Hi,
I’m in a situation where the British-American debate is not hypothetical. Beyond all the other shotguns I’ve used over the years, I’ve been searching for twenty years for the right side by side. Over the years I’ve owned a modest Spanish double, a really nice Lefever DS grade that didn’t fit, an inherited Damascus Parker GH, and I currently own a Sterlingworth pin gun and LC Smith featherweight.
Of all these guns, I shoot the Sterlingworth best. It’s a 12 ga, 30” full and full I use for waterfowl. Without making this story longer than necessary, I looking at buying another gun from a double gun guy up here, six hours drive away. He mostly specializes in classic British doubles 2-1/2” chambers to keep them affordable, but he has a couple Parker’s for sale. Both are VH grade 12 gauge, one completely original 2-3/4” 30” full and full- $3,000, the other with a poorly reblued barrels, 3” chambers, must have been done a long time ago and refinished original stock $1,500.
I hunt a lot, mostly waterfowl average two days a week, but I also love pheasant hunting east of the mountains. My budget is $3,000, I’m torn between buying one of those really nice British guns, beautiful wood, fancy engraving, light straight stock, but both Parker’s look nice too. Please help.😀
