Rib matting and cut barrels

[David Noble]

Typically the rib matting will terminate just shy of the barrel end and may or may not have a perpendicular cut-off line. I've heard that is not always the case but am wondering just how common it is for the lines to run right off the end of the rib? I just received my latest purchase, a CHE 12 damascus gun which shows in the book as having 30" barrels. The barrels measure exactly
30" but the wavy lines do not stop short of the end.
Here's a picture. What say you?

[OH Osthaus]

if the book says 30 and the tape says 30, and we know the lines sometimes go to the end but often don't = I would tend not to question them

have you measured the length of the chokes - that might be the only other way to end the wonder.

where are the pictures of the rest of the gun??

[David Noble]

I will dig out my tools and properly measure the chokes tomorrow. I do know that they are very tight.
After looking at the barrel flats I'm seeing something that makes me think these barrels were already made up at the factory and were modified to the current configuration to fiil the order for the gun. It looks like a hole has been filled in where the extractor retaining screw is usually located. The gun was ordered as an ejector gun, and they didn't put that retaining screw in barrels that had ejectors. Here is a picture of the flats. Notice the slightly different colored round area between the lugs. Also showing is a Remington service code of ASS 3 which is March 1947. There is probably no way of ever knowing what they did at that time.
I am working on additional pictures now.

[Dean Romig]

This 1908 DHE 28 gauge has 24" Damascus barrels and letters as such. Can't argue with the facts.


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[Dean Romig]

David, I upped my magnification to 200% and looked at yours and it appears that the matting stops at or near the end of the rib and where the rib had a small blank spot at the left side someone at Parker Bros cut a little bit of a 'graver walk' to fill the blank area so the end of the rib would look uniform. I like that someone put that kind of effort into a seemingly insignificant detail... That's what makes Parker guns so special!

[B. Dudley]

I too think that if we were to look very closely at more barrels like this, we may find that some of the lines may terminate just a hair before or at the end of the rib instead of going right off the end.
I wonder if any documentation exists about the operation of the rib mating machine. Does anyone know of the location of the machine today if it still exists? I know that Lefever Arms had it after Remington.

[David Noble]

WOW! Good eye Dean! I see that now also.

I didn't necessarilly think the barrels were cut, but wondered why some had the matting all the way to the end while most didn't.


Here are some pics of my new gun. I'm told it letters with the Silvers pad. The sellers letter is on he way to me now.
The barrels have what looks like a lacquer coating that is partially worn away. Would lacquer thinner remove the rest? What should I use to recoat them?

[edgarspencer]

Beautiful gun, David. That setter may be the best engraved dog I've seen on a Parker.
I Don't think you can rely on rib mat termination, or touching barrels as a definitive test for cut barrels. I've seen barrels still touching after loosing 4". I couldn't say whether your are, or are not cut, though I seriously doubt they are. The age coloration of the ivory sight is a telltale indicator that's it's been there a LONG time. It is pretty difficult to remove and reinstall ivory when it gets that colored, as they become quite brittle.

[Bill Zachow]

The rib matting machine went from Lefever's to a gun shop in Utica, NY. Litigation followed the transfer (allegations of stealing the machine). Subsequently, the gun shop in question went into bankruptcy and the machine dissapeared. Some say it went to Connecticut to a famous shop.

[George M. Purtill Member #28]

It is in Connecticut according to my source.