New to Parkers but a shotgun hunter for 45 years. Couple things I'm confused about. I always assumed that you cannot hunt with damascus barrels (let alone shoot them with modern loads) but I see on here a lot of folks do. Is there a way to know if an old gun is safe? I assume a competent smith? Also, I've had several Elsies and they just don't fit. Do folks with these old Parkers just "make em fit" and deal with it or do they have less drop (as a generalization) than some other old American guns? Finally, why would one desire a hammer gun over a hammerless? Nostalgia? Do they present a totally different experience and are they reliable in bad weather for hunting? No, I've never handled one, sadly