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-   -   Many hours later... (https://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=26315)

Brian Dudley 01-22-2019 01:30 PM

Many hours later...
 
16 Attachment(s)
I have been working in my spare time in the evenings and weekends for the last few months, an hour hear and an hour there, to clean up and "Meriden-ize" a Parker Repro A-1 Special that was "In-the-white".

The Repros were modeled after very late Remington manufactured guns, when frame sculpting got a little less refined than earlier guns. When I really got to studying the lines of the gun, I found a lot of areas to be relatively crudely finished, ie: contour lines that were not true and straight. I set off to re-shaping the frame and refining the lines. My goal was for the gun to look as true to early Meriden manufacture as possible.

The shoe filing on the bottom of the frame was deepened and lengthen back towards the trigger plate. The belly of the frame and forend iron were brought up a LOT and then the radius in front of the trigger plate was defined. The sides of the frame around the hinge pin were also thinned up along with the forend iron.

I rounded up and better defined the front of the side panels on the frame. Also, the bottom of the side panels was brought up by nearly 1/8" and a very hard line was used to break the bottom of this panel. The radius under the panel was taken in for a better transition into the trigger plate.

The trigger plate was converted to accept double triggers vs. the SST that was in it. This process is explained in another thread.

The breech end of the barrels were rounded over at the corners a good deal. This was all taken down to make a seamless transition into the breech balls. The triple beaded fences were also cleaned up and taken in tighter on top and bottom sides.

A major area of refinement was the top lever and the top of the frame where the sighting plane starts. The Later Parkers, and the Repros had a very thick top lever which allowed the concave sighting plane to come very far back onto the top lever. I took the top lever WAY down in thickness and re-contoured it to move the start of the sight plane up closer to the rib extension.
The thumb pad on the top lever was also reduced in size by nearly 50% for a much more streamlined look. Both of these made a world of difference in the side profile of the gun.

The top of the frame behind the bolsters was re-contoured and the line between them and the side panels was refined and sharpened up.

The top tang bevel was sharpened up at the front, and then extended down the full length of the tang as it was simply left flat previously.

Finally a new safety button was made from scratch in the original A-1 style which truly sets the gun apart from the pack.


All of this work also removed about 1 oz. of metal from the frame. Another benefit.

All of the definition of the frame lines makes things a lot easier when it comes time for engraving, so that the border work can be good and true.

Enjoy some photos below of before and after the work above was performed. This work in all was about 20 hours of time.


Left Side Before

Attachment 69268

Attachment 69256


Left Side After

Attachment 69257




Bottom Before

Attachment 69261

Attachment 69262


Bottom After

Attachment 69263

Attachment 69264




Top Before

Attachment 69265


Top After

Attachment 69266

Attachment 69267




Safety Button Before

Attachment 69269


Safety Button After

Attachment 69270




Bottom Quarter Before

Attachment 69271


Bottom Quarter After

Attachment 69272




A few more afters

Attachment 69273

Attachment 69274

allen newell 01-22-2019 03:09 PM

Brian, very nice work. Who will do the engraving?

Dean Romig 01-22-2019 03:19 PM

I would guess GG of course....





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Buddy Marson 01-23-2019 09:27 AM

Brian, I am always impressed by your quality of work and attention to Parker detail!
All the best,
Buddy

Bill Murphy 01-23-2019 11:26 AM

Great file work, Brian.

Mark Britton 01-23-2019 09:27 PM

Just blew my mind ! As it passed over my head. Nice work

Mark Beasland 01-23-2019 09:45 PM

Most have no idea the amount of work and time that kind of detail takes. Well Done Brian!

Paul Ehlers 01-24-2019 11:40 AM

Kudo's to you Brian! The file work on this one is truly outstanding!!! :bowdown:

Todd Schrock 01-24-2019 11:16 PM

Beautiful work Brian!

Brian Dudley 02-01-2019 11:22 AM

1 Attachment(s)
This A-1 Special will get restocked and a Meriden SSBP will be used instead of the Repro plate. The photo below will show why. The Reproductions used the same sized ssbp on both 12 and 20g. guns. This results in a butt that is simply too short and way too narrow for a 12g. gun.
An original NOS Meriden plate will be used in the proper size for a 1-1/2 framed 12g.

