Those damn anti-2A gun-destroying Jack Booted Thugs

sirhrmechanic

Command Sgt. Major
Full Member
Minuteman
So last week this nut job brings three guns into the VT State police because "These were my grandfathers and after Uvalde I don't want them and I want to have them destroyed because all guns are evil." Another delusional leftist retard...

The desk sergeant looks at the three guns and told her that, first, these guns are historical, pieces of firearms art... and quite valuable. Second, that they are not the kinds of firearms that criminals use. These aren't those kinds of guns. And finally that destroying them would be a worse crime. But if she really wanted to get rid of them, there is a reputable gun shop just a half mile away. And she could go there and the owner would happily take them off her hands.

And she did. And he did.

Then, knowing that I collect old Parkers, the owner (who gave her a pittance for the guns) let me have this for... a pittance. About 1/5th of market value. I don't know what he paid, if anything, nor do I care. They are safe and this one came home. He kept the other two for himself, including a mint Stevens Favorite .22 and another gun that he did not say what it was (I am sure it was nice!). So an incredible Parker goes into my custody and care... and I could not be happier!!

So today, I became the proud owner of a Parker D-Grade (may even be a C-grade) from 1902. Spectacular damascus barrels. Significant case color and perfect case on the water table and under forend. Damascus pattern is unreal. Skeleton buttplate. The gun is so light it swings like a 20 gauge. Perfect balance. Perfect weight barrels in IC/Mod.

Yeah... it would have been a crime to destroy this. And a shout out to the VSP troopers who appreciate history and art and quality and know what a piece of art is when they see it.

parker 1.jpg



parker 2.jpg



parker 3.jpg



Today is a good day! This gun will go bird hunting with me this fall for sure!!!

Cheers,

Sirhr

PS.
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Sirhr, that barrel's just a long skinny strip of pattern-welded/laminated steel shaped around a mandrel, right? I can see the lines in the pattern; wonder how many coils there are.
 
That is awesome! Congratufuckinlations sir! Bucket list type of smooth bore right there. Glad to hear you’re going to get the old girl out in the field this fall.
 
Wire wound Damascus is supposed to be fragile right? You gonna shoot BP?
Nope, by 1902 a Parker Barrel was plenty capable of handling nitro. I'll use light 2.5" loads.

There is a myth that 'Damascus is unsafe' to shoot. What are unsafe to shoot are low-grade, usually Belgian guns, with poor-quality twist steel. These are often referred to as 'hardware store' guns and often ripped off known brands, cloning them with very cheap materials. So "Barker," "L. Smith," "Sterling Worth" and similar names played off of quality American and British guns, but were poorly made, even when new.

A good set of twist barrels IN GOOD CONDITION and not all rusted (and de-laminating) is perfectly safe with reasonable nitro loads. In fact, they can be stronger and safer than some of the cast-steel barrels of the late 1800's. Again, these cast steel barrels are different from the Krupp Fluid Steel barrels (superb) and were sort of a transitional barrel between modern and Damascus. They can be hard to spot, too.

But I have a number of quality damascus guns that I shoot all the time. And every time I show up... someone gets their knickers in a twist that I am going to blow myself up.

BTW, a lot of the 'revival' of the Damascus guns came as a result of the formation of a group called "The Vintagers" which started in, I think, Rhode Island, in the early 1990's. We dressed in period clothes, had 'Edwardian' food and beverages as part of the shoots. And going to a weekend-long 'Clays shoot with that group was amazing. I think they later moved the core group down South, but they still shoot. Or did a few years ago. Guess it was sort of cosplay for vintage shotgunners. I know I loved it!

Cheers,

Sirhr
 
Nope, by 1902 a Parker Barrel was plenty capable of handling nitro. I'll use light 2.5" loads.

There is a myth that 'Damascus is unsafe' to shoot. What are unsafe to shoot are low-grade, usually Belgian guns, with poor-quality twist steel. These are often referred to as 'hardware store' guns and often ripped off known brands, cloning them with very cheap materials. So "Barker," "L. Smith," "Sterling Worth" and similar names played off of quality American and British guns, but were poorly made, even when new.

A good set of twist barrels IN GOOD CONDITION and not all rusted (and de-laminating) is perfectly safe with reasonable nitro loads. In fact, they can be stronger and safer than some of the cast-steel barrels of the late 1800's. Again, these cast steel barrels are different from the Krupp Fluid Steel barrels (superb) and were sort of a transitional barrel between modern and Damascus. They can be hard to spot, too.

