Why did L.C. Smith outsell Parker?

[Jawjadawg]

Originally Posted by greg conomos

It's the same reason Michael Jackson has sold more records than Waylon Jennings. There's no accounting for taste.

You guys are harsh. Let's remember that Charles Parker also sold his soul to the Devil when he agreed to supply Grant's Army in the War of Northern Aggression.

[Drew Hause]

Sporting Life reported the guns, hulls & powder used by competitors in major shoots 1895-1902. It is clear that prior to mid-1895 the choice of the "top guns" was British, thereafter a Smith, and starting with the 1898 GAH (mostly) a Parker. The great Fred Gilbert left Hunter Arms for Parker after the 1899 GAH.
https://docs.google.com/a/damascuskn...FKEyuY/preview
AND most of the American team in the 1901 Anglo-American Match were induced to use Parkers
https://docs.google.com/a/damascuskn...jEdR4j_E9l4HLw

It may be that Parker, by advertising and price, was perceived as the 'high class' gun, and there were only so many 'high class' buyers out there.

It is interesting how popular the "The Yankee Sidelock" was in the South, esp. 16g guns, as were Lefevers among the 'well heeled sportsmen'.

[Drew Hause]

In 1899, Harvey McMurchy likely traveled through the West with both Col. A.G. Courtney (Remington) and S.A. Tucker

http://www.la84foundation.org/Sports.../SL3225014.pdf
Harvey McMurchy and Col. A.G. Courtney (Remington Arms), two popular gun salesmen, attended a holiday shoot at Kansas City Feb. 22. In a live-bird sweep each killed 14 out of 15. Both did well in the target events.

http://www.la84foundation.org/Sports.../SL3301014.pdf
H. McMurchy, of the Hunter Arms Co., and S.A. Tucker, of Parker Bros., are now in San Francisco working the trade in the interests of their respective firms. They took part in the club shoot of the Olympic Gun Club on March 12; McMurchy killing 12 straight and Tucker 10 out of 12. In a six-bird sweep McMurchy again made a clean score.

[Double Lab]

Now, if I were a consumer in that era and I was looking for a entry level shotgun I would have bought the Sterlingworth. Slimmer than a Trojan (although I love my Trojans), more options and cheaper. What's not to like.