NH Progress!

Roundsworth · 10-22-2012, 08:12 PM

I started reassembling my NH. The exterior was maintained very nicely, especially the barrels, but the interior told another story! There was abundant rust inside, along with sand and green verdigris surrounding the mainsprings. I would have to say that this gun had been submerged in a lake or river. Luckily, the inner workings had been lubricated well and the rust, dirt and gummed up oil came off with ease. The forend iron fared about the same. The aft tang screw threads were buggered, but I had a new one made.

B. Dudley · 10-22-2012, 08:42 PM

Is your upper tang bent?

Roundsworth · 10-22-2012, 09:27 PM

Yes. The upper and lower tangs are bent, and the stock was made with almost 3" of cast to the right. The gun was modified to suit an individual that was right handed, but lost the use of his right eye.

ch · 10-23-2012, 06:38 AM

Do you know if he sent it back to Parker Bros. for the work?

B. Dudley · 10-23-2012, 07:39 AM

Oh, like the BH that is featured in The Parker Story. Cool!
Looks like your may not have as much cast to it as that one did. What a find! These guns are very impressive.

Roundsworth · 10-23-2012, 08:21 AM

Calvin, I think the general concensus is that Parker Brothers did not do the conversion. I do not know if that is based on existing records, or the fact that the stock has been completely inletted by hand, and un-serial numbered. The stock work is top notch, though. I get the impression that the gun was looked at more than once at Puglisi's!

Thanks, Brian. With the large cast-off and 3-1/2" DAH, she comes right up and gives me a perfect view down the barrels. 'Sinistral' as TPS calls it.

B. Dudley · 10-23-2012, 09:16 AM

Thats the word... I couldn't remember off the top of my head.

Bill Murphy · 10-23-2012, 09:42 AM

No one has called my old crossover PHE Trap a "sinistral" gun, as John Amber and the TPS authors would call it. However, "ugly" has been used on the old pigeon gun many times. The BHE 20 gauge pictured in The Parker Story lives very near me and I have offered to buy it a few times, but the owner is a bit stubborn about parting with it. I have also tried to buy John Amber's old sinistral Purdey, but also been rebuffed by the owner. In fact, Jack Puglisi turned me down on the NH, but because of the amount of my offer, not because the gun wasn't for sale.

B. Dudley · 10-23-2012, 09:51 AM

Well, at least the owners know who to call if the time comes. Never hurts to show interest.

Big D · 10-23-2012, 03:41 PM

Sinistral is from the same root as "Sinister" - the old Latin speakers didn't think much of left-handers.