I haven’t been on here in a while, busy with my other passion training and running my field trial Golden’s, but I wanted to report in before hunting season was over. Last spring someone on here, (thank you very much), turned me on to a very nice original condition Parker VH at a good price.

I had been looking for years, decades really, for a classic American side by side within my budget. I started around 1998 with a nice condition Lefever DS 12 that I really liked, but it alway shot a foot left, I paid $300 to bend the stock but it still shot left, so I sold it.

Then I bought a pretty LC Smith FW 12 with 28” barrels. This gun had been restocked to modern dimensions, mirror bores, rust blued barrels and recast colored. The gun seems to fit great when I shoulder it, but I don’t shoot it well at all compared to my Ruger RL sporting clays. My next step was a Sterlingworth Pin gun I bought from a very nice member here. 12 ga, good condition, all original with 30” barrels. This gun I can shoot well, yay finally, except it pops open on shooting occasionally. My local smith tried several things, the seller sent me a part free of charge, but nothing worked. It’s been with another smith over a year, still waiting as I really like it.

Finally I got that Parker last spring. Over the years I kind of resisted the Parker mystique, thinking they were nice guns, but overpriced, so I didn’t pay much attention to them, but that deal on the VH was too good to pass up so I bought it. ONG what a nicely balanced gun. At slightly less than seven and a half pounds, I thought it would wear me out carrying it all day in the field chasing pheasants, but it feels so good in hand and handles so well when shooting, it’s just a very reassuring feel.

Now I’ve got a half a season of duck and pheasant hunting in on it and I shoot it very well, I just love this gun.

John, I imagine many of us have to go through the same process before finding THAT GUN. And there is no way to tell before actually taking it to the field. Parker’s can surprise a feller. I love them but surprisingly enough my $400 Lefever G 12 seems to have a lot of the magical whatever it is. And I have a “low class” Parker Trojan that comes close. But the one that tops them all is a Sauer sidelock from about 1895 that I literally fell into. A friend bought it on Gunbroker and for some reason was going to return it but I liked the way it handled and ended up with it. Have never handled any gun that fit me so well and is so perfectly balanced for me! And icing on the cake is it’s only a notch away from new condition.

My! what a long journey it can be to find just the right gun! Congratulations on finally reaching it.

I’d like to post pictures off my phone, but the process explained in the FAQ section seems overly complicated and set for an actual computer. Can anybody explain the process for an iPhone?

John,
Once you finally find your "holy grail", NEVER let it go!
Karl

never heard of a fox or a smith popping open on firing...they both have rotary bolts which prohibit that from happening...

The things you haven't heard of concerning double guns would fill volumes. If the rotary bolting wears, or is improperly fitted, it can cause a Smith or a Fox to partially open at the first shot. A weak top lever spring can also contribute to it.

I have a Smith at the gunsmith at this moment being repaired for this very thing.

well stan, here we go ah gin...partially opening on firing aint the same as popping open...

even ah no dat...

This will be my last word on this. The first signs are when it partially opens. Continued firing in this condition quickly accelerates the condition. Eventually, it will open.

If you were as knowledgeable about double guns as you pretend to be that wouldn't have to be spelled out to you. I'm done.

Glacierjohn,
Congratulation on finding YOUR Parker. Also welcome to the club of satisfied Parker shooters.

It completely pops open and somehow the lever gets pushed all the way right. I spoke on the phone to Jason at Pumpkin gun works, he thought it was the way the rotary bolt engaged the slot in the barrel extension. I’m not sure my gunsmith is buying into that idea.

I don't know how it could be anything else. Jason knows his business.

Jason is correct, no shock in that.

You need for the rotary bolt to engage on the barrels more heavily on the left side of the barrel extension. If it bares more upon the right side of the extension the rotary bolt wants to turn and the top lever moves to the right. I have seen this several times myself and when fitting new fox barrels I always make the left side bare more heavily and they do not pop open when fit in that manner.

Jason has fit up enough rotary bolt barrels that he understands the mechanics involved.

I found magic in a Parker after owning several of them. Finally bought a VH 16ga on the 0 frame. Compared to Foxes, most Parker 16's, which are built on the 1 frame, feel heavy. Mine is right at 6 pounds with 28" barrels. Having been restocked (quite nicely), it's just a shooter. But one that has that bit of magic my previous Parkers lacked.

any 16 gauge doublegun that weighs around six pounds is a treasure to be cherished...

they dont make erm like dat any mo...