I don't want to be an alarmist, but....

[David Noble]

I wish this whole thread was in a members only forum. It pains me that interested visitors to the site will read this thread and decide that Parker collecting/shooting is a dying genre and not worth investing time or money in. Us members are already hooked and enjoying what we do, but the newcomers to the site can be easily turned away. There is no doubt that we need to advance interest in the collecting and shooting of Parker guns but displaying the dirty laundry for all to see is not good for our cause. I'm not attacking anyone here....please don't take it that way. I'm just saying...

[Mills]

I am going to break ranks and say I am optimistic about the future of collecting. I have wanted to be a collector ever since seeing my great uncle's gun room with guns all around it when I was about 3 or so. I wanted a Parker for years before I owned one and only got around to acquiring multiple ones a few years ago. Truth is, it is hard to be a collector when you are young and just starting out. Although the average age was pretty old in Vegas, there was a small but significant group in my age range. I predict more will come on as time goes by.

We can't rest on our laurels, though, and need to be proactive in attracting younger collectors and shooters. I had several conversations with members in Vegas about this issue and some good suggestions were made. I don't know if those suggestions will be acted on, but those might generate other ideas that will.

[SXS OHIO]

I invited my nieses boy friend to a preserve pheasant shoot last weekend. I asked if he had a shotgun to hunt with...yep...I got a Mossberg pump. So after much thought I offered to let him use a pretty nice L.C. Smith field 12 with 30" M/F barrels. We had 8 shooters, 50 birds doing a European type shoot, Hi overhead shots so the 30" barrels would work good! Ben got off to a slow start and fussed not having his Mossberg. Told him to cover up the birds, things did change and he started hitting birds hard. Big smiles now! He made some comments later in the hunt when we got the pointers out to find missed birds, we had some bonding time. At the end of the day I gave him the Smith gun, that young man is now hooked and was headed home to learn all about his new L.C. Smith double gun. He is a good kid...learning the plumbing trade, not a spoiled liberal type and I am sure he will keep that gun I gave him, he appreciated it!!! SXS ohio

[Tad Tadlock]

Pretty much the same conversation is happening on the SASS Wire, which is the forum for the Single Action Shooting Society.

Folks are concerned about the Cowboy Action Shooters becoming older and not being able to attract new and younger shooters.

I believe the reasons are similar in some ways. Shooting and hunting are no longer seen as mainstream activities by many younger folks. If their father or grandfather doesn't take them shooting or hunting, it's not happening.

I would imagine that many of y'all grew up just like I did, out in the woods with a .22 or a 20 gauge was just about an everyday activity. If you looked in the parking lot at my high school, there would be rifles and shotguns in gun racks in the back windows of at least half of the pickup trucks that were there. I know that there usually was in my old '68 Chevy. As soon as school was out we were going hunting. Ain't no way that is happening nowadays.

Today more kids grow up in town instead of the country. You can't run around town with a rifle or a shotgun like you could when we were kids.

[George "Scott" Davis]

My post is in no way trying to hurt our wonderful organization, my interest is making it grow, be more inclusive to all ages and gender, grow, share the wealth of knowledge, friendship and passion our group has for our hobby.
The younger generations have grown-up with the social media, electrics, and instant information. Look at our children, grandchildren and even our great grandchildren I believe we need to be playing in their sandbox. Many High Schools, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts have video/film making programs, there are countless opportunities to have our members show/teach/share different information: stock making, engraving, rust bluing, case hardening, shooting tips, difference between trap/sheet/live bird guns, how to pick a piece of wood for a stock, science of reloading and pressurer, etc........! Match the depth of knowledge in this organization with the kids passion (electrics) and I believe they will soon be hooked on our love of Parkers and double shotguns.
Think about it "videos" developed by kids posted on our web page; parents, grandparents and how many of their friends will want to see what they have done.
Collecting, shooting, hunting will only be their next step.

[Jay Oliver]

I got bit by the Parker bug a few years ago. I bought my first Damascus GH right when I turned 40 and I am 43 now. I am closing in on a dozen Parkers and finally building a gun room. I think part of the issue is conveying the knowledge that you can shoot these old guns and that you really are buying a piece of history. It would be nice if RST or Polywad shells were at more retailers and other shooting places(Addieville East in Rhode Island does carry these shells). Most younger shooters will not likely be reloading. I think some of the main sources of resistance are:

- Knowing what and where to buy
- How do I know if a gun is safe to shoot?(and having confidence in it)
- Where to get shells?(Most people are not ordering shells online). Most of these guns cannot be shot with big box store ammo
- The gun has tight chokes(I didn’t know about spreader shells until I saw them on RST’s website)
- Who can work on it?(Most people haven’t boxed up a gun and brought it to FedEx or UPS) Most of us know by now that sending a gun to get fixed is a simple process.

