The Ones That Got Away

[Dean Romig]

Larry, was it straight or pistol grip? I would never hesitate on a straight grip.

[C.O.B.]

Fred a pre 64 M70 in 300 H&H kept me company in a deer blind for 13 days. She never barked but there were opportunities. I've had this a couple of years but paid about 20x your $100 for it. It's a great rifle and worth every penny.

[Larry the Gun Guy]

No Dean, it was a big old 3 frame with a pistol grip.

[David Noble]

Years ago, around 1987, I received a call from a young man (sounded like 18 year old) who inquired if I bought guns. I replied "sure, what have you got?"
He answered "it's a Parker shotgun and it is HUGE, must be a TWENTY guage!"
At that point I knew he knew little about shotguns. I asked him if it had any engraving and he replied "yeah, all over it, and it has birds and dogs on it, even the barrels look completely engraved". Of course by this time I was sweating bullets. I told him I was very interested and would definitely buy the gun if he would bring it to my store. He agreed and asked if I was also interested in Colt revolvers that were all engraved? "Sure, bring them along too."
Okay, I knew something was way off, so I called the local police dept and let them know that there were some possibly stolen guns being brought to my store. They told me to call them if the guys came in with the guns. Sure enough, about an hour later these two young hispanic boys walk in carrying
a CH 8ga with 36" damascus barrels on what must have been the largest frame Parker made. The gun was in immaculate condition but with little case colors remaining. It had a skeleton butt plate on its massive sized stock. I didn't weigh the gun but it felt like 20 pounds. I remember removing the barrels and seeing an "8" stamped on the rear lug. I thought this was the frame size, which I had never heard of before. I was not familiar with the guage being stamed there either.
I had an employee call the police when the boys walked in and they instructed us to stall them until they could arrive. While I was coveting this CH, which I had offered to pay $200 dollars for, (and they accepted) I asked about the engraved Colts. One of them returned to his car and back with a set of fully engraved nickle plated SAA revolvers in a tooled double holster belt set.
Long story short, the police arrived and arrested the boys. The guns had not been reported stolen yet but the officers took them in for having no ID. The police called the next day and told me the guns were stolen from a Judge here in Texas the night before.
I obviously know I did the right thing, but I also always have wished that gun could have stayed with me.
Looking in the books it appears this was the only 8ga CH ever built with 36 inch damascus barrels. I didn't record the serial number, but if it was the only one made it might be possible to establish.