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I've fished Hardy reels almost exclusively for almost 30 years and own quite a few of them. Like most, I would have rather they continued to be made in England. However, given equal quality, I'd buy a Korean-made LHW Perfect without hesitation and not be too concerned about the emotional aspects.

For those unfamiliar with the Parker shotgun, there's not a more iconic American SxS double gun. There's a tremendous amount of mystique surrounding it, and it has a loyal following more than 65 years after production ceased. In the mid-1980s, Reagent Chemical & Research Inc. contracted with Olin (Winchester) to make the Parker Reproduction shotgun in a plant Olin controlled in Japan. The gun is a clone of the original design and most parts interchange. In many respects, the Reproduction is a better gun than the original, in others it's lacking. In any case, the controversy it created reminds me very much of what I'm reading on the forum about Korean Hardys. It was well-received by sporting writers but many Parker enthusiast took a dim view of it and were vocal--not a real Parker (true), no collectors value/depreciation , nit-picking its few legitimate foibles and grossly exaggerating a couple more serious problems with very low rates of occurrence.

In the mid-1990s I was looking for a high-quality bird gun more suitable for ruffed grouse than the FN-Browning O/U I had at the time. A gun I could grow old with. Production of the Parker Reproduction ended after a run of ~10,000 when Olin lost control of the Japanese plant. The remaining guns were sold at a 40% discount. It was still a significant expense for me, with a bunch of daughters to educate, but it presented a value that was hard to ignore.

After months of research, including conversations with the president of Reagent Chemical, I bought one despite the opinions of many of the Parker crowd. I'm truly glad I did. The gun has been great in most-all respects and has appreciated nicely in value despite its Asian origins. I'm certain it would take about 4.5 times its last full retail price ($3470) to buy a new gun of equal quality today. The interesting thing is that it's now well-regarded as a best value for quality, and if their forum is any measure, it's been largely accepted by the Parker boys.

IMO, a good reel is defined by design and build quality--not by its country of origin.