doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Parker DHE 12ga 26" barrels?

Thanks. I will make sure to test the trigger before making any deals.

Unfortunately Old Joe, it's YOU that doesn't understand the reason why some Parker Repros with a SST have had issues . . . it's simply a matter of congealed oil. And that is taken care of by a good cleaning.

I don't think it is quite that simple. Way more than one I have handled can only be referred to as "Crunchy", feeling like something was wrong internally, even if it worked.
To be fair, it is not simply a problem on Parker repros, getting a single trigger right is tough on any gun.
I think the market has determined that the double trigger Parker Repro guns are worth more. But, it didn't start out that way.


Best,
Ted

My 20 gauge repro doubled frequently. Dewey Vicknair repaired the SST and said there was a component that was cast, but not fitted properly. He said there were a few file marks on it, as though an attempt was made to fit the part. Dewey finished the part, properly, and the gun has worked fine ever since. He also told me that there was no congealed grease in the action, and that it was quite clean and dry.

Yeah, right. Folks here would be better off spending their time watching the sky for flying pigs than waiting for you to actually buy a double barrelled shotgun that costs more than a rattletrap Crescent. But since this is the internet, you can pretend to be anything you want to be as long as you are comfortable with being pathetic.

I tell you a little secret. The Crescent isn't worth buying because old Vintage Ithaca 37, Model 12 Featheweight and new Wingmaster 870 with Light Contour barrel are better handling guns. Comprende usted?

When the Repros came out, the sense seemed to be that American shooters still preferred a ST over DT. True of all the really popular sxs imported from Japan (where the Repros were made): SKB, BSS, Winchester 23. For what it's worth, Michael McIntosh thought the Repro had a better ST than did the Win 23. I tend to agree.

Similarly, back then, if you wanted open chokes on a sxs made for an American company, you got short barrels. If you wanted tighter chokes, you got longer barrels. These days, a Repro--especially in 20 or 28ga--would likely sell better if it had not only DT, but also if it were choked IC/M. Or maybe even Quail 1 & 2. The preferences of American sxs shooters have changed quite a bit since then.

Way back yesterday, when I stopped at Gander Mountain, every new and used double and O/U in the place had a single trigger.
If there was an above described gun in the store with barrels longer than 28", I didn't see it. I don't think I saw a 28, to be honest, but, my eyes glazed over after about the third used Browning Citori with a glossy finish on the stock. I can only take so much of that before my eyes glaze over, and I start thinking about how much dog poop is in the yard, and how I should do something about it, instead of standing here with glazed over eyes. 26" barrels were still common, however.
Mostly autos and pumps, but, I didn't pay much attention to them.
What sells at the big retailers seems to have little correlation to what people here seem to be interested in.
The more things change, the more they stay the same, Larry.


Best,
Ted

Well Ted, those OU's are relative newcomers to the scene. And they've had single triggers pretty much forever. Hard to spot a trend heading in the direction of DT's among OU fanciers . . . although Cole does DT conversions on Beretta OU's.

By going to Gander, of course, you weren't in the right place to spot the trend in side by sides. Stop and think about what you saw in Spanish guns back in the early 80's. Plenty of single triggers (think the AyA Matador) along with PG and BT forend. When I look at my Stoeger Shooters Bible from 1960, their Spanish imports (from V. Sarasqueta) all have PG and BT. Most have a ST. If you look at guns coming in from Spain now, what do you see? Mostly straight grip/splinter/DT. Likely you'd have to special order to get PG or BT or ST. And a lot of guns with 28" barrels (29" not uncommon on smaller bores) along with chokes more open than M/F. All of those have been the trend--you might say "return to the classics"--when it comes to sxs.

Look at the photos of Stan's Turkish sxs on the AyA .410 topic: Straight/splinter/DT . . . 30" barrels, no less! If you'd wanted a double like that--especially a smallbore--not all that long ago, you would have had to custom order it.

The Parker Repros were some of the best guns for the money produced. The attention to detail on making them was superb.
I owned several at one time. 12, 20'S and 28 gauges.
The 28's were by far the best of them all.
Unfortunally when they were being produced back in the late 70's and 80's short barrels were the rage.
I wounce saw a 12 bore that had a 30" set of barrels that had been specially made for it. If they had made a run of 30" barreled 28 gauges that would have been the cat's meow!
I would say the 3k range is right on. They are not making them anymore and finding a nice example of one is getting harder.