How old was you when you bought your first Parkers ?

[BRDHNTR]

Our family, father, uncles all shot Parkers. My dad inherited his dad's 16 ga vh and shot that for years. Before i was old enough to hunt with a gun i would walk alongside my dad while he hunted grouse and woodcock. He talked alot about how fine parker shotguns were. I guess i just grew up not knowing there was any other shotgun worth hunting with except a Parker. And growing up in New England back in the day you hunted with a 16. When i reached 13 yrs if age dad let me hunt with the 16 and i killed a lot of birds, rabbits etc with that gun. After my dad died of Lou Gherigs disease I inherited the 16 and have kept it ever since. I finally had to get it fully restored as the stock at the head was pretty punky, there were no colors left. It needed a good restoration so i drove out to Del Grego's shop one day and sat down with Lawrence and Babe and figured out what we wanted to do. All new wood, colors, rust blue appropriately etc. A yr later they called and said it was done. After i got back from viet nam, i knew i had to have more parkers. It's a disease but one that won't kill you. You may go broke, but it won't kill you.

[C.O.B.]

I never knew my Grandfather but have his DNA for which I'm grateful. The story regarding his A1 Special trap gun is that he used it very little but it was his favorite gun. He had a stroke and was unable to use it. It was his wish that the gun be given to a shooting friend who wouldn't be able to afford it upon his death. That wish was honored. My parents tried to track it down but it had been gone over 15 years by then and was never found.

I have been blessed with the AHE 20/28 set by a good friend who can no longer enjoy this fine gun as it was meant to be enjoyed. He knows I'll enjoy it and take good care of it and therefore made it available to me on a very gracious time table for payment.

I plan on following in my Grandfathers path with Gunner's Gun. A custom Parker purchased from a member here. It started out as a VH 20 but I had it restocked and engraved with pheasants, grouse, and woodcock. Gunner"s portrait in on the floor plate. He was my little buddy and I had his mom and there has never been a friend like him. He will go to a good friend who also has GSP's and a young son who is growing into being a hunter.