Value of my Parkers

Not that Mark needs my endorsement, both as a person of integrity as well as a brother Marine- but I'll do it anyway. Mark knows fine double guns, but he also donates his time and considerable talent as a photographer- many of our side-by-side SC events are captured on film or CD thanks to him, he does this gratis and deserves our thanks-

I spent last Saturday (17 July) with Mark and other brother PGCA members at the Lapeer shootfest- Mark does indeed have a fine Grade 3 10 with the matched barrel set- he also had a "special Non-Parker 12" bore I would love to own- if only there weren't a 10 Lindner Daly with Krupp barrels also waiting my bankroll-

One area where Mark and I may differ- I do NOT buy guns on any BBS or website- I may buy gun parts, books, shell boxes- I want to see the gun and shoot it- and the site Mark mentioned is a good site, thanks to owner Dave Weber- but you will get more of the "tire kicker" element- and you have to ship the gun (FFL) and offer an inspection period, plus your personal privacy could be compromised-

I recommended to you my personal friend George Lander, I have done business with him- he, like the other gentlemen Mark mentioned, is honest as the day is long- Have him consign your Parker(s) and be patient- One of many reasons I recommend George is that he is already a successful and well established realtor in SC- so there is no "panic button" if he doesn't sell a gun in order to make a bank payment-

We use this same principle in finding a guide in the West- if he has a good off-season job (carpentry, welding, auto mechanic, etc) he most likely won't be under financial pressure for his guiding income and will do a better job and be better company at eveningtide "Sundowners" time as well-

I think I may have met Mark's friend Kirby Hoyt at the MI Yooper shoot- he was handing a fine Churchill 12 bore XXV to Stephen Cobb while I watched- he offered the gun (broken open of course) to me- a fine gesture both in gun manners and as a dealer- I am about as likely to own a Churchill or a Purdey as I am to drive the 1953 Rolls-Royce Shadow Mark mentioned, but I still go to handle a "London Best"-- I tried very hard not to drool all over it- a true "Steinway of Shotguns" in my hands- Wow!!

I can't speak for the fotos, others here know that area better, nor can I for the PGCA Board of Directors, who have wisely ruled we should NOT sell our Parkers here- My guess, and mine ONLY, is that they wish to avoid the acrimony I have read on the For Sale posts at times on other sites that deal in gun sales-