Why is a 12 ga Parker a "boat anchor" these days?

[StubTwist]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

Some of us have shot with Pete and a few of us wish our ‘boat anchors’ shot as well as his ‘boat anchors’ do.

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As long as you beat Pete and Billy, it was a good day! In all seriousness, shooting with the NH Boys is a lot of fun. Looking forward to when we all can shoot some sporting clays when this "social distancing" comes to a close so I can shoot my newly acquired "boat anchor" 30" twenty gauge Lefever with XF chokes....

[Dean Romig]

Dang! We could have done a small-bore shoot but I just sold my XXF 20 gauge Sterly.





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[Shane Jennings]

Originally Posted by Pete Lester

I will wade in. First I like boat anchors, I call them shooters. All my doubles are used for hunting. Mostly salt water duck hunting which is not a good place for a high condition or high grade gun IMO. Where can I find a modern double of the same quality as a mechanically correct Trojan or Sterlingworth for the same price? Some pretty nice people here shoot boat anchors, I don't really care what my friends shoot and if they are my friends they don't care what I shoot either. My guns are not my investments, they are my toys, and over the years it's been win some, lose some. Maybe markets have changed and put more in the lose some column, so what, I had years and years of enjoyment with those for the difference. I have a 12ga Trojan I like to shoot sporting clays with, even more so than my GHE Skeet. Truth be told my friends don't look at my gun, good or bad they only seem look at my score at the end of day. Some days they are quiet other days they laugh. Try to have some fun with your boat anchors.

Do you shoot steel shot in the old guns? I've considered buying one for duck hunting, but I was concerned about the barrels holding up to modern waterfowl loads.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Shane Jennings

Do you shoot steel shot in the old guns? I've considered buying one for duck hunting, but I was concerned about the barrels holding up to modern waterfowl loads.

I would never use steel in a Parker or any classic double gun, you are asking for trouble. I don't like the commercial loadings of bismuth for their price and their loadings. I reload my own bismuth to what are period correct shot weights, velocity and pressure. I think that is the only way to go with old doubles when it comes to ducks and geese.

[charlie cleveland]

get one of the parker repos they are made to shoot steel shot in the 12 ga water fowl guns...i have a field grade lc smith long range gun that i found a secound set of barrels that are modified choke that i have shot steel shot in it with no problems so far...but as pete said best to leave steel shot for guns made for it...

[Shane Jennings]

Originally Posted by Pete Lester

I would never use steel in a Parker or any classic double gun, you are asking for trouble. I don't like the commercial loadings of bismuth for their price and their loadings. I reload my own bismuth to what are period correct shot weights, velocity and pressure. I think that is the only way to go with old doubles when it comes to ducks and geese.

That's what I was thinking. I don't reload for 12ga anymore (for clays or upland birds), as factory ammo is as cheap or cheaper than reloading these days. But I would reload for waterfowl, if I had an old gun that required it. I reload for all my rifles. I enjoy it. Kinda like tying flies. An old field grade double would be fun to hunt with.

[Victor Wasylyna]

Originally Posted by Shane Jennings

I've considered buying one for duck hunting

Shane:

There is something special about hunting waterfowl with a Parker 10 gauge. Get one and read up on loading the “short ten” in our reloading subforum. Once you do, those steel loads in your arsenal will sit and collect dust.

-Victor

[William Woods]

Ian,

I am a fairly recent member, compared to guys like Dean and Edgar, to mention two. I am not an affluent individual, and cannot afford most of the mid level Parkers. I remember John Allen having two 16 GA. Parkers at a gun show, and wish now I had bought both of them. At the time I might have been able to scrounge up enough cash for one. I am one that is not as young as I used to be. I have always liked the D grade Parkers as being attractive enough, but not so collectible that they cannot be hunted with. In my neck of the woods, I have seen three DH(E)'s come to auction. The first was a 12 with short barrels that I was the first loser on. The second I bought, not knowing all the ill's it suffered, and because I could afford the price (initially). The third was my preferred 16 GA, but it had tighter chokes than I wanted and longer barrels. It sold for close to 10K, then was listed on one of the gun sites for 10K more than the telephone bidder bought it for. Turned out it was one of seven made in that configuration. I really didn't want a 12 GA DHE, but it was what I could afford that came up for auction locally. I have spoken to a prominent member here about restoration of that Parker, and everyone tells me not to do it because the restoration cost is way more than the gun is worth. I have been told that a 12 GA #2 frame Parker with 30" barrels is a very common gun, but I have yet to see many parts I need advertised for this gun. It is MY DHE, the only one I have, and may be the only one I will ever have. I would prefer a 16 DHE, 26" barrels, or a two barrel set, with one set at IM and MOD. But I haven't found one period, much less one that I could afford. So my suggestion is to buy what you want and be happy with it.

[Joe from MO]

I buy guns that I happen to like, and are at price I think is fair. I am not into collecting guns I don't plan to shoot, so have not purchased any "graded" guns..... Yet. :-)

I have a small collection of field grade guns, that includes more than one "boat anchor". I am a big guy, 6'1" and 240 finely sculpted pounds.. hahaha Beer does a nice job of scuplting a mans body. So, I like 12ga double guns with 30"+ barrels. I enjoy shooting them, etc. I do own some fast and light guns, 20ga O/U w 26" barrels, AH Fox 16ga that weighs in less than 6lbs, and love shooting those too.

As Forrest Gump would say, life is like a box of chocolates, and so are shotguns. Having a nice variety to shoot is what makes them so fun.

As for the other stuff going on in this thread, I am very new to this forum, but have been a very long time member on some others.... This forum is not unlike any other one I have been on. You have guys who have got to know each other, probably via in person visits, etc... Then, new guys come along and feel they are not part of the "cligue", which is a term I hate.... But in reality, they have just not been around long enough, to build that bond... That's ok, that's how things work. I wouldn't expect to be taken in like a brother 2 weeeks after signing up, that takes time, and getting to know people. No sense in worrying about it.

In my short time here, I have already observed a wealth of information given freely by the members, some of it, I don't necessarily agree with, but recognize that not every one is ever going to agree. It seems the days of being able to recognize that you don't agree on something, but can still be friendly has past, and that's a shame.

Anyway, love my boat anchors, and maybe one day I'll add a nicely engraved with fine lumber boat anchor to my collection of plain jane boat anchors....

[Joe from MO]

BTW.... You want to get eaten alive on a gun forum go visit the American Long Rifles forum, and post up pics of a Southern Mountain(Mongrel) rifle with a siler lock on it..... I made that mistake several years ago, and still have burn marks. But, the rifle was my rifle, made by me, and I used a lock I liked, although not an "English" lock which would have been true to a Southern Mountain rifle.... Rifle is still very dear to me, and shoots great, and will be handed down to one of my sons one day.

Anyway, y'all have a great day.....