talking about the end of season deal on sending their Ljutics back to Yakima for the complete overhaul and rebluing!! Nothing new.

[C.O.B.]

It wasn't uncommon for the English to send their Holland & Hollands and Purdy's back to their respective companies for work after hunting season either. This is just a matter of takeing care of things and thats one reason those things last for a hundred years or more. Today things don't get repaired they get replaced. Have you seen a TV repairman lately or how about the Maytag repairman?

[Bill Zachow]

While I agree wholeheartedly that the average field gun of today can not hold a candle to the classic guns of yesteryear, many other things can and do. Back in the 50s it would have been very uncommon to have a car survive for 100,000 miles. Today, that is commonplace. Batteries for autos were usually shot after a couple of years. Now, 10 years is easy. Tires in the 50 and 60 usually maxed out at 20,000 miles if you were lucky. Today, 50,000 miles easy. The television you bought in the 50s for todays equivalent of $5,000 would not stop rolling and had more snow than the Donner party ever saw. Today's TVs give perfect pictures and audio for the 50s equivalent $20 at most. I could go on and on. Things are different today. In some ways better; in some, worse. The classic guns will live on and the new, plastic and rubber aerodynamic weapons will probably never become collector's items--thank heavens.

[C.O.B.]

I have had to buy two car batteries in the last month Neither one approached 10 years old and can you say expensive

I agree that some things are better and they sould be with the advances in technology but Gary was referring to our Parkers standing the test of time and they do that exceptionally well and I doubt that there can be a modern comparison in todays mass produced realm.