Gold grip caps and stock shields

[Kevin McCormack]

A friend is in the process of restoring a high grade Parker Gun and will need to have a new stock made as part of the total package. Does anyone have a recommendation for sourcing the gold grip caps (flat) and stock shields used on the higher grade guns? Galazan came first to my mind but he offers them only on special order with prices commensurate with the current gold market. I also thought of Dyson in England but have not contacted him yet. Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks, Kevin

[Dean Romig]

The ones that are not held in place with a central screw are pretty elaborate affairs. Being secured from beneath the trigger guard strap the grip cap needs to have a threaded boss on the back side. I wonder who would produce such a cap.





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[B. Dudley]

You better bet on anything he does needing to be made from sheet material.

The gold used on old guns was usually 10k, which can be a little tougher to get than 14k but would be cheaper. The last time I actually needed to get a gold oval into a Parker BHE, I had the local jeweler make one up for me and he tried to charge me $300! After he quoted me $100. I was not happy and I bitched hard about it and he “let” me pay $150 for it in the end.

If he does not care about it being actual gold, you can use red brass which really replicates the look of gold and is very inexpensive. That is what I am using on my A1 Repro. I did not care personally about it actually being gold. And it looks good.

For the grip cap accent on the Kens Lefever Optimus I used a Ronald Regan commemorative gold coin in 14k gold. It cost me like $30 on ebay.

[B. Dudley]

The optimus grip cap along with a matching themed knife that is in process. Both gold rings started out as that Regan coin.

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[Randy Roberts]

This one was made for an upgrade of mine by an engraver in MI. The gunsmith had it made as part of the project so I don't know the engraver but I could probably get the contact info If you are interested. Seems to me like the cost was about $200 or so, I think.

[Craig Larter]

Kevin: If you come up with a source please let me know, I have a AH that has the gold screw but I believe the grip cap was replaced with a regular grip cap. I would like to make it correct. Thanks Craig

[B. Dudley]

Craig,

Pull that screw out and look at it. It looks like the head may just be discolored.
The screws that retained the gold caps were machine thread. Vs. a wood thread.
And also, if you feel that the cap originally would have had a gold inlay, there will also be corrosion signatures left in the wood from the 2 rivets on the underside of the old cap. If all looks no different than any other cap, then it likely did not have gold on it.

[Craig Larter]

Thanks Brian, it just has a wood screw and the two posts that keep the cap from rotating. No other marks. Looks like it was made without a gold cap, interesting. The weird thing is it has a Meriden address grip cap and its a 1898 gun, I would expect to see the checkered grip cap?? Craig

[Dean Romig]

I can’t imagine a Parker above a Grade 5 to have been made without the standard gold cap unless by special order.

Craig, lift and rotate the trigger guard to see if the wood beneath the strap has been drilled for retaining the gold cap... if it was ever there in the first place.

I have an 1898 DH with its original Meriden grip cap.



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[B. Dudley]

A gun of that era of manufacture would not typically have the hidden post for the cap. That was a feature employed on later guns. The screwed on cap with the gold inlay like the left example in craigs photo would be more typical for an 1898 gun. But based on the physical evidence, I have no doubt that the standard cap on the right gun is original.
I bet it has a gold inlay in the stock of course.