doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Parkers are they truely...............?

Love 'em or hate 'em they are great guns. But are they truely the best American hand crafted gun, would they be considered the American version of Purdey for the time period? I have always heard or read "As a kid I always dreamed of owning a Parker". I myself have been guilty of thinking this. Now I own Parkers and absolutely love them, I have also owned many other American made guns, but they didnt stay long and have found other homes, and now I find myself only with Parkers. So is there some mystic powers that keeps Parkers in the minds of those, or is that they are truely a greatest American made gun?

is that they are truely a greatest American made gun? ???

Not relevant.

They have worked for me for decades and still do! So why shop around? Best to just go shooting!

From my observation when the "American Classics) were being built the Parker was the most expensive of the lot. Some of the other makers made a few high-end grades which were comparable with Parker, but over the entire field, Parkers were higher priced.

This I believe is reflected in a higher refined gun, particularly in the lower grades. That said I personally much prefer Lefevers even though they are not quite as highly finished internally. They finished their guns where it was important to their function but weren't as particular as Parker overall.

I haven't experience to provide an answer although I've taken satisfaction from Miller's and other's observations of quality consistent through the grades--and that must stand for something: to think my 16 0 grade and 12 VH are right up there with Parker higher-grade mechanisms, the Boss and Purdey of America!

I think to compare Parker to Boss or Purdey is just foolish. Entirely different kinds of companies making different kind of product. Just as we would not compare Ferrari with Volvo.

The OP starts really with a different question.....are they the best of American factory brands.

What gets missed by many in these types of discussions and it may be easier for a non American to see it, is the nationalism at play. Collectability, current market pricing....these things are driven hugely by a desire for Americana, for lack of a better term. And the value due to that aspect affects the judgment about how Parker (and the rest of American guns) fit into the wider world of shotguns.

Take off the "American" or the "English" hat and judge any and all guns based on design and workmanship. I don't know where Parker would line up in that but I doubt it would be anywhere close to Boss or Purdey.

Unless you've owned a Parker and a English best made it's hard to answer. I can say, owning a number of Parkers, that the workmanship is as good as any manufacture of the day. Fit and finish and internal polishing of all parts is all excellent. Parker lost money on their cheapest grade guns because the same man hours were put in to make one.

If you ever look inside a J P Sauer you will discover what is well finished. Anything American made is finished for function ( highest grades excluded). The Germans look like they were making fancy watches not guns. Fanstic metal finish!
bill

In total agreement C'back. The Parker gun is a rather complicated design & in my opinion, not a very good design. My comments were directed solely at the care given to the internal finishing of the gun. In fact, due to their complication, it is most likely this attention to fit & finish was an absolute necessity for them to work at all satisfactory. Many other American designs were simpler & did not require this attention for function & consequently did not receive it, particularly in the lower grades.

My answer to the original is thus, Yes, I consider it America's best-finished gun, But, No, I do not consider it America's Best Gun.

Miller, I'm glad you agree with me, mostly because that means I'm not being a total idiot. Haha!

Bill, I was with CJO a couple months ago with the locks off a 1930 Purdey and a 1895 Sauer, comparing them. The Sauer is a lower grade sidelock, minimal engraving and a broken stock. But the locks! As CJO was pointing out to me, obviously a different design but the finishing, while not exactly at the Purdey level, was not far off.

Prior to the "Panic of 1907" several makers offered guns to the same price point

����...��...Parker..................L.C. Smith..............Remington

$70...............VH........................No. 0E ($60)............BO ($75)

$80...............GH........................No. 2........................BEO

$100.............DH........................No. 3........................CE ($95)

$150.............CH.........................No. 4........................D

$200.............BH.........................No. 5........................E ($225)
(AE on Smith guns add $15)


Top of the line in 1906 William Read & Sons Catalogue
�Highest Quality� Westley Richards with single trigger - $595
W.W. Greener �Imperial� - $500
W&C Scott �Premier� - $375
W&C Scott �Imperial Premier� - price on application
Purdey - 89 pounds Sterling 5 shillings = about $436
Joseph Lang & Son �Highest Quality� sidelock ejector - 65 guineas
Parker Bros. AAHE - net price of $318.75
Lefever Optimus - $280
Remington Special - $750


1918 High Grade MSRP Comparisons
Smith Monogram - $400
Parker AHE - $410
Ithaca No. 6E - $310
(1921 Folsom) Baker Deluxe - $385
Smith Crown - $250
Parker BHE - $300
Ithaca No. 5E - $210
(1921 Folsom) Baker Expert - $215