Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums - Why Bernard on CH, CHE, andplain old C?

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- - Why Bernard on CH, CHE, andplain old C? (https://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=24690)

Back in the day when my interest in European guns was much more acute, I had been told by knowledge members of the gun trade that Bernard barrels were rare by any maker because the blanks were not produced in large quantities. Perhaps Parker picked the C grade to incorporate Bernard barrels because of its limited demand. Parker still produced nearly 1/3 of there composite barreled C grades with Damascus barrels rather than Bernard.

According to the tables at the end of each grade in the Grades section of The Parker Story only 489 Parkers were ever made with Bernard Steel barrels. That's only 2/10ths of 1% of all Parkers ever made. I guess they really are special.

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Bernard patterns, frequently acid etched, were the barrels of choice for high grade German/Austrian guns.
I've only see ONE English double with Bernard barrels; Charles Boswell courtesy of Paul Stevens. The Birmingham Proof House Trial did NOT include Bernard; I'm still not sure what "English machine-forged chequered 3 rod Damascus" was however
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...EK8OtPYVA/edit

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../413850218.jpg

The question remains if the Parker "Rose Pattern" Bernard was Bernard I or Bernard II. I've been calling the prominent rose pattern Bernard II for 10 years, and could be wrong; and posted all those images so anyone can be free to decide. I couldn't find in my files what Dr. Gaddy called the Parker pattern other than Bernard.
Until we have a definitive answer from Parker literature, it might be reasonable to just call it "Rose Pattern" Bernard.

BTW: Rosa Damascena

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../363848040.jpg

"Rosebud" knife blade Damascus

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL.../345892786.jpg

After some thought I believe that the imaging of Bernard steel barrels prior to 1914 was very poor whether it was printed or photographed in black & white. Damascus was well known and a safe decision. Few knew that Bernard steel existed and fewer still actually had witnessed its beauty. There were no smart phones prior to 1914 and you were lucky to have a party line. PS. 1914 represents the beginning of WW1 and the demise of composite steel barrels

For those who attend the Pheasant Fest in Schaumburg Ill next Feb, I will bring several Bernard barreled guns, including a smallbore. There are a handful of B grades with Bernard but mostly C’s. We have a Parker letter indicating Bernard barrels were more resistant to wear than the four blade Damascus otherwise offered for C grades.

A Bernard C was my dream Parker, and I had one for a while.. A Bernard CH with 28” barrels and Rondel engraving? Now that would be nice.

My CH 10ga 30" on a #3 frame circa 1893.

A Bernard Grade 3 lifter with 30" Barrels, The letter I have says Damascus barrels, but it has Bernard barrels plus the gold oval in the pistol grip normally found on higher grade guns, Ser# 34141

I was able to check Bernard from off of my bucket list of guns-to-own-before-I-die. I have a few more to check off, so I'm not dead yet.