.410

[Old and Reliable]

Originally Posted by Paul Ehlers

Very well said !!

- No doubt related to the same ones our Lord drove outta da temple back in His era=-- Just because a wealthy gentleman who made his money in an honest fashion ordered a scarce "midget" gauge BHE Japanese copy of a Old Reliable, and then later died- I've seen the same thing in the high-end bamboo rod "schlepers"-- When Gary Howells died some years ago, the price of his sweet cane rods went up- I bought a 7 & 1/2' 2/2 3 & 3/4 oz. Howells from a private party in 1986- MINT almost unfished, original bag, tube and tag for $450 (when I was picking up very good 3 pc. 8 ft/ W&M Grangers for half that price- It's not for sale, but I have seen them listed on dealer's catalogues for 3K and up--

A reasonable mark-up, yes- And I buy guns to shoot, not to rest in the Browning Steel Tomb with the Sergeant & Greenleaf combo lock- if I wanted a "midget" gauge gun, and a double, I'd make brother Dean Roming and offer on his Minty IJ Skeeter- and save the difference in cash outlay against this auctioned Repro for a nice dove and quail hunt with it--

[Pay Dirt]

I think AmarilloMike nailed it.
Didn't the new buyer purchase the RIGHT to ask whatever price he sees fit for his new gun?

Originally Posted by Chris Travinski

Mike,
In my thick Polish head, I think it's more important that these guns find good homes where they can be enjoyed instead for bought and sold for profit.

Sorry Chris but I think your statement is a little sophmoric. Who's to say that this little beauty isn't in a good home now being enjoyed regardless of the new buyers intentions for his new gun. Perhaps the government should step in and determine the future of this gun instead of the free market. Maybe our current administration could develope a Parker Reproduction redistribution program.
Personally, I prefer capitalism and free market economics.

[Old and Reliable]

Originally Posted by Chris Travinski

I understand buying/selling/collecting, but it seems to me this happens all too often. It's hard for people who want to buy a gun to keep and use when there are so many people buying them up to make a profit. How many times does a gun sell +$500-1000? before it ends up in someone's safe for good. I can't tell you how many times I've missed out at an auction and found the gun forsale for two grand higher than it sold a week later. I know it's a business, if you don't have money you shouldn't play, blah blah, it's frustrating. My two cents, don't mean to hurt any feelings.

Chris

On my paternal side, our surname was Murinski- my grandparents migrated over in 1911- from NW Poland (near the German border) small mining town named "Lucky"- go figure dat, eh?) I agree-, these auction houses- and other non shooting dealers who set prices sky high, and based on a "wing and a prayer"- I could care less if the late Robert Petersen almost owned this Japanese-made copy of a BHE, ditto if anyone else well known in the gun circles did- saw the same thing with bamboo fly rods- wait until a fire takes out Leonard in Central Valley, or Jimmy payne or H.S. Gillum get the "dirt nap" and see how the dealers mark up their rods they already had for sale- just due to that. The free market system is the fairest known, but I agree with you- and like the late Ernest hemingway- I also believe, as did my Dad and Granddad (on my Irish side) that guns were there for us to shoot and use and care for- you can betcha u duppa on dat!!

[Wild Skies]

The seller apparently got frustrated by the gun not selling at his $26,000 asking price, so now he's bumped it to $29,000.00. That ought to do it.

[Old and Reliable]

Originally Posted by Greg Baehman

The seller apparently got frustrated by the gun not selling at his $26,000 asking price, so now he's bumped it to $29,000.00. That ought to do it.

$30K for a SUB-MIDGET GAUGE- THAT I COULD WRAP MY HANDS AROUND THE FOREARM AND NEVER SEE STEEL- shoot, that kinda money would send some Kennedy to earn his "Gentleman's C" at Harvard or Yale for 1/2 a term-- dunno what we need more of today- overpriced crippling sub bores (Nash Buckingham hated the .410, loved the 12- Yeah Nash) or over educated Ivy league numbskulls in our Government- Mama Mia:crying :

[AmarilloMike]

Well Francis these guns are for sport so by definition it is not a rational choice. All the rational people are in the drive-up line at Kentucky Fried Chicken, not out in the field pursuing their Gallinaceous birds with pointing dogs and a Parker 410.

In regard to crippling I argue that it is the sportsman and not the gauge that determines that outcome.

I went to public schools and don't own a 410.

Best,

Mike

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Greg Baehman

The seller apparently got frustrated by the gun not selling at his $26,000 asking price, so now he's bumped it to $29,000.00. That ought to do it.

Strangely enough, that philosophy is often very effective. My mother would resort to that tactic in her antique shop if a particular iten sat in the shop too long.

Bump the price significantly and it will often sell quickly.

Some people just don't think they are getting something of value unless they pay a lot

[Reproman]

Originally Posted by Greg Baehman

The seller apparently got frustrated by the gun not selling at his $26,000 asking price, so now he's bumped it to $29,000.00. That ought to do it.

I better buy it quick before it goes up again!

[Old and Reliable]

I went to Catholic schools (semi-public in the 1950's as we also had some non-Catholic students in our classes then too) But I disagree on the sportsman/gauge theory for game birds- you can shoot or shoot at all the clays, crows, barn pigeons, starlings, whatever is legal for a 12 bore with a .410 and you won't hear a squawk of protest from me. I stay with my 12 bores (I do own 3 20's- will be Grandsons' starter guns later on) because at age 70 I kill more efficiently and hit birds that I might miss with the lighter bore guns I carried and shot when I was 35- I also gravitate towards 28" and 30" barrels with tighter chokes, my reaction time is also slower and a muzzle forward balanced shotgun works best for me.

All my shotgunning gurus, now all gone- favored the 12 bore guns: Captain Paul Curtis, Nash Buckingham, Havilah Babcock, Archibald Rutledge, Ray P. Holland, Captain Harold Money, both my late father and grandfather as well. The only exception to this stellar list of "Shootin'Ist Gentlemen" might be the late Dwight D. Eisenhower, who sometimes uses his M42 Winchester on quail. And my all-time favorite Army General, George Smith Patton Jr.-had a borrowed 12 bore side-by-side with him when he endured the fatal (3 weeks later) car accident while on his way to a pheasant hunt in Dec. 1945- his .410 CHE Parker was, I am sure, back home in the States- You could get brass 12 gauge shells (albiet buckshot loads) in any Allied armory in Europe (or the Pacific) at that time, .410's- not so much.

Mike[/quote]

[Bill Murphy]

Although I am reluctant to reply to any of Francis' reckless ramblings, his comment about General Patton's use of a 12 gauge reminded me of something. I recall a pleasant day with fellow Parker guy Kevin McCormack shooting skeet with General Patton's little 30" 20 gauge DHE as part of the preparation for a photo shoot for The Parker Story. This little shooting session took place at Kevin's and my skeet club and Kevin later took the pictures for TPS. The odd thing about this exercise is that neither Kevin nor I seem to have considered that the General probably shot at our club when he lived in Montgomery County Maryland.