But I have a number of quality damascus guns that I shoot all the time. And every time I show up... someone gets their knickers in a twist that I am going to blow myself up.

BTW, a lot of the 'revival' of the Damascus guns came as a result of the formation of a group called "The Vintagers" which started in, I think, Rhode Island, in the early 1990's. We dressed in period clothes, had 'Edwardian' food and beverages as part of the shoots. And going to a weekend-long 'Clays shoot with that group was amazing. I think they later moved the core group down South, but they still shoot. Or did a few years ago. Guess it was sort of cosplay for vintage shotgunners. I know I loved it!

Cheers,

Sirhr

The Vintagers are still alive and well. I used to shoot at Addieville East Farm in RI.

An amazing place and great fun with great people.


Cheers,

Sirhr
 
It's sad that a guy who was probably a pretty good man has no better heir than this.

May he RIP
That was what I was talking about with a buddy earlier... You had to be 'someone' to afford that gun back in 1902!

What a shame that his guns got passed down to a leftist muppet.

doggie.jpg


Sirhr
 
That was what I was talking about with a buddy earlier... You had to be 'someone' to afford that gun back in 1902!

What a shame that his guns got passed down to a leftist muppet.

View attachment 7932114

Sirhr
:(
Old mans rolling in his grave right now. But at least it got in the hands of SOMEONE who'll do right by em
 
Nope, by 1902 a Parker Barrel was plenty capable of handling nitro. I'll use light 2.5" loads.

There is a myth that 'Damascus is unsafe' to shoot. What are unsafe to shoot are low-grade, usually Belgian guns, with poor-quality twist steel. These are often referred to as 'hardware store' guns and often ripped off known brands, cloning them with very cheap materials. So "Barker," "L. Smith," "Sterling Worth" and similar names played off of quality American and British guns, but were poorly made, even when new.

A good set of twist barrels IN GOOD CONDITION and not all rusted (and de-laminating) is perfectly safe with reasonable nitro loads. In fact, they can be stronger and safer than some of the cast-steel barrels of the late 1800's. Again, these cast steel barrels are different from the Krupp Fluid Steel barrels (superb) and were sort of a transitional barrel between modern and Damascus. They can be hard to spot, too.

But I have a number of quality damascus guns that I shoot all the time. And every time I show up... someone gets their knickers in a twist that I am going to blow myself up.

BTW, a lot of the 'revival' of the Damascus guns came as a result of the formation of a group called "The Vintagers" which started in, I think, Rhode Island, in the early 1990's. We dressed in period clothes, had 'Edwardian' food and beverages as part of the shoots. And going to a weekend-long 'Clays shoot with that group was amazing. I think they later moved the core group down South, but they still shoot. Or did a few years ago. Guess it was sort of cosplay for vintage shotgunners. I know I loved it!

Cheers,

Sirhr
Always enjoy a lesson from you. I know just enough about shotguns to make myself dangerous. Thanks and happy shooting.

Also have a guy doing some measurements on that model 54 chamber cast. Hopefully some answers soon
 
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So last week this nut job brings three guns into the VT State police because "These were my grandfathers and after Uvalde I don't want them and I want to have them destroyed because all guns are evil." Another delusional leftist retard...

The desk sergeant looks at the three guns and told her that, first, these guns are historical, pieces of firearms art... and quite valuable. Second, that they are not the kinds of firearms that criminals use. These aren't those kinds of guns. And finally that destroying them would be a worse crime. But if she really wanted to get rid of them, there is a reputable gun shop just a half mile away. And she could go there and the owner would happily take them off her hands.

And she did. And he did.

Then, knowing that I collect old Parkers, the owner (who gave her a pittance for the guns) let me have this for... a pittance. About 1/5th of market value. I don't know what he paid, if anything, nor do I care. They are safe and this one came home. He kept the other two for himself, including a mint Stevens Favorite .22 and another gun that he did not say what it was (I am sure it was nice!). So an incredible Parker goes into my custody and care... and I could not be happier!!

So today, I became the proud owner of a Parker D-Grade (may even be a C-grade) from 1902. Spectacular damascus barrels. Significant case color and perfect case on the water table and under forend. Damascus pattern is unreal. Skeleton buttplate. The gun is so light it swings like a 20 gauge. Perfect balance. Perfect weight barrels in IC/Mod.

