Parker stock reinforcing rod.

[Autumn Daze]

Here's a picture of my butt.....Now that I have your attention... 1896 DH 2 frame both plugs measure 7/8" in diameter. No reinforcing rod here.Will somebody please run up to Meriden ask about this stuff....

[Dean Romig]

I will guarantee the larger plug closer to the heel is not for a reinforcing rod and on my DH, at least, and probably on yours too Dave, the "plug" closer to the toe is of the appripriate size and in the correct position for the reinforcing rod.

[Double Play]

Dave,
I believe from past discussions it's the size and location that determine if the plugs are for weight (appx. 1" dia.) or reinforcement rods (appx. 9/16" dia.) Below is a pic of a C grade with two 1" diameter holes presumably for balance.

[Dean Romig]

Brilliant!!

[Dean Romig]

Patent No. 545,898

Dave, do you have the verbiage of this patent? Does it indicate the diameter of the reinforcing rod?

The rod/dowell/plug in my DH measures .725" and is at the correct position in the butt to run forward through the wrist into the head of the stock. The width of the wrist of my stock is 1 1/8" and the height is 1 5/8" which certainly is large enough to accomodate a hickory rod of .725"

The plug closer to the heel of mine is also 7/8" or .87"


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[winplumber]

Would a Xray show anything ? Oh God I wonder if we could put this through to have insurance pay with our up and coming HEALTHCARE

[Autumn Daze]

I think I do Dean.Will check later today.

[Bill Murphy]

Next time I go in for an MRI, I will try to carry the back end of a Parker in with me.

[Bindlestiff]

I think this is what you are looking for. If you have trouble reading it here, I found it at this web link http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=JyR0AAAAEBAJ&dq=545898 which may be easier to read.

[Dean Romig]

I think, from reading the patent, that we can deduce a couple of things, one being that it is possible and quite likely that guns of different frame sizes may have had "strengthening rods" of different diameters inserted. Further, that the hickory was a lighter, less dense wood and the use of this rod in a gunstock likely necessitated boring an additional hole to add weight - hence the two plugs of different sizes we often see. Also, the verbiage of the patent indicates that stocks with cross grain at the "neck" were the candidates for the strengthening rod (but the possibility exists that this feature may have also been used on smaller frame guns).