The Parker Reproduction Closeout

[Bill Murphy]

Art, it was the 20s that were too heavy for the gauge. Those who passed up on the unpopular 28 gauges were the ones who missed the boat. I wish I had been there to see those stacks of boxes. The rarity of the 12s is catching up to the market now.

[ArtS]

That may be and hibdsight shows you are correct about choice. However, I was there and took part in the discussion. Every one has their reasons for choosing guns, and my impression still is that the 28's are a little heavy my taste. My two favorite gauges are 16 and 28, and own numerous guns in both. However, my draw to the 28 is being light but shootable if careful. People will say that a little heavier one shoots better, but that is true of almost every gauge. I favor the 28 in instinctive shooting situations such as grouse (in our section of the world it is practiced in almost impenterable thickets). The light weight is very important for extremely faxt shooting.

[Wild Skies]

Originally Posted by Arthur Shaffer

That may be and hibdsight shows you are correct about choice. However, I was there and took part in the discussion. Every one has their reasons for choosing guns, and my impression still is that the 28's are a little heavy my taste. My two favorite gauges are 16 and 28, and own numerous guns in both. However, my draw to the 28 is being light but shootable if careful. People will say that a little heavier one shoots better, but that is true of almost every gauge. I favor the 28 in instinctive shooting situations such as grouse (in our section of the world it is practiced in almost impenterable thickets). The light weight is very important for extremely faxt shooting.

Two questions for you Art:

1. If a 28ga. Repro is a little heavier than you prefer, what is your preferred weight for a 28 for your usage?

2. What do you think a typical 28ga. Repro weighs?

[ArtS]

I like a sxs twenty eight to weigh as close to 5 pounds as possible. I have and have owned several that were in the 5-5-1/4 pound range. My favorite grouse and quail gun is a custom RBL with a stock ordered to fit me. It has 30" barrels and is choked .002 and .005. I shoot it very well. Due to health issues, I have used a lot of light guns over my life, especially in tight cover. In O/U configuration I prefer the baby frame Beretta 680 series with no sideplates. The older ones with fixed chokes tend to weigh around 5-1/2 pounds.I shoot them well over dogs and pass shooting doves. The reproductions I have handled tended to weigh around 5-3/4 # and I have seen them near 6#. I have probably a half dozen or more 16 gauge doubles under 6 #(one of them a Parker DH). For situations without heavy walking I will generally use one of those, particularly when ammo use is high. The 16 is a little heavier but much bulkier than the 28 so that is a deciding issue when I carry a lot.

I have several light 20's but seldom use them. The 28 is lighter, many of the 16's very close in weight and I find the 16 in general to have a lot of upside performance over the 20.

Ross Seyfried wrote a very positive article about the RBL several years ago about decoying ducks with a 30" 28 ga RBL. This was after I had been using mine for many years. I have shot birds up close and at a great distance with mine. I used to back up my daughter on quail with it and used a mixture of spreaders and nickle plated buffered 5's. If I had a shot on the flush I used the spreader load and if she missed twice I would take the bird at some extreme ranges with the buffered load.

[Wild Skies]

While on that same snoop I had mentioned in this thread’s first post the following letter was also found. For those of you that purchased a new Repro from any of the 3 dealers during the close out and didn’t receive snap caps at that time or soon thereafter; too bad.

[Bill Murphy]

My double trigger, beavertail, two barrel 28 gauge set came from Guns Unlimited. They were wonderful to deal with. The lady I talked to opened up at least three boxes to find a piece of wood she liked. Not a bad deal for $2695. And I got my snap caps. Mrs. Don Shrum supplied me with the oil bottle at a show a bit later. She said it was the last one she had. I think that was a bit after Don passed away. I was in Vegas when we got word that Don was gone.

[tom tutwiler]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

Art, it was the 20s that were too heavy for the gauge. Those who passed up on the unpopular 28 gauges were the ones who missed the boat. I wish I had been there to see those stacks of boxes. The rarity of the 12s is catching up to the market now.

I briefly owned a 20 gauge with 28" barrels with DT. It was 6 lb 14 oz and I quickly sold it as I was a big grouse gunner at that time and it was just too damn heavy to carry up and down those hills. I bought it NIB for $2550 on Gunbroker. Sold it at a profit about a year later. I never fired it. It came without the leather case but was in the original box.

[BRDHNTR]

God bless you Marty

[Wild Skies]

Prior to the actual closeout of Parker Reproductions which began in early 1995, Parker Repro in 1994, efforted bringing down their remaining inventory of 20ga. guns by contracting with Krieghoff to produce approximately 500 sets of 16ga. barrels to be fitted to Repro 20ga. 0-frame guns.

For those that know, own or have owned 20ga. Repros with a set of Krieghoff 16ga. barrels:
1. Were all of these approx. 500 sets fitted to 20ga. guns by Krieghoff --or-- were a portion of the approx. 500 16ga. barrels sold off individually?
2. Were any of these 16ga. barrel sets stamped with the serial number to the gun they were fitted to by Krieghoff?
3. Do all of the Krieghoff produced 16ga. barrels have the band of Repro-style engraving at the breach end of the barrels?
4. Were all Krieghoff 16ga. Repro barrels 28" long?
5. It has been reported that the 16ga. Krieghoff barrels were factory choked Q1/Q2, IC/M or M/F -- how are/were yours choked?

Bonus questions regarding the Galazan Repro 16ga. barrels:
1. Were all these barrels produced by Merkel in Germany?
2. Do we have an estimate of how many of these barrels were produced?
3. Do any of these Galazan barrels have the Repro-style engraving at the breach?

[ANTMAN]

I have 2 of the 20/16 Mine are both 28" and choked mod/full. SN match their respective receivers. Top rib design/etching is different than the Japanese barrel, band is there but different looking. Both barrels share same splinter forend.