Please Keep Gary Herman In Your Thoughts

edgarspencer · 03-05-2026, 06:41 PM

One of my oldest (longest, Murphy is 2nd oldest) friends, Gary Herman has been diagnosed with a large mass on his brain. He is in Vassar Medical Center, and will undergo a procedure on Monday.
For those of you who don't know Gary, He founded Safari Outfitters, more than fifty years ago, and so far as I know, originated the idea that a gun shop of that nature, should be like a man's home. The walls were lined with every top shelf name you can imagine, and you could take them down, fondle them, swing them, and sit in an overstuffed chair and get to know them. He knew my dad very well; knew what he liked, and put the gun in his hand the moment we walked in the door on Thursday night. Inevitably a deal was struck, and the gun went home with my dad.
I have been very close with Gary and Denise and will keep you all informed as things are learned.

Kevin McCormack · 03-05-2026, 08:29 PM

Thank you Edgar - hard to believe I have known Gary as long as I have! I saw him off and on at gun shows in the late 1980s - early '90s, but really got to know him in connection with Del Grego's restocking of the George Lyman Parker Invincible, which brought together the seminal parties of the earliest collectors, surviving original Parker employees, premier dealers, and others of the most knowledgeable of the marque. His depth of knowledge and ability to recall and accurately track the historical aspects of who owned what and when never ceased to amaze me! And always his cordial, almost nonchalant manner of sharing what he knew with those of us who at the time thought we knew so much but in fact knew so little! He is indeed a living storehouse of knowledge on Parker Guns!

edgarspencer · 03-05-2026, 10:07 PM

Kevin, you are so right about his seemingly off-the-cuff comments that you had to stop............and digest. To this day, I will always remember when Pete Harvey brought Odis Odom to the office to visit with my dad. Pete pulled right up onto the sidewalk in front of the office door, and he and Odis got out, opened the trunk of Pete's big old Caddy and took out about five guns and came marching in. Mary, at the front desk, having a sixth sense, waved them on through. A couple minutes later, about 4, maybe 5 Hartford cruisers pulled up and the cops ran in. Then there was a lot of laughing.
Next came the conference call with Gary, and they were like 'Our Gang' laughing. I think there was a lot of BS flying but it was a hoot if ever there was one.

edgarspencer · 03-05-2026, 10:10 PM

The greatest piece of advice Gary gave me was, when coming home with a new gun, Walk in, through the gun on the couch and say "What's for dinner".

Bill Murphy · Yesterday, 10:10 AM

I remember visiting the old store, what was the name of that town? My ex and I would stop every time we travelled to Rockport to visit her mother and her mother's seafood restaurant on Bearskin Neck. This was in the mid seventies, fifty years ago. A couple or few years ago, Gary talked me (or I talked myself) into "needing" a bunch of eight gauge Bismuth ammunition just in case I planned a waterfowl trip to the UK in the future. Fat chance for a guy who has trouble just standing for more than five minutes. Get well, Gary.

edgarspencer · Yesterday, 10:19 AM

Ridgefield.

Dean Romig · Yesterday, 10:51 AM

I only wish the best outcome for Gary. He is truly the stuff of which legends are made.

Get Well Gary!

.

Bill Murphy · Yesterday, 02:31 PM

Yup, Edgar, Ridgefield, CT. If my ex hadn't been with me, I would have scored a real clean 28 gauge DH Parker for $2650. I'm sure Gary would have knocked a few bucks off of that price. Oh, well.

nid-28 · Yesterday, 03:12 PM

I first met Gary in the early 1970s when I took a road trip to his shop in Ridgefield Connecticut. Along with me, we’re three of my gun, loving buddies and we were on a pilgrimage to see the 16 gauge Parker invincible shotgun that he had possession of at that time. This was the gun that had come out of Paul Jaegers shop in Jenkintown Pennsylvania. it was quite a sight to see and somewhere, I still have a photograph of that gun that Gary was handing out to those who visited to see it. Over the ensuing decades, I would see Gary at various gun events like the Vintage cup or the Orvis events in New York. it was always fun to be in this company and my thoughts and prayers will be with him going forward. He’s a true icon in the world of fine guns.

edgarspencer · Yesterday, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Yup, Edgar, Ridgefield, CT. If my ex hadn't been with me, I would have scored a real clean 28 gauge DH Parker for $2650. I'm sure Gary would have knocked a few bucks off of that price. Oh, well.

That's probably the gun Allan Swanson bought, then pi$$ed and moaned when Gary came up with the 2nd set of barrels and wanted more money.
$2650 was the magic number back then. My dad bought an as-new DHE20 for $2650 from him. It now resides with his first grandson, not 5 miles from Kevin.