The only Parker I had ever held was a rusted out beast at Kittery Trading Point in Maine some two decades ago. All I remember is that it was a 12g Trojan and the stock was too short and the barrels too heavy. My reaction was, "Meh..these are not for me.." Fast forward to last year and I bought a 28g Repro online that looked too nice to pass up. It was on the strong recommendation of a friend who used to sell them in his gun shop years ago. After a trigger snafu that Dan May fixed (great guy) I am pretty much in love. Since getting this gun I have not used anything else, I'm that smitten. This is my fifth or sixth "last bird gun" I'll ever need, but now I'm on to another Parker pursuit- a LIGHT 12g Parker original (#1 frame??). High grade is not as important as shootability and solid mechanical condition. My kids don't hunt and I'm not sure what will happen if I have several of these in the future, but there is something to be said for donating them for an auction to benefit a good cause or as a raffle gun. I would be fine with that in the spirit of keeping the marque alive. I'm not on here too often, but everyone here is pleasant and helpful. Unfortunately there's nowhere near me to handle a lot of guns, at least not Parkers. I remember reading an article in bed 45 years ago about "Old Reliable" and I believe it was Field and Stream. I said, "I'm going to have one of these some day." I sure wish I lived next door to Puglisi's!
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