should I shoot my old Parker or hang it up

[Richard Flanders]

A straight-gripped #1-frame grade 3 12ga? Oh my! What a great gun to inherit. If it's safe to shoot I'd clean it up inside and and and shoot it a LOT.

[Kensal Rise]

Ahem.
Before shooting this gun, it would be eminently wise to have it closely checked by an experienced double gunsmith. Barrel condition is one thing. Stock cracks, splits, fouling and other problems are another issue.

I've seen some VERY dirty Parkers in my time.

Brad Bachelder would be the guy I'd send it to for inspection and a professional strip-and-clean.

And… if this gun happens to be connected to the Eli Lilly family, keeping it in one piece might be a wise course of action.

Almost forgot. A gun like this requires that you become a member of the PGCA. It's the law...

[John Yancey]

yes the stock is straight not the pistol grip stock.

[John Yancey]

I am located in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

John

[Bruce Day]

Originally Posted by John Campbell

Ahem.
Before shooting this gun, it would be eminently wise to have it closely checked by an experienced double gunsmith. Barrel condition is one thing. Stock cracks, splits, fouling and other problems.......

See why didn't I think of that? Here I am with a bunch of Parkers that I have shot for many years with some up to book max loads and with both fluid steel and Damascus barrels and I have never sent a gun off to one of these gunsmiths to have it checked out. If they looked good to me I loaded it up and blasted away.

[Fishtail]

I don't always agree with BD but I gotta say he's right....why are we treating this ancient gun like it's a has-been?

I'd peek down the bores to make sure nothing is in them. I might even get a 10 year old to do it cuz his eyes are better than mine. Then, I'd buy some non-heavy loads as sold at the local sporting goods place and blast away.

This gun is in no way something that should be relegated to the fireplace mantle. It's a very viable gun in 2015. Just don't put Magnum duck loads through it.

[Craig Larter]

Beautiful example it deserves to be shot and enjoyed--purchase a couple of cases of RST shells and have at it--you are a lucky man----enjoy!!

[Kensal Rise]

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

... I have never sent a gun off to one of these gunsmiths to have it checked out. If they looked good to me I loaded it up and blasted away.

I can add nothing to such sage wisdom.

Jus' blow out the spiders and blast away!

[OH Osthaus]

but maybe just maybe

many of us don't need a gunsmith because we know how to evaluate a gun
(some of us may even carry wall thickness and bore gauges in the truck just because you never know when you'll need them)

but then again - some one who asks the wall hanger question may not

the odds are - this is a great gun, odds being what they are

[Bruce Day]

Well I don't know anything about sage wisdom but here is a sage grouse in sage shot on the Montana sage brush sea last September. Used an old 1904 Parker 16 ga.