Hey EDM- or may I say Ed. I'm an Irishman, and you can "bad-mouth" me. as others have, and I won't mind- I'm almost flattered by the "attention". But somehow, even though odds say the Detroit Lions will win a SuperBowl before we ever meet, I don't think you would do that. Not because I'm a "nobody" a working class stiff- in fact, no different than some of the folks who get on those dumbassed TV "Jackpot" shows- "Deal or No Deal" comes to mind- and through no great skill or high I.Q.- walk away a millionaire-
As I know very little about Parker (or Ithaca or other fine double gun history) I throughly enjoy reading and re-reading your posts here, and I am grateful we have a fair-minded gent. like Dave W. "at the helm of the good ship Double Gun Shoppe, Ltd. Inc. and PDQ--" The PGCA forum's apparent FUBAR with your former posting priviledges is their loss, and our gain.
What little I know about good doubles (side-bys- I am NOT a O/U man- I've picked up enough 2 x 4's on Habitat 4 Humanity projects, thanks anyway) I learned from the McIntosh book "Best Guns"- I bought a used copy of the Peter Johnson book on Parkers, believe it came out in 1961, and I read that- My late wife gave me a copy of Jack O'Connor's Shotgun Book, still have it (actually two copies, one signed- also his rifle book and others- I like crusty Irish authors, by the by)and learned that old curmudgeonly Jack was "just a bit prejudiced" for the fine Winchester Model 21 doubles (out of my price range)--
A few years ago I bought a copy of the Larry Baer book on the Parker Gun- didn't do much for me however- the ils. of the component parts and older price lists-fine detail, too much writing about high end Parkers we will most likely never see- Hollywood Celebs and this "Walking Thom" A-1 skeet gun unfired? Huum--anyway, if Santa comes through for this old Hibernian reprobate as I have asked, and I end up with a copy of your book on the Old Reliable, I'll spend the long winter months enjoying it, with a glass or two of Irish cheer-if we ever should meet, I'll gladly stand you to a glass or two (as long as we are shooting the "breeze' and not firearms of course. RWTF
