Cased Parkers

[Bruce Day]

That was my father's keychain fob. I didn't go until 1971 and was there for subsequent tours in 72 and was there at the end in 73. It was something I had been working toward since I was 12 or so hanging out by the flightline watching the jets take off. It was a honor to be in SAC and wear wings like LeMay, Vandenberg, Dougherty, Twining, all the great bomber pilots.

Here's an H with conventional weapons. Or we carried four internal nukes and a clip of 6 short range nuke missiles on a revolving carriage. On the D in Vietnam we carried 108 internal and external 500lb fragmentation bombs or a mix of 84, at 60 750 pounders internally and 24 500 pounders on the wing racks.

[Bill Murphy]

None of my Parkers are in the condition to deserve a Marvin Huey case like Bruce pictures, lovely as they are. I use all the travel worn Abercrombie and Fitch compact cases I can find to house my travel worn Parkers. They just look at home in there. My .410 VHE skeet is "quail worn" and looks right in the Kevin McCormack refreshed Abercrombie case with proper snap caps and accessories. The case is in much better condition than the gun and was originally a 28 gauge case, as most A&F .410 Parker Skeet cases are. My rare and unusual Parker Brothers 1897 #38 two barrel case is original to the Bernard barrels that occupy it, but the back end of the gun is a fine DH #74,151 courtesy of BOD member John Davis. The CH that was ordered with the case is missing its stock and action. It is #86,988 if anyone has it and would be willing to contact me. My eight gauge #7 frame hammer gun is housed in an original Parker Brothers case. Unfortunately, I will have to admit to any future owner that the case is original to a gun other than mine, because it is a 36" case and my old friend has 34" Stub Twist barrels. It is the only original Parker Brothers eight gauge case I have seen. I guess there are a few out there for those of us willing to search. That is all I have to contribute, since we are not talking about leg of mutton cases here, which are a bit more common, though nice to have with an original Parker inside. This is a wonderful thread that deserves some more participation. Go for it.

[Bruce Day]

Bill, I have some more in this series, then I have it in mind to start another with more worn guns and cases, and I hope you will contribute photos. Its all about keeping interest and desire for collecting strong at a variety of value ranges. I love seeing photos of original, worn V grades in their original, worn cases. If they have an old BGICO wood rod or brass Powers rod, all the better.

[Dean Romig]

Bill - Where the heck are your pictures????

[Bill Murphy]

I wish I knew more about the picture business. However, many of my guns have been on display at PGCA annual meetings, various side by side shoots, the Concours de Elegance, in magazine articles and Parker Pages, and are in constant use wherever I go. Some day, I will learn the internet picture posting business. My friends Kevin McCormack and Berle Cherney have photographed some of my beaters for DGJ and Shooting Sportsman and I hope they will continue to do so. My favorite was Austin Hogan's article about the Annie Oakley "Gold Hearts Gun" in the Parker Pages. The restoration is finally complete, thanks to Dewey Vicknair and Ken Hurst. Once I get the old relic cased, I will bring her out again, maybe to the Annual Meeting.

[Dean Romig]

I remember the "Gold Hearts" gun from the Southern a few years ago soon after you bought it... I am anxious to see it in it's glory. Were you able to empirically link it to Annie Oakley?

[Bill Murphy]

Dean, I like your use of one of my favorite words in a fitting situation. Yes, I have empirically placed the gun into Annie's hands and into her possession. Thanks for asking.

[Dean Romig]

[Jim Kucaba]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

I wish I knew more about the picture business. However, many of my guns have been on display at PGCA annual meetings, various side by side shoots, the Concourse de Elegance, in magazine articles and Parker Pages, and are in constant use wherever I go. Some day, I will learn the internet picture posting business. My friends Kevin McCormack and Berle Cherney have photographed some of my beaters for DGJ and Shooting Sportsman and I hope they will continue to do so. My favorite was Austin Hogan's article about the Annie Oakley "Gold Hearts Gun" in the Parker Pages. The restoration is finally complete, thanks to Dewey Vicknair and Ken Hurst. Once I get the old relic cased, I will bring her out again, maybe to the Annual Meeting.

Bill ... I recently acquired a complete set of Parker Pages but haven't read them all ...Yet ... I'd like to read the "Golden Hearts" story, what issue of was it in ?

Jim Kucaba ... AriZOOna Cactus Patch ... Email: JimKucaba@aol.com

[Dean Romig]

Jim, if you had instead bought the Parker Pages DVD set you could simply use the search function and click right to it.