Your intro to Parkers and your first Parker

[Jim DiSpagno]

My first encounter to the World of Parkers started as a boy about 5 when my father taught me about firearms safety. He had bought a Parker 12 ga. GHE at the NYC auction of the Arthur Von Briesen Manson. He and a neighbor bought the 2 double barreled shotguns without knowing what they actually were, only advertised as quality American doubles. After the auction, they picked up their guns only to find that they were consecutivly numbered GHEs in 12 and 16 ga. My father wanted the 12 only because he had his Win model 24 in 16 and the neighbor wanted the 16 because he already had a Fox Sterlingworth 12. Then for the next 40+years they tried to buy each others gun. Never happened.Now, for the past 20 years or so, I've tried to buy that 16 from his oldest son who said our daughters would have to work out a deal when we are gone. But I still know where it is. There are no records on either gun even through Bob Beach. They are in the 208 range and nothing is found. DelGreco probably can help but is unwilling so it will remain an undiscovered part of Parker history.

[Harry Reed]

My first experience with a Parker was in the 70's at a turkey shoot. The Parker kicked all our butts. At the time I shot a Winchester Model 97 trap grade with multi barrels. My friend had a Marlin goose gun with a 36 inch full barrel. We could not touch the uniformity of pattern of the Parker. I have wanted a Parker ever since.

[Hammer Gun]

The serial number of that 20g a CHE I mentioned here earlier was 127741 anyone own that gun out there? Gary

[Sam Ogle]

I didn't get my first Parker until in the late '80's or early '90's: An ad said a VH 30inch "Turkey Gun." That piqued my interest, as by then I knew Parker never made "Turkey Guns," so I called the guy who said the gun had been used by his father for ducks & geese all his life on the Chesapeake Bay. But with steel shot regulations, he couldn't shoot it anymore. I bought it for I think around $700. I took it hunting, & my son flushed a quail that flew by me. I shot, and killed it, and thought "Well, I'll be damned." The gun had too much drop, was choked too full, had too many triggers, and LOP was too long, but the Parker & the quail didn't know that. Then, it happened again, and I thought "this is a lucky gun." I traded that gun for a prettier single trigger repro; killed ducks with it, but learned the error of my ways, and I now have a 12 Ga 32" VH, and a 28" 28Ga Repro, both double triggered, and Love them.

[Phil Yearout]

I've never had the inclination nor the income to be a "collector", so my guns are all shooters, and lower grades at that. Most even have a minor issue or two which helped bring them down to my pay grade. I've always loved Foxes and 16ga's in general, and am lucky enough to be the caretaker of a few. A few years ago I thought it would be neat to have a Parker in a cabinet as well (seems like I read something similar father back in this thread!) and looked at a nice restocked Trojan 16. Unfortunately I dawdled and someone else ended up with it. I was still kicking myself when another Trojan 16 surfaced; someone had polished the action so I made an offer and was amazed when it was accepted! It's been my only Parker until the infamous SBT I've posted about elsewhere. I like to think of myself as an indiscriminate appreciator of 16ga's, however, so if an LC Smith or NID falls into my lap, they'll probably go into the cabinet as well.

[Larry the Gun Guy]

When I was growing up in Idaho everything was Browning, I knew only one person who had a double and he was my Dad's boss. It was a gold engraved Fox and man could this guy shoot it. I had no interest in S x S until a friend talked me into going to a California S x S shoot. I was amazed at all of the high end guns that I saw, but they really weren't for me---until I shot one.
At some point later there was an ad in the local paper for a 20 gauge Parker . It was about 6:30 in the morning and I rang that guy's phone. Come on out, he said and I still remember my heart and the car racing for the next 30 minutes until I got there. Out of the closet the guy fetches a 30" 20 gauge VHE in reasonably good shape and he said his son was about 12 and his wife wanted all of the guns out of the house. I was really sad about that statement, knowing there was a young boy that was going to miss his chance at the shooting life and especially with a Parker, but took it I did and off to work I went. Later that day one of my friends called me to tell me there was a 20 gauge Parker in the paper, but I told him that someone already bought it. That was several Parkers ago....

[Bill Murphy]

It is a rare good feeling when a friend tells you about a great gun for sale that is already "Home" at your house.

[George "Scott" Davis]

Originally Posted by Allan H. Swanson

I lived in Keene ,NH next to a retired New England telephone repair man named Louis Goland---my mentor. At the age of 7 (1946) he gave me a Parker, VH, 20 bore of which I still have today along with other guns that he willed to me upon his death . Louis also gave me my first Brittney ---Belle---.

Needless to say I have been hooked on Brits and Parkers ever since .

Allan

Great combinations Brits and Parkers, will bring you a lifetime of joy!!!!

[Double Play]

Originally Posted by George Davis

Great combinations Brits and Parkers, will bring you a lifetime of joy!!!!

George, I couldn't agree more.

[Harry Reed]

Great photo!!! The Parker is nice too