The Gun Nuts: Hunting With a 100-Year-Old Parker Double

[@wholeNwon]

Good to see your Parker in use. I've owned and hunted with a number of them over the years and still have two. I've never even seen an "unmolested" 12 ga. Parker with 2 3/4 inch chambers...at least not until Remington started making them. All of them were 2 5/8. I think that your use of 2.5 inch shells is very wise.

[@hunter5425]

I have a 1926 Parker Trojan gifted to me by my wife's great uncle on his 100th birthday. I was the only hunter on both sides of the family so I was honoured to receive this fine gun, Uncle Bert lived to be 1 month shy of his 108th birthday and we still miss him after all these years.

[@wholeNwon]

Measure the chamber lengths carefully.

[@jimgolden9666]

That's beautiful, man! I have a 1909 Parker 12ga. Just got it back from the 'smith....I bought it nearly a year ago but it had some dings in the barrels. Also the recoil pad was a ventilated Pachmyer that looked like it came off a 1952 Weatherby MK V but was hard as a rock. He ran this hydraulic expander thing down the barrels and popped the dings out and we put a new DeCelerator pad on it in the proper reddish brown color....I put four rounds out of her today and it ROCKS! The right barrel torques the gun so that it really whomps your cheek bone. Left barrel is more inline. I've had a 20ga side by side for years....but this is my first 12. It does kick a little more :) I LOVE the Parker. Old Reliable is one of my favorite pieces. I'd like to get a Winchester Model 21 someday, but not sure if they are really any better than Old Reliable.

[@bugsmashersteven1]

I have a Parker Trojan 16 gauge from about 1919,it belonged to my grandfather,it is in 100% perfect condition and is the best firearm i have ever used and I know what a privilege to own one of these magnificent guns.

[@popoaggie]

I hunt with a Parker 16 gauge Trojan and love it. I only use RST 2.5" shells. Mine was born in 1924. Also use a 12 gauge Fox Sterlingworth that was built in 1914. Both are great American made doubles that still shoot just fine if you take care of them and use lite loads of the right length for the chambers.

[@rosskeeling4982]

I hunt every year with a Winchester Model 1912 that was manufactured in 1920. It's great to see you using those old guns the way they were meant to be used.

[@stevencaldwell838]

My buddy is handing me down a 16 gauge side by side… I have no idea who the maker is or what year it is yet. I do know that it is an older firearm and that it is in great condition… can’t wait to get my hands on it!

[@johnstalilionis8171]

I have one, a 12 gauge VHE, use it early season woodcock hunting, dates to 1897, with Vulcan steel. As I am getting older it seems a lot heavier now .My father bought it in 1942 for $20.00 used form a friend that was getting married and needed a few dollars. '

[@wholeNwon]

Agree. Mine are getting heavier, too. It's also why the smaller gauges are so treasured now.

[@shawnbarry3893]

I have a old Parker

[@terraria7042]

That's awesome

[@stevenmc56]

I have hunted with a lot of old guns and I think they were much better made

[@gregwalker4236]

as beautiful and storied as these old guns are, they require more care and expense than new offerings and would probably not survive steel shot. if you already have serviceable modern guns, and if you are able to enjoy them for a few years (and have a favorite heir) nothing would be better on the game field with the lighter loads they were designed for. see "best guns" by michael mcintosh for a delightful history of these and other timeless game getters.

[@williamgmunson3146]

does anybody know where I can get the low power shells to shoot in the old parkers with hammers and not blow up the barrels?

[@Prowbar]

I'd say reload existing ones with black powder instead of smokeless

[@eugenemoore491]

william g Munson go too rst shotshell they Will have what you want

[@wholeNwon]

But best to load your own, if you insist on using smokeless powder. There is LOTS of published info. on the topic. The Double Gun Journal had helpful articles. One of the major problems with these old guns is that you don't know what has been done to them in the past. Inappropriate loads may have already caused the elastic limit of the barrels to be exceeded rendering them dangerous.

[@karvast5726]

@@Prowbar he can just use light powder loads with smokeless no need for black powder it's all messy he just need to reduce the pressure less powser does that

[@luisferreira6189]

RST

[@willpreussner6480]

I live near Dubuque.

[@TheHikuky]

👍😄

[@AusFeral23]

I love my hunting i live in Australia when you're releasing a bird from a cage with a timer at your feet personally i don't call that hunting it's basically target shooting

[@MegaRiffraff]

👍🏻