The Parker Project

Note: The following article was written by my friend, William "Butch" Reid, an accomplished trap shooter who has graciously provided it for readers of this Blog.

Three days before my forty fifth birthday,  I finally acquired a true, American classic. After years of searching for a fine double that my budget could endure I am now the proud owner of a Parker Brothers V grade side by side in 16 gauge. On my routine weekend searches at the local gun dealers, I stumbled upon this little diamond in the rough setting on a shelf behind the counter, out of public reach. 

I recognized the Parker screw pattern on the bottom of the receiver and inquired if it was for sale. As luck would have it, the gun was available and When it was handed to me, I knew it would be mine. As I held it, I marveled at its light weight and graceful lines which were marked by a thin receiver and barrels that make it feel like a natural extension of the body that balances exactly between the hands, just as it should.  The Parker side by side is fast swinging and perfect as a flushing game gun. 

Ugly Guns

Note: The following article was written by my friend, William "Butch" Reid, a skilled, competitive trap shooter.  He has graciously shared it for readers of this Blog and it is hoped that he will become a regular contributor.

My love affair with the scattergun started at the grand old age of 12 when I became the sole inheritor of a 1950’s era Stevens 311 side by side.  This blocky, heavy, and unbalanced gun was complete with double triggers and chokes tight enough to head shoot hummingbirds at 40 yards. This was the gun that I learned to wing shoot with.

These painful lessons began on the opening day of dove season. Our yearly allowance of hunting was on opening day at my great-uncle, Newman Ferguson's farm in Sedalia, North Carolina: a small, 65 acre farm that held just enough cut corn for a decent day of hunting.

Double Barreled Shotguns for Defense

Double barreled shotguns are not considered ideal defensive weapons amongst "experts" of all levels because of their limited fire power. The double barrel provides only two rounds of ammunition before reloading is necessary while pumps and semi-automatics generally have a capacity of six rounds (one in the chamber and five in an unplugged magazine). However, old yet serviceable double barreled shotguns are found in many homes, often having been handed down through the family, and their usefulness as a defensive tool should not be discounted.

Whether considered ideal for defense or not, any serviceable firearm at hand is better than being unarmed in the face of an emergency. In the case of double barreled shotguns, two rounds of buckshot will provide a very substantial response to an attack, provided they hit the target. One 2 and 3/4 inch round of 00 buckshot for a 12 gauge shotgun provides nine .33 caliber pellets and one 2 and 3/4 inch round of number 3 buckshot for a 20 gauge shotgun provides twenty .25 caliber pellets that are delivered all at once.

Double barreled shotguns provide five advantages that mitigate their perceived deficiencies: 1. They are very simple to operate which is an advantage to someone who is not a firearms enthusiast and regular shooter. 2. Effectively two guns in one, their robust actions are unlikely to suffer broken parts and, if they do, both barrels are not likely to fail. 3. Double barreled shotguns will never jam. 4. Short barreled coach guns with 20 inch barrels or less are handier in confined spaces than are pumps and semi-automatics because the length of their actions provide a shorter overall length. 5. Psychologically, the twin muzzles, which scream "shotgun", are quite intimidating, underscoring street knowledge of the devastating damage that a "gauge" can affect on flesh and blood. These advantages allow them to defend the homestead just as well now as they did one hundred years ago.