SBT - What are you thoughts..

[John Davis]

David, you have a wonderful gun. I think I could probably hit a target or two with her. Good luck and shoot a round of trap with that SA. John

[Pa SxS]

Bobby, have you seen SBT guns with Titanic barrels? There is no reference to barrel steel in either the order books or stock books. They only reference "Trap" and the grade such as 4 (Trap-4) I'm guessing that Acme was used for most grades but possibly Peerless for the top grades? Since the name of the barrel steel isn't mentioned, I just put in "fluid steel". Can't go wrong with that! The gun was definitely made in 1918, not 1917 according to the order book. The gun was definitely made to shoot high as indicated by the stock dimensions. Most Parker SBT's are 1 1/2" at comb, 2" at heel, and 14 1/2" length of pull as default. Who ever owned this gun probably was very quick to the target.

[J. Scott Hanes]

This SA probably would be a fantastic Long Yardage Handicap gun. I'll bet that DAC would print at least 10" above POA at 27 yards.

[David]

Going through some old stuff recently, I came across a letter that I had put aside years ago. The letter is from my grandfather dated in 1991. He typed out his letters - I wrote him back long hand - it was 1991 after all ! I still have the book that he gave me at about that time - I wish he had provided just a few more sentences about some of the guns. I was talking to him about them and had shot a few of them - I wasn't smart enough at 23 to write anything down or remember specifics. I haven't come across the Parker sales pages he mentions.

Apparently he 'respected' the new reproductions at that time - but did not see them as true Parkers - no need to debate it now. He was apparently aware in 1991 of the value & rarity of the SBT shown earlier in the thread. love knowing he was at one time using it enough to mention it..

note - not sure what he meant by AAG - i think that is a mistake on his part - i only know of one A grade gun he had and that is the SA Trap gun.

[John B White]

What a lovely story behind a lovely gun. Oh, if these shotguns could talk. I often wonder about the lives of mine before I became their (Temporary) custodian. I can only strive to leave them in good or better condition when they slip from my hands into another's to continue creating memories for their new keepers. Thank you for sharing. I really enjoyed reading about that gun, and more importantly, your grandfather.


carry on

[GunnerGrilli]

Wonderful letter David. Thank you for sharing!!




Bobby

[Frank Good]

This is not a Parker story but I too was kind of confused with what should have been a gun produced by serial # records ten years earlier than factory records show. I have an Ithaca 4E NID 16ga two barrel set. Serial # dates the gun to 1928 but the Cody letter shows the gun was completed and sent to a sporting goods store in Toronto, Ontario in 1938. Jessica at Cody says this was very common. Often guns were started then shelved for many years as orders got cancelled or post-poned due to wars and especially the Great Depression so it's no surprise that the SBT in the thread had a year between serial # stamp and manufacture completion. It was WW1 after all. As a side note many Knicks had serial #'s from as early as the 20's not completed for decades! I think the manufacturers often ran batches of receivers, barrels and forend irons and then asselmbled the higher grade and specialty guns down the road as orders came in pulling the matching # parts from a shelf and then putting on the stocks and final assembly of the rest of the gun.
That Parker is gorgeous! Go shoot it! It deseves to be out there doing what it was made for!