I had all of these questions when I bought my first Parker, but after 3 years I know all the answers to the above concerns and sometime can’t sleep because I am thinking of a Parker. Every time I shoot sporting clays I am always asked about the Parker I am carrying. I usually have to explain Damascus and low pressure shells. One of the most common questions is “Where do you even get a gun like that?.” Remember most people haven’t bought a gun online or through the mail either(without seeing it first).

I do think more casual vintage or sxs shoots might help if they’re easy and fun. I think anything promoting the “romance” of a fine double gun(not to mention the level of quality and possible investment value) could also have a positive influence. Basically, you have to convince the youth of today that it is worth some of the “hassles” to shoot these guns. Which we would all agree it is and to go even further the only way we want to shoot.

I am trying to do my part, I brought a former student of mine who is 29 to the Southern SXS and let him shoot one of my guns. He loved it! Perhaps best of all, my 5 year old daughter thinks any long gun is a Parker shotgun. As she should…

[Bindlestiff]

If you want to further the cause and want to take a young-n along, bring them to one of the shoots that are posted here on our forum. That way you introduce them to Parker, double guns and some fun shooting too.

Many of you may not be aware of the "Calendar" link found at the top of this page (and all forum pages) where you can both enter information on a shooting event and also look for one that has been scheduled.

As you guys post events for shooting, I try to enter the dates on that calendar for you, but I admit, I probably don't get them all. It would be better if you entered them directly.

Now that you know the Calendar exists, I suggest that more forum users use it. Take a look at the start of every month and see if there is something you might like to attend. More than just once a month may be advised, especially if people start entering more shooting opportunities on their own!

Another good place to look for Parker shooting is by clicking the Events link on the left side of the PGCA home page. If someone knows of a PGCA shoot or gathering event, and wants it posted there, please PM me with the information (but it must be double gun oriented).

I have the feeling these tools are not used by most forum members but if we start using them it may enhance our shooting opportunities, yes?

[Pay Dirt]

I'm sure, not helping (at least here on the west coast), is the pending California lead ban.
It has helped me see the writing on the wall and led me to the divestiture of many of my vintage doubles.

Sorry to be the guy betting on the No Pass line.

[Mtntopjack]

I've only been a member for a couple years, but I read almost everything in our forum. I rarely post, but I do have an opinion. I'm close to 70 years old but I've only been collecting Parker's and a few other high grade SxS's for several years. A few years ago prices for Parkers, Fox's and Ithaca's were "up there", and examples of some very fine guns could be found at the larger gun shows. Not anymore it seems. I've been to the last three gun shows advertised for my area and only one of them had a display of higher quality SxS's, whereas 5-10 years ago there were always vendors present selling high quality guns. My opinion is that the majority of our younger generation has virtually no interest in vintage shotguns, nor firearms of any kind for the most part. While "our" generation was raised with all types of guns in our homes, and shooting and hunting was very commonplace (at least where I was raised), today's youth have been indoctrinated and brainwashed by our schools, colleges and the media on the horrors of guns and shooting and hunting. If you DO find young folk who have any interest in firearms, it's usually the polymer-frame handguns and/or the black rifles.
As an older guy, I DO believe our love of vintage SxS's, especially the quality guns of the last century, is dying. I am not convinced our passion for Parker's, Fox's, Ithaca's and LC's will transcend to the younger generation that just seems more interested in technology than anything involving the great outdoors. Just my $.02

[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

I might only get one convert out of 100, but whenever I visit a skeet or trap range that has more younger folks shooting than dedicated trap or skeet shooters, I make it a habit of bringing 3 or 4 side x sides with me and make sure that at least one of them has damascus barrels. In between rounds I approach some of these young folks and ask to see their pumps and semi-autos. By expressing an interest in their guns it invariably leads to their asking me about my Parkers or other vintage doubles. It's truly surprising how many young folks have never even seen a SxS, much less had the chance to use one. As often as I can, I give them a Parker and tell them to shoot a round on me. Many of them finish the round, ask a few questions, and then ask if I would mind if they shot another round. This, I believe, is the best way to introduce new shooters to our SxS fraternity. It seems to work for me, especially here in New Jersey where most of the hunting lasts for 30 minutes, or until all of the stocked pheasants are shot before your feet get cold.