NH 10ga Project Gun Complete

[Pete Lester]

In late 2009 I found a fairly solid, or so it seemed NH 10ga with 32" barrels, a 3 frame weighing 10lbs 5 ounces built in 1893. With the help of Scott Kittredge I began the journey of shooting and loading the short 10.

I have enjoyed hunting with this gun very much. It's long range performance borders on unbelievable. It was 117 years old and showing a lot of hard use when I got it. The first issue I ran into was a shimmed hinge pin which became apparent to me after the shim fell out. So off I went taking the gun to Stephen Hutton at Brittania Arms in Portsmouth NH, who put the gun back on face by building up the lug and he bent the front trigger back to it's proper position as somehow it had been bent to be almost straight.

Shooting stuff started to get really fun in spite of too much drop, pitted bores, pitted barrels, boogered screws, worn off checkering and barrels with no finish left. My next stop was Pete Kogut of DoubleGun Cases in Farmington NH who did a proper freshening up of the checkering, bent the stock up to better dimensions and fixed some internal cracking in the stock head. I had a great fall shooting it on hundreds of crows and a bunch of ducks and geese.

Over the winter while in Ilion NY having some work done on another gun, Lawence DelGrego cleaned up the screws.

It continued to be a long range crow killing machine during the winter/spring crow season but the barrels needed some attention.

This spring my barrels went out to Brad Bachelder in Michigan for external refinish and internal work. He opened the barrels by .006 (.785 bores) which took out much of the pitting and he gave it tapered chambers and lengthened the forcing cones.

My barrels came back to me last week and the gun is shooting great and looking good. Can't wait for fall. As an avid crow and waterfowl hunter I believe this gun will be my "go to" gun for some time to come.

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[Dave Suponski]

Real nice Pete...She's all gussied up and ready for another 100 years...Congratulations

[Bill Murphy]

Three frame NH tens are the best Parkers made, if you want to kill big things. They used to be a hundred bucks and no one would bother with them. Times have changed. My old NH is my favorite gun to bust big stuff. It came from Wagner's in DC and I bought it about ten miles from where it was originally bought. By the way, Dave, what happened to your old NH? Did you think I forgot?

[Dave Suponski]

Bill, It's resting comfortably in the gun safe...:)

[Dean Romig]

Pete, nice job on the wood and the screws and I especially like the buttplate.

[Pete Lester]

Thanks Dean, so what am I missing about the butt plate, to me it's just another DHBP, no bird in dogs mouth variety. Frankly I am amazed it is not more worn, one has a tendency to lean a 10+ pound gun against the blind rather than hold it for long periods of time.

[Dean Romig]

Just the fact that it shows a good amount of wear but no signs of abuse... no cracks, chips or repairs. I like it.

[charlie cleveland]

them old 10 parkers are true long range guns...ive got a old ph ten parker i shoot a lot..its brought home a lot of wild turkeys plus a sure enough long range squirl gun...the short ten is my favorite gun... i would hate to have to buy the shells that it would take to wear that parker of yours out its a fine looking gun... bill your right them old tens used to be bought cheap but not so no more... charlie

[Pete Lester]

that parker of yours out its a fine looking gun...

Thanks Charlie. I'd like to think I restored/repaired what was broken or completely worn away returning the gun to a "proud" condition but retaining as much as possible the character from 118 years of use, and making it good to go for another 100 :-) This was a fun project.

[Mills Morrison]

Great story. I have an NH as well which I love, but, like yours, is probably going to need some "cleaning" up over the next few years.

[Stephen Hastie]

J B nice looking weapon, I have one similar, I have made a new stock for it becauce of the drop on the origanal was very excessive, It has come out ok and will do?. (I HAVE KEPT THE ORIGANAL STOCK). As I will sell it one day.
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what type of loads and shot are you putting thru it.

Steve

[Daryl Corona]

Pete;
Nice job on the refurbishing. Lots of character left. She cleaned up real good but shows her age well. How much drop did your guy reduce when he bent it? Now you've got me wanting an NH 10 on a 3 frame. Shame on you.

[Pete Lester]

Pete;
Nice job on the refurbishing. Lots of character left. She cleaned up real good but shows her age well. How much drop did your guy reduce when he bent it? Now you've got me wanting an NH 10 on a 3 frame. Shame on you.

Thanks Daryl, the Short Ten is a blast to use on crows as you get lots of 50 to 70 yard shots to try it on and it will fold them clean all the way out there if you get the lead right.

This gun bent like a wet noodle and moved 1/2" at the heel. It went from the usual 1890's ton of drop to a more shootable 1 5/8" x 2 3/4". I got lucky in that regard.

[Pete Lester]

J B nice looking weapon, I have one similar, I have made a new stock for it becauce of the drop on the origanal was very excessive, It has come out ok and will do?. (I HAVE KEPT THE ORIGANAL STOCK). As I will sell it one day.

what type of loads and shot are you putting thru it.

Steve

Stephen, if you like to shoot things at longer range or you like to shoot ducks over open water and big birds like geese and turkey you are going to love that gun.

If you shoot the Short Ten in any volume reloading is an absolute economic necessity. Some time ago I put a hastily put together video on YouTube on how to reload for the 2 7/8" 10 gauge. Here is the link to it below. If you click on "show more" text you will find a link to the PDF spreadsheet I put together of all published loads I have found.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owXs4Eg__BE

[Rich Anderson]

As caretakers of these wonderfull pieces of American history it's our duty to put one back into working order when we can. i did much the same thing with a Gh damascuss 16ga 0 frame two years ago and she is back in the uplands where she belongs. Great job Pete I'm sure the next caretaker will appreciate your efforts.