Meriden ssbp on left and the Repro plate on right.

Attachment 69590

Brian Dudley 02-01-2019 11:28 AM

5 Attachment(s)
The final piece of metal alteration for this A-1 Special is the trigger guard bow.

This gun started as a straight grip, but the preferred configuration for the build is a pistol grip.

On Meriden built high grade guns (B and higher), the trigger guard bows taper quite a bit as they come into the guard strap/tang.

A Repro DHE PG guard was reshaped in this original high grade style.

These photos show the altered guard next to an unaltered Repro guard.

This is something that Parker Reproductions did not do to any of the B grades or A-1 Speicals.

Attachment 69591

Attachment 69592

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Attachment 69595

edgarspencer 02-01-2019 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Dudley (Post 264487)
This A-1 Special will get restocked and a Meriden SSBP will be used instead of the Repro plate. The photo below will show why. The Reproductions used the same sized ssbp on both 12 and 20g. guns. This results in a butt that is simply too short and way too narrow for a 12g. gun.
An original NOS Meriden plate will be used in the proper size for a 1-1/2 framed 12g.

Meriden ssbp on left and the Repro plate on right.

Attachment 69590

I'm glad to see this. I never liked the radius of the repro heel.

Brian Dudley 03-21-2019 01:40 PM

6 Attachment(s)
The last bit of metal work that needed to be addressed on this A-1 Repro was, well... the Address.

What is the point in "Meridenizing" a Repro if it still has a Japanese makers mark on the barrel rib.

I sent the barrels to Glenn Fewless to have him laser weld up the whole makers mark. As well as 1" of the center matting so that the length of the legend could be made larger as to fit the new mark.

I then cleaned up the welds by hand.

I then had them rolled with the original Peerless Steel makers marks but Turnbull.

Attachment 71234

Attachment 71235

Attachment 71236

Attachment 71237

Attachment 71238

Attachment 71239

Ken Hill 03-21-2019 02:28 PM

Brian,

In 50 years, how will someone know this is a customized repro with the markings removed and restamped with original markings?

Ken

Brian Dudley 03-21-2019 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Hill (Post 269570)
Brian,

In 50 years, how will someone know this is a customized repro with the markings removed and restamped with original markings?

Ken



Serial numbers and barrel flat markings.

Bill Murphy 03-21-2019 03:45 PM

The real answer to that question is "It just doesn't matter." There are so many fakes out there right now that buying a graded Parker 50 years from now, just like today, demands that the buyer know what he is looking at, or just not care. Brian is creating an exercise in gunsmithing, not an attempt to create an original Parker. As the Cobra driver says to his wife, "Sit down, hold on, and shut up", not neccesarily in that order. Go for it, Brian.

Kevin McCormack 03-21-2019 04:08 PM

In 50 years there will be metallurgical DNA tests just like human tissue matching today - able to distinguish and verify Belgian, German, Japanese and US Steel types. Critical analysis for verification of authenticity will involve fanatics taking micro-thatched files to hidden parts of the steel, then analyzing them for purity. 100 years from now, there will be home kits for the DIYs to authenticate grandpop's old bird guns.

edgarspencer 03-21-2019 09:10 PM

Carbon, siliconn, manganese,P, S, Cr, Ni & Mo are elements which do not change when they go on a trip around the world. While these are the basic elements found in steel, the balance of Fe, iron, is still over 95% of the makeup. Regardless the melting method, it is virtually impossible to duplicate the exact chemistry in successive melt batches

Ted Hicks 03-23-2019 12:01 PM

I think that XRF can be used to determine the elemental composition of steel and provide a fairly accurate "fingerprint" of the steel sample. It is a surface analyses technique and the sample tested needs to be big enough. These days they have hand-held analyzers that can provide almost "instant" results. Sulfur and phosphorous may not be detectable that way.

If only a small sample is available, it could be dissolved in a mineral acid and analyzed using ICP-AES which I think can detect and measure all of the elements Edgar listed. I am not a metallurgist but I would venture a guess that the elemental composition would be the same throughout the test sample except, perhaps, for the carbon content. Again I am guessing but I suspect that the carbon content may vary widely within the sample, i.e. higher at the surface compared to at the center of the test sample.

