32" vs 30"

[Alfred Greeson]

I doubt I will ever have to worry about whether to use or not use my nib Parker. But, I really enjoy what I have. I recently acquired another 20 Trojan with an Ithaca pad on it that reads "PAT. APPL'D FOR", I just wonder how old that pad might be. It is a 1916 gun with the usual 100 years of wear but still in very good condition and comes to shoulder like a wand. May be just a Trojan but you gotta love a Parker!
The expert mentioned in this thread, John, is just that and a great guy to learn from. I miss the articles from the late Gene Hill and John was a hunting buddy of his. John told me a few years ago about a gentleman who came into his shop and purchased a nice 28 Parker, walked out and put it in the gun rack behind the seat of his pickup and drove across the railroad track by his shop with the Parker bouncing in the rack. I still wonder about that gun and what it looks like today. Love em and use em and the next generation will be glad we did! Met an old bear hunter this week who said he killed 15 grouse out of 19 shots this year and he might be interested in my new Trojan but, it is not for sale.

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by Alfred Greeson

Met an old bear hunter this week who said he killed 15 grouse out of 19 shots this year and he might be interested in my new Trojan but, it is not for sale.

That is a very impressive statistic and sounded like a heck of a grouse season considering this day and age. I would almost use the word inconceivable on numbers, but I have heard of recent similar success. Two years ago I was visiting with Jim Justice on a project, and he is a die hard grouse hunter. He has a private managed area in WV where he does his grouse hunting and he told me some of his numbers and they were on par, but his total harvest was higher. I asked him if that was normal and he said heck no, but he was trying to repeat it in the future with some active property management.


Also agree with the sentiment about these guns whether you shoot em or hold em back. I don't think I will ever own a gun that won't be employing to shoot, but have more than enough that I don't shoot as much as I would like, but having them is really great.

[Big D]

15/19? He's either lying or "Arkansawing" them. In either case, he doesn't need any Parker

[Setter Man]

Originally Posted by John Dallas

15/19? He's either lying or "Arkansawing" them. In either case, he doesn't need any Parker

I prefer to call them “high percentage shots”...

[Gary Laudermilch]

15/19 - Hmmm! Ask him what brand of 22 ammo he prefers.

[Alfred Greeson]

He didn't mention how many were flying. You may have guessed it. He did say food was hard to find and he found an area where they were thick but didn't find them at all otherwise. Like I said, I just met him and he said he lived in a rough area up in the mountains, you don't go there unless you know someone there. Definitely known for good moonshine. which can cause difficulty when counting grouse and shots.

[Kevin McCormack]

Was he using leaf sights or peep sight??

[Double Lab]

I paid dearly for a 32" DHE 20 on a 1 frame many years ago and it has more than doubled in price. It sports a raised flat rib, straight grip and all the other goodies that come with a D grade. I know it's not a V grade but the bottom line is that 32" smallbores are very desirable. Grab it if you can.

[Kevin McCormack]

Daryl has it right - we had a discussion at the Baltimore Show about the latent frenzy and mystique of the 20 ga. 32" guns, Parker, Fox, whatever. For 2-3 years I told everyone I suspected would encounter a 32" 20 ga. Fox Sterlingworth to alert me and I would pay what I had to pay for one. No Joy - so when the ex- Dana Tauber AE Fox 20 ga. 32" custom stocked gun came up in the last Julia Auction, I said to myself, "an AE to boot; GO FOR IT!! Moves and handles like a fine Tonkin cane flyrod, and lights up those targets!

[John Truitt]

Now find me a 34" 20 gauge DH and there would be no hesitation.