Rainy day guns?

[Dean Romig]

It looks pretty nice from here Russell.





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[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Russell E. Cleary

I have made no formal resolutions on what guns to use in wet weather, or to take into the mishap-prone “grouse woods”. Circumstances do change.

But as for now, I do not feel comfortable using very far from the shooting range two of the higher-condition Parker guns of the four I inherited. The two in “shooter”- grade and condition, being #2-framed and long-barreled, are so not ideal for the hunting I have been doing.

Thus, I bought two restored guns for where I regularly go afield. They have already been professionally dealt with; and if need-be, I can have it done again.

This keeps the hallowed legacy guns of higher grade or condition out of harm’s way. I just feel better about it, given the tiny sphere I occupy in the Parker universe, even though I can imagine my father saying, “go ahead; hunt with them” (he certainly did).

Here is a photo of one of the two I bought: a GH 12; with 28-inch barrels honed and re-blacked and the stock refinished; on a 1 ½-frame. Respectable and shootable.

Russell, You are the caretaker and owner in your "sphere" as you so aptly put it. I feel sure that the next caretakers will value how you treated all of your guns. Bringing one back is just as noteworthy as keeping one as is.

Cherished and used...

[Opening Day]

Originally Posted by Craig Larter

So as Dean's experience has shown there is a risk taking Parker's afield. It is a downer when a gun gets damaged but sooner or later it will happen. A friend fell out of the golf cart at the recent Vintagers (hit a bump in the road) and his very high condition AAHE hit the gravel roadway and scratched it noticeably. I real bad situation that my friend took as well as could be expected.
So my rule is if you want to preserve a high condition Parker in its original condition don't expose it t the field or marsh. I have a few "caretaker guns" that reside safely in my man cave. What say you??

That's the reason I sold my complete collection of D grades in 90% and above from 8 ga to 410, it was fun chasing them for twenty years and showing them at a few meetings but then they just hung on the wall of the vault ! That wasn't fun so down the road the collection went, and now I have great guns that I can shoot.

[Joe Graziano]

I agree wholeheartedly. Every gun I own, I hunt with and shoot. As noted, if it’s raining or snowing heavily, the call goes to the hammer gun. But otherwise, all are field guns.

[Woodcock survey]

In 1972 I met a gentleman who I became good friends with. We were talking about hunting and guns one day in his game room and he was showing me his dad's Greener and winchester. I saw a double in a bunch off pool cues in the corner and asked ''whats that'' oh dad bought that for my sister but she does not shoot so I have it. A DHE 410 skeet in skeet out. I told him it was the most valuable gun he had and it should be secured. He had given me his dads safe when we cleaned out his house so for the next 20 years it stayed with me with the admonition to ''use it, the people that made it made it to use, it would be an insult to them not to''. So use it I did, skeet, woodcock, 1 grouse and many rabbits. He finally moved to NH. and got a safe and after a few years consigned it to auction. It sold well and he sent me a check saying '' I would have never known unless you had seen it'' I think of him often, he was a very unusual man, made his own coffin and I cracked up at his funeral when I saw it because he could never sand a corner square. I hope a member here owns this gun now if so pm me and I will give you the name and information on the owner. He was also kind enough to leave me the Greener.

[BRDHNTR]

20 ha trojan for upland in rainy weather