Hunting for Thoughts and Comments

[Jack Selman]

Attached view photos of a recent purchase, a 16 gauge CHE. The stories go that this 28", Miller Single Trigger, Straight Stock survivor was immersed in a flood some years ago as well as having had its original stock broken and replaced (no s/N beneath the tang) after having been bumped against a log to flush a rabbit in hiding. You can't make this up!!

The forend iron was blued at some time as well as the skeleton butt plate. It is apparent that the adjacent checkering on both locations were blued as well!! Like I say, you can't make this up. Sooo, thoughts and comments are welcome. Go easy on me. I saw hope for the little beauty and she fires and ejects just fine!

Chuck Bishop has patiently queried me regarding this shooter in response to my request for a letter. I thank him for his support and willingness to research all the ancient, blurred data. No simple task from what I have read for some time in the Forum.

[Ed Blake]

Well, whoever did the restock did a fine job. Everything else with the butt plate can be fixed by a good engraver. The trigger guard looks to have some pitting, or something. If you don't have too much in it, it would make sense to rectify these issues. If the barrels are sound, ejectors work, and Miller trigger is OK you are 90% of the way there. Are the barrels fluid or damascus? Nice gun.

[Bill Murphy]

I don't think you are so bad off. The stock doesn't look too bad and the buttplate is supposed to be blued. I don't see a lot of "blue" on the wood, so that may not be much of a problem either. Wait a minute, that doesn't look like anyone's Miller trigger. Are you fooling with us?

[Pa SxS]

Jack is going to post a few more pictures for us. One is for the left side cheek panel. It's not symmetrical with the right side. Also, he says the trigger says Miller. I've asked him to post pictures of the trigger area where it says Miller and also from to top down for the safety.

My comments to Jack about the stock is that it sure looks like a Parker stock but probably from a different gun. The checkering looks correct to me including the mullard border. I'm only going by pictures of C grade stocks. You can see where the wood is below the surface of the metal on both the receiver and the SSBP.

I recommended to Jack that what I would do is refinish the forend wood to match the color of the buttstock, correct the floor plate screws, and have the internals cleaned. If there is bluing on the metal that could be taken off.

That's all I would do unless he wants to spend big bucks to go even further.

[Opening Day]

I agree with Chuck not a whole lot to do to the gun, the buttplate should be blue so that just leaves the forend latch and a little Fitz might just make it look right. It does not look like a bad gun and it's a 16 ga.....

[Jack Selman]

The barrels are Acme Steel and marked as such. That I got right. I apologize to Chuck. The trigger is likely a Parker according to Mark Beasland who has all but the barrels in his shop. I saw several Miller triggers at the SxS so I must be having flashbacks! The barrel selector is to the left of the single trigger.

Thank you, Ed and Bill and Opening Day for your prompt replies. In due time, I will take more pics and submit them for analysis. Mark will clean, inspect and lube this beauty and deal with the stain and forend bluing as suggested. Chasing the checkering will likely bring out the color to +/- match the buttstock.

I have always respectfully declined any invites into Facebook. And glad I did. But reading and questioning and learning about an iconic American product is the kind of jawboning that is worthwhile. All hail Charles Parker!

Honored Annual Member,
Jack

[charlie cleveland]

beautiful gun JACK take care of her.... charlie

[Double Lab]

You did good Jack. Now take her out and shoot the daylights out of her and enjoy.

[Dean Romig]

It would be interesting to know the year of production or the serial number range of this CHE.

[Jack Selman]

Thanks for your interest, Charlie, Double Lab and Dean. It's a 1911 vintage C grade that I plan to shoot until my dying day. I plan on attending the Georgetown SxS this fall. I'll have it with me.