Awesome Dean. Is that gold on the trigger?

No, it's not gold - just the way the light is reflected. The triggers are nickel plated just like other Grade-3's.


.



.

It's a gorgeous gun. So, would the original butt treatment have been a solid steel plate? I really like the barrel pattern (and not to mention the 16 gauge boring of them!).

The original butt plate would have been a skeleton steel butt plate as shown on ser. no. 17453 in Fig. .8.50. from page 287 of Vol. 1 of The Parker Story, which predates my gun no. 18719.

18719 is the only known (heretofore unknown) Grade 3 Lifter in 16 gauge with 27-inch Laminated Steel barrels, as it is not shown in the tables at the end of Grade 3 guns on page 290 of The Parker Story.


Here is the "rubber butt plate" designed by Parker Bros. to resemble the skeleton butt plate.

.

Dean, here are pictures of my D lifter, 17520, just a little earlier than yours. Looks like the same engraver to me but your engraving looks a little better. Does yours have a pointer on the trigger guard and a woodcock on the bottom of the receiver? It has a skeleton butt plate, ball grip, and Damascus barrels. Don't know why the barrels look browned in the photos but they are black and white but faded.

I agree Chuck, they both appear to have been engraved by the same artist. The similarities are just too close to be otherwise.

Yours however, is in nicer condition.

Corresponding pictures of mine...


.

Gentlemen, I love both of these guns. I'm not sure I understand why someone would not want a skeleton steel butt plate, but I like the alternative...and the skeleton steel butt plate. Thanks for sharing the photos...and making me wish I had a similar gun...:crying:

My grade 2 16 ga appears to have some similar engraving also.

Looks like yours was engraved by the same hand to me Jeff. It looks like yours also has Laminated Steel barrels too... does it?





.

Yes, it has laminated barrels. It is between your gun and Chuck's. 17781