quick question

[B. Dudley]

The patent date is marked (rolled or engraved) on the latch of most all Parker guns. March 26, 1878. And the implementation coincides with the patent.

Earlier guns would be upgraded to the deely latch on request.

[Kensal Rise]

Originally Posted by Brian Dudley

Earlier guns would be upgraded to the deely latch on request.

Sorry, but in point of fact, the Parker latch is not a Deeley & Edge latch. It is a mechanism designed to achieve the latching, but different enough to avoid patent infringement of the Deeley & Edge latch. Barely.

The only US double with a legitimate Deeley & Edge latch was the H&R.

[TroutSetter]

Tom,

From a "newbie's" perspective... It's not a stupid question. Threads like this are very informative and appreciated by the unindoctrinated. There's always much to learn! Thank you for the education.

[Tom Flanigan]

Michael....are you hearing any spring drumming yet? I hope this is going to be a good nesting season without a lot of rain. I'm retiring in June so I plan to be in my coverts a lot more this fall. I'm starting to get excited already.

[TroutSetter]

Originally Posted by Tom Flanigan

Michael....are you hearing any spring drumming yet? I hope this is going to be a good nesting season without a lot of rain. I'm retiring in June so I plan to be in my coverts a lot more this fall. I'm starting to get excited already.

We're running about three weeks behind compared to last spring in NH. I just recorded spring peepers and tree frog choruses for the first time last Thursday (26th). I was hearing them as early as April 7th last year. No sign of grouse drumming yet, but the population is a little "thin" in my immediate area. Still plenty of snow hanging around in higher elevations.

I'll be making my annual spring fly fishing trek to northern NH, upper Connecticut river, in a few weeks. Will run the setters in a few covers up there to see what's around for birds. We've had a lot of rain in the past week. The water table is quite high and it's pretty soggy around here. Supposed to warm up significantly this week and I expect it to dry out quickly and start hearing spring drumming most any day.

[Tom Flanigan]

When I was a small boy and out in the yard, I'd hear what I thought was someone in the woods starting up an engine. Drumming sounds a bit like that. I had no idea what I was hearing until years later when I became informed. I love that sound. It reminds me of my childhood.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Tom Flanigan

When I was a small boy and out in the yard, I'd hear what I thought was someone in the woods starting up an engine. Drumming sounds a bit like that. I had no idea what I was hearing until years later when I became informed. I love that sound. It reminds me of my childhood.

My Dad had a "hit or miss" walk-behind garden tractor with a one-cylinder engine (and a 60 lb. flywheel) that sounded like a drumming grouse from start to finish.... thrump - thrump - thrump - thrump, fump,fump,fump,fump,thud,d,d,d,d,d,d,d,d,d,d,d,d,d ,d,d,d,d,d,d,d





.

[Tom Flanigan]

One more memory.....As a small boy I was always fascinated with the guns in my grandfathers gun cabinet. The Parkers always stood out to me because of the shape of the floor plate. That intrigued me then and it still does. I love the shape and the way it is fitted.

[Tom Flanigan]

I received the 10 bore Parker in question. The gun is right with nothing done to it. It actually looks better in hand than in the pictures. This is going to make a great shooter. It has no finish remaining, so I'll freshen up the checkering a bit and also the stock. The goal will be a light touch so that the gun still looks old.

I start on the barrels this week. I'm anxious to bring out the twist.

In addition to ducks, I plan to use the gun for grouse a few times. I'll load an 1 1/4 oz. load of #10's to find out for myself how effective this bore and #10 shot is on grouse. I want to duplicate the experience of the old market hunter Dee Slocum. Some of my hunting will be in the area he gunned for the market long ago. I'll be walking in his steps and "finding out for myself". This is going to be a ton of fun.

[TroutSetter]

That sounds like quite an adventure, Tom! Would love to see pictures of your 10 bore as the project progresses.