A discussion on selling guns to buy nicer ones

[Dean Romig]

I wouldn't do it - in fact, I would hate to part with just about any of my Parkers. I have too much fun with them. I rotate them when I shoot clays or when I hunt, in fact, I generally bring three or four of them to grouse camp each fall and give every one of them a workout.

But I have to admit to "striking when the iron is hot". A week ago somebody wanted one of my Parkers very much. I wanted to keep it - it is in high condition and I shoot it extremely well (for me) but this guy made me an offer I couldn't refuse (I would be crazy to refuse his offer.) so off it goes as soon as I get home from Maine.

There are small bore, high condition Parkers I dearly covet but I just couldn't bring myself to sell off a significant part of my collection - I just wouldn't be able to decide which ones to keep and which ones to let go....





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[Daniel G Rainey]

All this debate about selling to up grade is just part the the game. If I sold most of my guns for the "IT"gun. Two weeks later another "IT" would come along.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Daniel G Rainey

All this debate about selling to up grade is just part the the game. If I sold most of my guns for the "IT"gun. Two weeks later another "IT" would come along.

I've been fighting the "it" battle for darn near 50 years now !

Only problem is I like my "it" to be in multiples

[Mike Poindexter]

I am on the opposite end of the scale. Similar to Dean, I shoot and rotate most of my shotguns, and the few times I had a gun worth more than 5 grand I sold it, preferring a good shooter to a closet queen. Thus, I love my G grades, P's, V's, and Trojans, but have no use for D's or higher. I prefer a 16 to a 20, and enjoy the price difference in my favor. What I need to do now is get rid of some of the duplicates. But it is hard--each has its own personality it seems. That's the fun of collecting--everyone can take his or her own path to satisfaction.

[Mills]

No two Parkers are exactly alike. Despite what our wives sometimes say

[fred]

After using a gun a few times I have a hard time deciding to part with it. The longer I keep it the more attached It becomes.

[Alfred Greeson]

I don't really have the words to describe why I like the old Parkers so much but growing up in an area where only two were known to exist in the entire county...never thought of owning one, much less a few. So many collectors that we admire and to share the thoughts of collecting and shooting them and to understand the pure joy of owning them, I think it takes us back to when we first saw one and the people we admired who owned them and some great souls who we wish were still with us to enjoy them. Maybe that is why we have such a hard time letting them go, so much to enjoy, like hearing what you guys are up to on this forum, good times.

[Bill Murphy]

My Parker collection is a shooting collection. I love the small bores and the high grades, but they don't have to be in mint condition. Because of this, I have enjoyed many more different Parkers than if I had always been on the hunt for mint guns. Some of my Parker collecting mentors of the almost sixty years of collecting have not been shooters. They have missed a big part of Parker collecting. I shoot my Parkers several days every week. On another subject, I have the "it" gun in sight, but am not working very hard at selling enough to pay for it.

[King Cobb]

I agree with you on those points Mr. Murphy. All my guns are shooters and only one is close to being in the same zip code as mint.

[Craig Larter]

If I find something I like better I sell off gun(s) to obtain a better example. I do regret selling but that goes away quickly. My only self imposed rule is to not allow my collection to exceed a total number. I do hunt and shoot with 90% of my guns but I do enjoy having a couple of mint guns just to have. I focus on American made duck guns sxs's so my collection includes examples from four different makers. The best part of this hobby is sharing and shooting with like minded addicts.