Deadline Looming for Parker Pages Winter Issue

[Dean Romig]

This is a friendly reminder that the deadline for submissions for the Winter Issue of Parker Pages is October 15.
For those who want to submit an article or story or even a photo essay and may need a little help or if you have any questions please contact me through PM, or email at dsromig@aol.com or call me on my cell 978-621-9338 and I will assist you in any way that I can.
You probably noticed that the Fall Issue is later than expected by at least a couple of weeks. This is due to the fact that there had not been enough material submitted to fill the issue. We can't let this become the norm. In the future if there is not enough material to fill an issue we will have no choice but to reduce the size of the magazine from the standard 48 pages to an issue of only 38 pages with a reduced number of color pages. Nobody wants this to happen. As editor this isn't my magazine - I just edit it and put the content received together into a reasonable format - it's you who provide the articles and stories and wonderful pictures that makes Parker Pages what it is. It's your magazine - the membership's magazine.

Thank you for all of your hard work and effort in creating such a terrific shotgun collectors magazine.

I hope to hear from you soon!

Best, Dean

[Mills]

How about an article about the guns from Austin's estate that are for sale? Something about the evolution/changes with early Parker hammer guns. That way the guns would serve an additional purpose for PGCA. I will even volunteer to write it if someone with more technical knowledge can provide the specs (and some photos)

Hopefully, some people who have not contributed before will contribute. It is always good to hear from more people

[Dean Romig]

Thanks for the offer Mills however, all of these evolutionary changes to the Parker Bros shotgun can be found in The Parker Story along with their various patents. The only aspects displayed by Austin's guns and not necessarily covered in The Parker Story is that some of these features overlap any patent date or definitive serial number. The pin in the top of the standing breech I refer to on three or four of these guns is one example. I have noted that one is operational while the others are there but are inoperative (and probably welded in).
Austin was a very special man. He was driven or probably more accurately 'consumed' with the need to know the answers. He was a scientist and a consummate technician..... I, on the other hand, am not that man. I simply do not have the time. I revel in finding an answer but it is usually not because I have dissected every bit of information or even in fact, a gun itself. Austin was an awesome resource while we had him.
I just try to maintain Parker Pages the way he did.

[Mills]

Maybe make a centerfold photo spread comparing the differences. Lots of ways to do it, but you could stack them in chronological order and get color photos of the sides and bottoms. Just looking at my early hammer guns, it is amazing the variations. Just my .02.

[Mills]

I will try to put together a small story on my dove double as suggested in the recent issue. Hopefully, some new folks will contribute too

[Dean Romig]

Thanks Mills. I think that would make a good lead-off piece for a column going forward in Parker Pages.

Other's contributions to the new "Member's Doubles" column would be greatly appreciated.

[Mills]

Dean, Check your email.

Again, hope some members who have not contributed send in some articles this time. Always good to hear from new folks

[Dean Romig]

Got it Mills - Thanks.

[Dean Romig]

TTT

[Mills]

In addition to short pieces for "doubles" awards, how about some pieces on the Parkers Found section? Since a lot of us are collectors or collectors/shooters, that would be interesting.

Maybe a short piece describing one of these special Parkers with some photos