Woodmaster:
I don't disagree with what you wrote, but as a caveat, I did a stock fitting on a Blaser F3 that set me back $650. I also had a Beretta Silver Pigeon V 28 ga that came with a straight English stock. I couldn't adapt to it and sent it to Cole Gunsmithing who replaced the stock with a pistol grip stock for a total of $1,000 expended. Yes, it was nice piece of XX+ walnut and I love the gun since the stock was replaced. It is now a quail killer par excellence! But the price of stock fitting must be figured into the overall cost of the gun.
If you find a nice Parker VHE in fine, original condition and do a stock fitting, you have devalued the collector value of the gun considerably.
Just saying....
Read the last paragraph of my last post which begins, "If buying a gun to shoot..." and you will see I covered the caveats you brought up. I would balk at spending $650 to fit a Savage 311 but that would be reasonable to me on an F3 that retails for several thousand dollars. $1000 for an upgraded replacement stock for a Beretta 687 is also a great deal even for a -$3000 gun. If it would have been the typical factory grade wood for that price, I would have walked away.
As for the Parker, I would have it fitted in a heartbeat if I were buying it to be a shooter. As mentioned, I would factor the cost of fitting into what I would be willing to pay. It makes zero sense to me to buy a firearm to use but keep it in a condition which reduces its utility. Now, if this thread was in regards to collecting guns rather than shooting them my answers might be different.
