1906 20ga VH Stock

[charlie cleveland]

nice gun...i bet you right about someone shooting heavy loads in this gun and ordered the thick wrist...what does it weigh with the thick stock on it...charlie

[B. Dudley]

I don't think that stock is factory or Remington work.

[Autumn Daze]

Thank you for your opinion Brian.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Brian Dudley

I had a VH that had gas lines put on the breech face as well. Mine has a full circle cut around the pin hold and then the straight line to the outside.

Brian, do you remember the serial number of that VH? Do you know who machined the gas ports in it?
I know of a Grade 6 hammergun that has those and the work was most likely done by a Mr. Bechtel in 1920. All of the work done to the gun was done at Meriden and it is all a matter of record but in the owner's notes on the gun it was sent once to this Bechtel but no mention of the work that was done. I'm betting Bechtel did the gas porting on the grade 6 - he was a highly respected gunsmith. Brechtel lived and worked in Cleveland and this Parker resided in Cleveland as well. Brechtel apprenticed with and worked for LeFever and finally went on his own as a gunmaker and gunsmith.



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[Dave Teasdale]

What it the theoretical benefit of the gas lines?

[Dean Romig]

Theoretically they allow gas to escape from pierced primers an sometimes along the chamber walls when using brass shells. The hot gas (flame) has been known to chip and sometimes fracture stock heads and to travel back along the plunger channels toward the shooter's face. I have no idea how effective these ports might have been in eliminating or reducing these problems.

This porting process was patented by W. & C. Scott early on.

My apologies to Jim Pasman for so wildly veering from the original topic of this thread.

[Jim P.]

NO apology necessary! This is how we learn....I appreciate everyone's interest in the topic.

I'm totally guessing, but, the gas lines in my gun don't look as professionally crafted as the picture of your hammer gun. The stock on mine has a Remington cap with no repair codes on the flats or barrels. If the original straight stock was replaced with a "beefier" pistol grip and combined with the gas ports, I'm thinking there could have been damage to the original stock due to the loads being used. Since I use RST shells, I would like to see if I can get it back to its original configuration.

Thanks, again, for everyone's interest.

[B. Dudley]

Dean, Here is a photo of the breech face on the VH that I mentioned.
It is Serial number 125396. The Frame is in my Parts bin. It was originally a 32" straight grip gun.
I think you bought the trigger guard off it from me.

Vented Breech Face.jpg

[Kensal Rise]

This is a rather exact copy of Messrs. Scott "gas check" patent of about 1879/1880. Probably aftermarket work. But well done.

[Dean Romig]

Thanks Brian. I wonder if that one may also have been done by Bechtel... we may never know. I wonder where that gun resided and was used... Ohio maybe?