SN 135105

[Erick Dorr]

Any informed opinions on the specifics of the requested specs on this gun? Note the requested barrel chokes. Was this for some sort of incoming birds or was it perhaps a combination bird and deer gun. What do you think? Stock dimensions lead me to think this is a man's gun in spite of the weight and barrel length.

I haven't been successful in unearthing anything about Frank Sauborne or MB King in Concord, NH. Do these names mean anything to anyone?

I'll be out today but will check back later. Appreciate your responses.
Best Regards,
Erick

[Brian Dudley]

Definately some interesting features in that order. Usually reversed choked barrels are thought to be for shooting at driven game, or in a scenario where the second shot is closer than the first. But who knows for sure why it was ordered that way. And the 25" barrel length is odd for sure.

I would not call the stock drops at all extreme or uncommon for that day.

[Gerald McPherson]

I have one with those stock specs. It fits and hits better than any I have ever owned. I am 5ft 6in. Go figure. I also have one with 3 and 1/2 drop. It dose't hit or fit so well. It has cylinder on the right and mod on the left. Maybe it is for someone 6ft or more. Gerald

[John Dallas]

Is the front trigger for the Mod barrel? Is it possible that the gun was set up for a left hander?

[scott kittredge]

ez answer, he shoots a double trigger like i do, back trigger first. open choke 1st close shot and as out going upland game bird gets out and a miss on 1st shot the front trigger for the longer 2nd shot. i have a DH 1 frame 12 ga at 6 lbs 10 ozs set up the same way,left barrel .005 rt .012. Oh, and as i type this i am at the Ford dealer in Concord N.H. wright now waiting on a oil change:) scott

[Dean Romig]

I don't think I'd drive thirty miles for an oil change.... maybe he stopped by the Ford dealer on his way back from a crow hunt :corn:

[Bill Murphy]

Which trigger fires which barrel on that gun?

[Erick Dorr]

Gentlemen,
The right front trigger fires the right modified barrel. Left rear trigger fires the left cylinder barrel. All very conventional except the reverse of choke borings.

Scott, I thought this arrangement very unusual. Given your gun appears to be set-up in the same manner, maybe I need to keep a more open mind. Do you find many other shooters with your same preference for pulling the rear trigger first? Is this your adaptation to this particular gun or did you seek out a gun with factory choke borings that accommodates your preferred method? Have you noted many guns like this that have not been altered?

Further surprise in looking at the table of Parker gun shooters for 1901 in Parker Pages Vol. 16 Issue 2 pg. 37. I noted 2 26" guns and 1 27" gun weighing between 5# 12 oz and 7#. One gun has a DAH of 3" and 1 has a DAH of 3 1/8". These do not fit my preconceived notion of a competitive gun. These do not fit the norm of the remainder of the list but show the varied preferences of individual shooters at the time. King may have had the same preferences in a Parker.

Maybe the explanation is that M.B. King preferred to pull the rear trigger first. It would be nice to dig up some history on MB King and find out if it was his preference or something different.

Thanks for the ideas so far.

Erick

[Dean Romig]

Generally speaking, a gun with more than 2 3/4" of DAH was ordered as a "game gun" and not a competition gun. There will, of course, be a few contradictions to this rule but normally, a gun with a good amount of drop was meant to be a hunting gun.

[scott kittredge]

I found it easier to go from back to front. the recoil of the gun brings the gun back to you as your finger goes to the front trigger, and when I was a kid I could not reach the front trigger and shoot the gun with out hurting my middle finger on the trigger guard :) scott

[scott kittredge]

I don't think I'd drive thirty miles for an oil change.... maybe he stopped by the Ford dealer on his way back from a crow hunt :corn:

yes, crows ,and lots of them :cool:

[Russ Jackson]

I have often wished I had a gun that would have the open bore on the back trigger , I happen to have short fingers and this would work out great for me ! My fingers are one of the reasons I never cared for Winchester auto's or pumps ,I could never reach the safety in front of the trigger guard ! I purchased a Model 42 years ago and just loved that little gun but couldn't get to the safety fast enough !