12 gauge Parker shotguns

[Phil Yearout]

12 gauges certainly make sense, given the ease and expense of finding appropriate ammo. I shoot off-the-shelf stuff in my three 12ga SBT's. I have two other 12's, a Sterlingworth and an early Fox A grade but when I'm in the field it's still a 16 or occasionally a 20 for me.

[John Allen]

Bill, In response to your comment on 12 gauge guns, it is really a matter of how many 12 gauges are out there. I talk to a lot of the major dealers on a regular basis. They all are hesitant to buy 12s unless they are cheap because they tend to sit in inventory a long time. If you look at gunsinternational today they have 444 Parkers listed for sale. 80% of them are 12 gauge. No businessman wants to have inventory that is slow turning. The flip side to this is look how much small bores have gone up in price.

[Bill Murphy]

John, so the twelves are slow selling. I don't care because mine are being put to good use. They will be a hard sell when I am ready to liquidate but sixty percent of real value will usually be more than I paid for them.

[MrBojangles]

If you want a Purdey, the overwhelming majority of production is in 12 gauge.

I created this thread because I thought folks are simply “softer” than they were in the past. I’m not one to ask about that as I shoot a .375 Holland & Holland for pleasure at the range. Not everyday, but from time to time.

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by Ian Civco

Or any 12 gauge, for that matter. They have become really unpopular.

Why?

Is the recoil that punishing? (I don’t find it to be a problem.)

No 12 gauge is not "really unpopular", they are just not the shotgun fad today. People who shoot shotguns understand that the most effective gun is the 12 gauge. Other's are used for various reasons which includes what is the in thing at the time. If one shows up at the gun range with a 16 then he/she is cool. If he/she has a 12 then he/she is old hat.

[Tennessee Dave]

I currently have 14 shotguns that are 12 gauge made by various manufacturers including Parker, Marlin, Franchi, Mossburg, Stevens, Hatsan & Winchester. I have a couple of .410's, one 28 ga. couple of 20's and a couple of 16's, none of which are Parkers. I don't plan on buying any more 12's unless it's a really great deal, because I don't need any more.

[C.O.B.]

While I'm not a 12 gauge guy and never have been in the last two years I have bought several. A 12 gauge with a 7/8oz or 3/4oz payload is a pure pleasure to shoot.
As mentioned previously the UK has banned all lead shot which drives down the cost of a vintage Purdey, H&H, Boss etc. Two years ago at the Southern I picked up a matched pair of Purdey forward snap action guns for what one would have cost several years prior.
To the best of my recollection my shotgun adoptions over the last two years by gauge are 12's -6 (but in my defense there are two matched pairs), 16's-3 and 20's -2..
The only hunting I do with a 12 is some Quail hunting in Georgia and some Grouse hunting in MI with a Purdey light game gun and RST 2 inch shells. Essentially a 28ga load in a 12

[Victor Wasylyna]

Clearly there is much pessimism here about the future of side-by-side shotguns, bird hunting, and Parker collecting. I do not share that pessimism. From my perspective, the left and their culture wars have created a generation of men that are exploding with masculinity. Just Google the "Tate brothers." Many of those men will eventually find their way to us.

I recently read this article and thought the author was preaching to the choir: https://dailyreckoning.com/gen-z-nat...vs-communists/

-Victor

[Mike of the Mountain]

Victor, I'm with you!

[IW1978]

Originally Posted by Victor Wasylyna

Clearly there is much pessimism here about the future of side-by-side shotguns, bird hunting, and Parker collecting. I do not share that pessimism. From my perspective, the left and their culture wars have created a generation of men that are exploding with masculinity. Just Google the "Tate brothers." Many of those men will eventually find their way to us.

I recently read this article and thought the author was preaching to the choir: https://dailyreckoning.com/gen-z-nat...vs-communists/

-Victor

What do shotguns and Parker’s have to do with two brothers who have been accused of human trafficking and sexual assault of minors, to name just two of the serious allegations against them.