Brian Dudley 04-08-2019 10:08 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Another feature not normally seen on a Repro.

Attachment 71754

Gary Carmichael Sr 04-10-2019 12:42 PM

Brian, With all the work on this gun how are you coming with your steel barreled 20 gauge. hammer gun, love to see it when it is finished, I know it will be like all your work superb! Gary

Brian Dudley 05-17-2021 12:45 PM

7 Attachment(s)
Here is a little update on this Repro A-1 Special project in its current state.

I have stocked the gun and finished the checkering on it. Checkering is 24 lpi and 28 lpi on the cheeks. It is now ready for Engraving. I chose a lighter colored piece of circassian for the gun as it was the look I was wanting to go for. I wanted to go a little over the top on the checkering for this one. It is loosely based on the second Invincible. For anyone interested in taking a closer look at the gun, it will be shown at the NE SxS.

Attachment 96111

Attachment 96112

Attachment 96113

Attachment 96114

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Dean Romig 05-17-2021 12:54 PM

With an Invincible checkering pattern! Incredible work Brian!!

That round knob grip is special!

Please tell us about the lock screw on the tang screw Brian.
When you first showed it there was no explanation. I saw a AAHE dedicated live pigeon gun on Steve Barnett's table at Ernie's 4 or 5 years ago with that lock screw. It would be the ideal thing on a single trigger gun to prevent anyone overtightening it and throwing off the way the single trigger needs to work properly... but you converted this gun to double triggers.





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Harold Lee Pickens 05-17-2021 12:55 PM

Beautiful job on the checkering

Robert Brooks 05-17-2021 02:22 PM

Wonderful job! Bobby

Ryan Brege 05-17-2021 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Hill (Post 269570)
Brian,

In 50 years, how will someone know this is a customized repro with the markings removed and restamped with original markings?

Ken

The presence of Ionizing Radiation will be a red flag too.

todd allen 05-17-2021 10:54 PM

Absolutely stunning!

Brett Hoop 05-18-2021 08:24 AM

Just looking at this design makes my index finger stiff and my eyes squint. Brian, I will bet you'll get ask 100 times how long it took to complete. A lot of dulled cutters lead to being able to pull this together, years and years. Great job!

Brian Dudley 05-18-2021 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brett Hoop (Post 334545)
Just looking at this design makes my index finger stiff and my eyes squint. Brian, I will bet you'll get ask 100 times how long it took to complete. A lot of dulled cutters lead to being able to pull this together, years and years. Great job!

Not too long really. Done over the course of a week. No dulled cutters.

You saw it at the southern, uncheckered. Now it is checkered.

Ryan Brege 05-18-2021 01:16 PM

Oh, and by the way, as a huge Reproduction fan, I think the work is fantastic!

roger mcmanimon 05-22-2021 10:23 AM

Phenomenal work Brian!

Brian Dudley 02-25-2022 09:09 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Update time on this one.

Here is a photo that I got from Gournet today on the engraving progress.

The detail on the central bouquet is not done yet.

Attachment 104548

Dean Romig 02-26-2022 08:22 AM

Geoffroy is the master!





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David Noble 02-26-2022 11:18 AM

I like where he put his signature. Does Geoffroy sign all his work?

Brian Dudley 02-26-2022 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Noble (Post 356971)
I like where he put his signature. Does Geoffroy sign all his work?

Not if asked not to. I have seen him put his signature under the safety button before. So it is on the work, but not visible.

Brian Dudley 03-17-2022 04:11 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Another update.

Attachment 105262

Dean Romig 03-17-2022 06:22 PM

Geoffroy just keeps getting better and better.





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Andrew Sacco 03-17-2022 06:57 PM

Oh my word... there's a signature there???????

chris dawe 03-18-2022 06:54 AM

Seen it on FB ,beautiful job !

Brian Dudley 04-01-2022 11:47 AM

3 Attachment(s)
As noted earlier in this thread, an important part of this deal was the making of a new safety button in the Metiden high grade style. Geoffroy did a great job engraving the button and tang.

Attachment 105631

Attachment 105632

Attachment 105633


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