I am thinking of making the drive from Cleveland up to Clarkston, MI to have my grandfathers parker fitted to me by Bob at proper gun fit LLC.

Does anyone have any experience with him? I am anxious to have this gun fitted, but also to learn my correct measurements for future gun purchases.

I have a very consistent mount and I think I am at the level of wingshooting that I would benefit from a fitting.

As a former "Buckeye" myself (Queen City) let me also recommend Bryan Bilinski at Traverse City, MI-- He and the late Mike McIntosh had a great shooting school for years there, and it is still in operation with Bryan- a former Orvis Shooting Instructor.

Another suggestion- if that fine inherited Parker is a higher grade than a Trojan or a Vulcan series, remember that many of the older Parkers were made with more drop at both heel and comb, possibly also a shorter pull length, and more down-pitch (the Trap and Live bird special order guns a possible exception here)--

If I may make so bold as to suggest this- before you have a possible valuable older family heirloom Parker "altered" to fit your shooting needs and physical make-up, as to height, sleeve length, right or left eye dominance, etc- Buy a used 20 gauge Parker Repro- with TWO TRIGGERS- avoid the single selective trigger version- and work with that- and keep the family gun unaltered for at least two years-then decide- alterations to the Japanese copy of the original Parker guns are fine for field work, but they do not have the "investment" cache of the Meridan built Parker guns, IMO anyway--

You might want to join the Parker Collectors Forum as well- I believe they have a listing for the fine Repro Parkers and there are some members there who, I am sure, could also help you and steer you in the right path-

Fieldsport contact data: www.fieldsportltd.com Traverse City, MI 49696 phone is 231-933-0767

You stated NE Ohio in your profile- Anywhere near Sylvania perhaps?? My first wife was from that area- And I was thrilled to see Ohio State beat arch rival U of M Saturday- My all-time favorite Big Ten College team is, of course, Notre Dame, but Ohio State looks unstoppable this season--

What do you mean by having the gun fit to you? Are you having it restocked? You can add LOP with a pad and raise the comb with another pad or moleskin. Have you tried this? The stock can also be bent, but 100 year old American walnut can be brittle and it may crack. I would think twice about having permanent alterations made to your gun.

Traverse City would be another 3 hour drive. I'm not saying not to, just one thing to consider. I have three Parkers, and eight Remingtons that I altered to fit me. Some I had to bend, others a recoil pad or combination. I had a Parker that seemed to fit and always shot good, so I made the others to the same dimensions. Maybe Bob can give you some references be for you commit to him. Brad Bachelder can bend or alter stocks if you tell him what you want. He's a master gun maker from Grand Rapids and has done two restorations for me on old SxS's. 1-616-459-3636 - not open Mondays. Good luck

has anyone else here noticed that much of "gun fitting" has to do with the placement of your hand on the forend? the further up the forend one places ones hand the longer the stock seems to feel and vice versa?

I sure wouldn't bend the stock on my grandfather's gun if he had left me one.

Use a comb raiser pad, an LOP pad but leave the gun as made. As mentioned above, 100 year old wood may not bend as you want it too and once it cracks you're f**ked.

While bending a piece of old wood is a risk, if the gun is otherwise unusable then it is a reasonable course. Changes in shooting styles make guns stocked for a different era of limited use.

You just have to go into it with you eyes open.

Reference the applicability of one set of fittings universally. I do not believe that is likely to be the case. I say this because gunfitting is not an exact science, the weight, balance, barrel choke angles or each barrels, and many other variables. While using identical measurements will get you in the ballpark, different guns will perform differently with the same fitting dimensions applied..

Rather than go into an extremely long discussion of the variables, I encourage you to get Michael Yardley's book on gunfiiting or the Orvis book as both are good books on the subject.

You have to test and adjust for each gun.

One last word on risking my Grandfather's gun. Using my grandfather's gun, altered if unusable otherwise is an acceptable course to me. Everytime I shot a duck with his Ithaca 37 he was there with me. If the stock was lengthened he would be ok with it as he was a small man (they starved in the old country, literally starved, I outgrew his hunting coat by the 7th grade). Better to be used than gather dust above the fireplace.

There are a coupe of guys at Grand Blanc Huntsman Club that use Bob regularly and swear by his work. If you haven't spoken to him you might call him and discuss what you're considering. Measurements will be no problem for him and I'm sure he can make the gun fit you but IMHO it sure would be a shame to mess up a nice old Parker.

Good luck with however you decide to proceed.

Thanks for the input everyone, and also for your concern. The Parker I am considering altering is a VH grade that has been beat to absolute hell in the grouse woods. Its still a great looking gun, and I wouldnt consider having it restocked.. well see after my measurements, maybe it isnt too far off from where it needs to be..

GG,

PM sent.

Phil

Nothing to apologize for her, Sir- You ever get a chance to see the VH 20 gauge used by the late grouse hunter par excellence- Burton Lowell Spiller- Last that I heard, Morris Baker- RST shotshells guru owns that heirloom. I went through hoops with a pawn shop AH Fox HE "Super Fox" 3" 12 32" Full and very Full chokes 25 years ago--Not a grouse gun I grant you, and today, at age 72, given good eyesight and health, I don't have the ;dogs, legs and coverts to hunt "Sir Ruff" as I did in the 1970-1980 era- I ended up with a very heavy cannon that, unlike my two Model 12 Heavy Duck pumpguns, I could not shoot comfortably, and I later on sold it-- Restocking older fine double guns, and your 20 VH is in that mileu, can be iffy--Good luck in whomever you choose to work on your fine old Parker gun--

A member at my club also used him - very happy. The old wood can be bent if necessary. As my previous post, see Bachelder if that's necessary - believe he uses steam to do it. Paul