Parker GH F & F a trap gun?

Stepmac · 07-01-2025, 09:31 PM

I have recovered from a serious illness...an aortic dissection. No one survives such an event, but here I am! I figured it was curtains and sold most of my shotguns. Now, eight years later I'm missing shotgun shooting. I was a heavy skeet shooter for a decade, also some trap, but my skeet shooting buddy moved away. I'm going to restart shooting trap. I own an old GH, F&F. Does anyone shoot one at trap? Are they going to laugh me out of the club when I unlumber my antique Parker? I bought a Remy 31 TC a few days ago, (made in June of nineteen fourty) which was made as a trap gun, but I like my Parker. Any ideas?

BTW: a decade ago when I broke out my Parker SBT they laughed at me. "Why don't you buy a gun made this century". One of the major members said. I shot the SBT anyway. I liked several things about shooting it. It was easy to use. Not too heavy. I guess it fit okay, but darn it all, I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with it. I was breaking 18/19 with it. I did better with a Browning Auto five. But not once did I break twenty five, which just about drove me crazy. I'm looking forward to getting back to the range. Will my 80 year old bod be able to keep up? I hope so.

Jay Oliver · 07-01-2025, 09:51 PM

I have shot trap and won, with a Parker Lifter made in 1880 also choked F/F. You might get a few strange looks until you start breaking clays. Then everyone want's to try it out. Go for it!

Stepmac · 07-01-2025, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Oliver

I have shot trap and won, with a Parker Lifter made in 1880 also choked F/F. You might get a few strange looks until you start breaking clays. Then everyone want's to try it out. Go for it!

Thanks for your imput, Jay. I have no idea how tight the F&F chokes on my GH are. Nor do I know when my GH was hatched, I suspect around 1910. I'm going to shoot RST, but from what I read I can shoot any light load okay. I like the feel of my GH, but it is a bit heavy. I have not given up on my SBT. I know a little bit of the history of that gun. It was owned by Ray Falstaff the coffee king of San Francisco. I bought it from his son in law. Neat huh. BTW: Ray Falstaff killed an intruder in his back yard. His son in law sold me the pistol he used to do the dead. It is a Colt 1908. Like new. Pretty gun. Guns with a story are kinda fun....a little chilling tho.

Chris Pope · 07-02-2025, 06:55 AM

I've had folks give me strange looks at skeet when I pull out my 20 VH or 28 repro. I just smile and tell 'em that if I wanted an over/under I could just rotate my old sidexside 90 degrees when I shoot...

Reggie B · 07-02-2025, 07:02 AM

I suggest you search out and read some of the posts made by John Davis. John shoots his Parker single barrel trap and double trap guns all over the Southeast. And he is quite successful at it!

Jay Oliver · 07-02-2025, 07:47 AM

On a #2 frame Parker, you should be okay with 1oz. below 1200fps all day long.

William Woods · 07-02-2025, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reggie Bishop

I suggest you search out and read some of the posts made by John Davis. John shoots his Parker single barrel trap and double trap guns all over the Southeast. And he is quite successful at it!

I was going through the posts to see if anyone mentioned Mr. Davis. If not, I was going to mention him.

Stepmac · 07-02-2025, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Woods

I was going through the posts to see if anyone mentioned Mr. Davis. If not, I was going to mention him.

I have not heard of Mr. John Davis. I'll Google him. A Parker SBT is a wonderful trap gun. It comes to shoulder quickly. It kickes the empty out and is easy and fast to reload. It is also a very pretty Parker. I think it dates to 1917. It has a beaver tail forearm which might be an aftermarket addition.

Stepmac · 07-02-2025, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reggie Bishop

I suggest you search out and read some of the posts made by John Davis. John shoots his Parker single barrel trap and double trap guns all over the Southeast. And he is quite successful at it!

I looked up the trap shooting records of Mr. John Davis. Amazing! Indeed he shoots a Parker SBT. I feel very lucky to own one. Mine looks almost like new. Beautiful!

todd allen · Yesterday, 09:56 PM

I'm an old pigeon shooter, ran the gamut on makers. Kinda retired from competition, but I campaigned a GHE pigeon gun for a year or so. The gun was a money maker!
SxS guns don't give up anything in the pigeon ring. That said, I went to a Perazzi release trigger in my later years.
If the Parker had a release t, I would have stayed with it on box birds.