Yeah... it would have been a crime to destroy this. And a shout out to the VSP troopers who appreciate history and art and quality and know what a piece of art is when they see it.

View attachment 7931825


View attachment 7931826


View attachment 7931827


Today is a good day! This gun will go bird hunting with me this fall for sure!!!

Cheers,

Sirhr

PS.
View attachment 7931861
Well, along with the bright side that you got a beautiful vintage Parker, One has to appreciate the VT Police for not being 'Jack Booted A2A Thugs' and pointing her in the right direction of where to dispose of these firearms. Instead of some places like CA where they WOULD have thrown them into the crusher.
 
Well, along with the bright side that you got a beautiful vintage Parker, One has to appreciate the VT Police for not being 'Jack Booted A2A Thugs' and pointing her in the right direction of where to dispose of these firearms. Instead of some places like CA where they WOULD have thrown them into the crusher.
Sand: pretty sure there are departments in VT that would have sent them to the crusher. Almost certain that there are individul troopers who would have happily had them destroyed. Pretty sure there are departments and officers in California or other places that would have done the same thing and saved them.

The point being is folks can’t paint everyone with the same brush.

Sirhr
 
The Vintagers are still alive and well. I used to shoot at Addieville East Farm in RI.

An amazing place and great fun with great people.


Cheers,

Sirhr

That looks like great fun.

In a related story, I got a Marlin 66 from a similar situation in AZ over 10 years ago.

I was there getting prints done for a Form 1 when a woman comes in and tells the desk Sgt she has her deceased husband's guns in her car and just wants to get rid of them. Desk Sgt says she can sell them, but if she doesn't want to then the PD will accept them. The old guy doing my prints, who knew what they were for, looked at me, said "Dibs on any shotguns" (to which I agreed), and then we both told the widow we'd be interested in what she had.

There were a couple random scatterguns I was happy to let the officer take first dibs on along with a Marlin 66 in decent shape. $100 later and I was going home with completed print cards and a rifle bought in the parking lot of the Sierra Vista Police Department :)
 
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Sand: pretty sure there are departments in VT that would have sent them to the crusher. Almost certain that there are individul troopers who would have happily had them destroyed. Pretty sure there are departments and officers in California or other places that would have done the same thing and saved them.

The point being is folks can’t paint everyone with the same brush.

Sirhr
Some cops suck and some and great. Fine. That's settled.

So.... what'd you pay for the Parker?!?! Saying "a pittance" gives me anxiety. That's what my wife tells me when she buys a new handbag or books or a vacation. I need to know, dammit.
 
My old man was in the firearms office at the local police station a few years ago getting some paperwork or other signed. An older guy came in wanting to get rid of a pistol he carried on his yacht and now had no use for.

The Arms Officer looked at it and told the guy that if he surrendered it to police, it would be destroyed but he could sell it to a collector if he liked and get some cash for it.

The guy said he didn't know any collectors, so the Arms Officer told him there was one standing behind him and pointed at my dad.

So dad brought the .25ACP Baby Browning, still in the box, for next to nothing. Even then the seller said he didn't want to take that much because he just wanted rid of it.

Included were 24 rounds of ammo from the box of 25 that had been brought with it. One of the rounds had been fired on a New Years eve.

The Baby is still in as new condition but lives in my safe now.

All I ever got to buy from someone wanting rid of a gun at the police station was a Maverick 88 pump action. I brought it in the front counter of the police station for $20 and later sold it for $350 (New Zealand Dollars).

I missed out on a quite nice condition 1950s made Winchester 1894 30-30 that the owner was going to shoot himself with, before we took him to the mental hospital and the 1894 to the station for safekeeping until he sold it.
 
That looks like great fun.

In a related story, I got a Marlin 66 from a similar situation in AZ over 10 years ago.

I was there getting prints done for a Form 1 when a woman comes in and tells the desk Sgt she has her deceased husband's guns in her car and just wants to get rid of them. Desk Sgt says she can sell them, but if she doesn't want to then the PD will accept them. The old guy doing my prints, who knew what they were for, looked at me, said "Dibs on any shotguns" (to which I agreed), and then we both told the widow we'd be interested in what she had.

There were a couple random scatterguns I was happy to let the officer take first dibs on along with a Marlin 66 in decent shape. $100 later and I was going home with completed print cards and a rifle bought in the parking lot of the Sierra Vista Police Department :)
I did the samething at Murphy’s in Tucson about 25 years ago.