.410

Chris, I do make typos and miss-spelling errors, as we all do. How does the saying go- "If the Good Lord planned us to be perfect, why do we have erasers on pencils still today?"" As a lad, I knew my Granddad had two fine 12 Parkers, but I didn't pay all that much attention to them, or even his hammer 12 Purdey-- I didn't know an island lock from Long island.

I am sure I was in error if I had indeed written AAH or even A-1 Special, Granddad loved the A-1 steak sauce and often call his Parker of the day his A-1 birdgun-- they both are grade 6- thank you Parker Brothers for using a number grading system, with exception of the Trojan and Vulcan grades of course. I thought the two 12 Trojan grades I have owned were the same Parkers as his- not until later on did I begin to see the difference.

I have, hopefully, learned a lot from all the members on the PGCA, and still have more to learn. One thing concerns market values of Parkers and other high quality firearms- do a market search and check the auction sites to see prices for guns comparable to yours. I believe my Granddad's guns would be worth waaaaay more if they were 20 or 28 gauge, rather than 12- they don't have ventilated ribs or beavertailed forearms, and show some honest wear, just like my Model 12's and lower grade LC Smith 12's--

Had I realized the "strum und drang" my apparent mistaken description of them when I first joined the PGCA, I might better have not said anything- said with the wisdom of 20-20 hindsight.

Bruce- thank you for your kind words. I respect any man who has put his life on the line in combat to keep our Country safe- no matter what branch of the Military or whether he was an O-6, as you were, or an E-6 in my case. I also appreciate your efforts to further Boy Scouting and your leadership in that fine organization, as well as your club's fund raisers to fight Cystic Fibrosis. I hold you in the same highest regard as I do John Dunkle, who, with his wife, set up Renwish to provide aid to a Country that always seems to get the proverbial "short end of the stick". There are, I am sure, many other members of our PGCA, both Forum, Annual and Lifers as are you and John, who also do good works and ask no recognition for that.

Now, let's let the 'sleeping dogs lie- or is that lay?'- and move ahead to grow our membership in the PGCA- as a team!!