What mistakes have you made buying Parkers?

[Bruce Hering]

Originally Posted by Andrew Sacco

Bruce I loved your response. I just bought a Browning 20g Citori Skeet 28". Just enough "fuzz" in the photos to make it tough, but I wanted the gun. I paid $1400. I may have over paid by a few hundred but who knows. The gun was DIRTY and chambers corroded. I asked LOP, drops, and if the chokes could be removed with a key. His response was NOTHING to measurements and "I can't take the gun apart and touch the chokes, it's consignment, sold as is...I'm not allowed to even touch it." I won it, it will be fine when I'm done with it with new Carlson choke tubes and Timberluxe, but I gave him a mediocre review and also mentioned the repaired fore end crack repair he apparently "missed". He emailed me appalled that I posted that review and I told him why. He responded "I usually don't deal in shotguns.." To which I replied, "Then F*!^&^# don't deal in shotguns from now on...." I'm not the most knowledgeable but this was yet another lesson for me. BTW it's awesome to shoot : )

Andy: I dont think there is any thing that gets to me more then bad pics then when they say its a consignment gun. At that point I really ask some questions including trying to get the owners contact info. If that is not forthcoming I move on. I have seen shops tell someone that the gun is a consignment when I know it isn't. Just so they can wiggle the price.

[Dylan Rhodes]

I think in my limited years collecting and acquiring various vintage SXS of America makers my biggest mistake is making a fuss to myself over the price. Now, granted I am not venturing into the very high price range here yet, but as I was hunting this last fall and my mind was wondering I began to ask myself how much money I have spent on guns in my life. After a solid 1/2 mile worth of thinking and not paying attention to the dog and missing flushes, I came to the conclusion I haven’t a clue. Then I started thinking if there were any I did not get enjoyment out of, which I couldn’t name one. It was at that moment that I decided the price of what I want is irrelevant, so long as its in reason. I still try to verify things to make sure I don’t get burned by an extreme amount- and it hasn’t happened yet. But I have passed on some nice guns because i felt they were 2 or 300 overpriced. Never again.

[Andy]

Dylan great post. I just saw a 28 Repro on GI from Orvis for $9200. Either I'm missing something or that's unreasonable to me. A few of Greg's guns look vastly overpriced to me, but they're not if someone buys them I suppose. Back in 1995-96 I built a duck boat from the ground up, got a motor, new decoys, trailer, needed a truck of course, new duck gun, had some professional training done on my dog, new clothing...etc. I calculated that at the end of the hunting season I had spent nearly $9500 per pound of duck meat when all was said and done. But I built the boat with my father, who is now ill, and the price in hindsight means absolutely nothing. Money can be replaced but we wish to avoid stupid mistakes.

[6pt-Sika]

Originally Posted by Andrew Sacco

I just saw a 28 Repro on GI from Orvis for $9200. Either I'm missing something or that's unreasonable to me.

If it’s a DHE yeah that’s oughtta line but if it’s a BHE or A1 most likely not oughtta line .

[Bill Murphy]

It is apparently a DHE and is definitely out of line.

[GH-16]

Originally Posted by Andrew Sacco

Dylan great post. I just saw a 28 Repro on GI from Orvis for $9200. Either I'm missing something or that's unreasonable to me. A few of Greg's guns look vastly overpriced to me, but they're not if someone buys them I suppose. Back in 1995-96 I built a duck boat from the ground up, got a motor, new decoys, trailer, needed a truck of course, new duck gun, had some professional training done on my dog, new clothing...etc. I calculated that at the end of the hunting season I had spent nearly $9500 per pound of duck meat when all was said and done. But I built the boat with my father, who is now ill, and the price in hindsight means absolutely nothing. Money can be replaced but we wish to avoid stupid mistakes.

I suspect most of us have been down this road. New trucks & the accessories to go with them, Dogs, their training plus everything that goes with them including vet bills & in my case a Jones six hole dog trailer to pull behind the truck. The Cabela's & other store bills to outfit yourself. The travel costs for all the wonderful hunting adventures. Then comes the justification mental game about the guns we know we just have.

After all those expenses. I'm always dismayed when the discussion with a hunting buddy devolves into why would I want to shoot a $10.00+ box of ammunition when you can buy shells at Walmart for half that amount back in the good old days when you actually find some to buy. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to explain that the ammo is the cheapest part of my addiction!

[Hammer Gun]

Well their are two times in my life of Parker collecting, that cost me a large and I mean a large amount of money, both of these occurred at auctions by phone bid. One was a grade 3 twenty gauge hammer gun, being very rare and desirable I would not relinquish, I still have that wonderful gun, but I could have bought a car with what it cost! The second was a AA Hammer gun same scenario, I love both guns, and what the heck you do not run up on these guns hardly ever I am proud to be their keeper! Gary