Small gun show interesting gun

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Yesterday I went to the sunrise service here, and decided to go to the local gun show around noon. This show was in Labelle Florida. I purchased a nice knife "Buck" 7 inch for deer deboneing, looked around the room, about 50 tables, and saw a sterlingworth, I was looking at it when I asked the guy if he had any Parkers, Said he had one, I wish I had had a camera with me to take photos of this gun. It was a single barrel trap, C grade that had been upgraded to A1- Special, Had Pheasants in gold, very nicely done with gold wire around the floor plate and intricate wood work, He did not know what he had! I did not take advantage of him but showed him a few things to look for to check originality. The vent rib had the last 3 digits of the ser# stamped under it so did the for end metal and wood also the receiver had numbers stamped in the right place. the stock was a semi-monte carlo with cheek piece, It had full choke, but interestingly the barrels were only 28". I told him that he had a C grade Trap gun that was original but it had been upgraded at some time, He smiled and said he appreciated me going over the gun with him, then he told me this story. He had purchased the gun from a lady and her mom was a trap shooter, the gun was ordered in the mid 20's, and was upgraded in 1935. Now this is getting interesting the work looks like Degreco-Runge, upgrade, also I would think 28" a little short for trap shooting, Like a fool I did not write the ser# down, but the last 3 digits were 541 I think it was either 220541 or 222541. You would think and old fart like me would remember to at least get the ser # for some research, I gave him info on joining the PGCA and getting a letter on his gun, and agreed to meet him next year the good lord willing. I could have stolen this gun but choose not to, One more person out there that knows a little more about his Parker, Gary

[Kevin McCormack]

Hi Gary - hope you are enjoying the Florida sunshine!

IF the gun was indeed upgraded 1935, and was done in Meriden, it would have been done by Bob Runge Sr. (Robert Rudolph Runge) as opposed to the Bob Runge (Robert Phoenix Runge) of Del Grego/Runge upgrade team that we are familiar with in the "modern age", so to speak. (In 1935 Bob Runge the Younger would have been 17 years old).

BTW - how was the Sterlingworth?

[Dave Suponski]

Gary, I believe there are a few documented 28" sbt guns in the book

[Bill Murphy]

A good bore measurement should confirm the originality of the barrel length. The upgrading would be evaluated by someone who has inspected a bunch of upgrades.

[Jean Swanson]

Gary & others:

Charlie Herzog and I were in Las Vegas at the January gun show some 20 plus years ago and Don Criswold (sp) had a bunch of Parkers under his table and told us to look at them . Well we did !!! I was pulling the guns out of the sleeves and then we would look at the guns and comment. Well, there was a single barreled trap that I was hauling out and Charlie said " It is an upgrade ". I slid the gun back into the case, but I noticed it had a price tag of $12,000. Guess what---it was right and Herschel Chadick bought it from Don and if you were at last years Foundation dinner you would have seen the gun as part of Charlie Green's collection. There are only a few A1S single barrel traps in existence---so Gary, if the opportunity arises in the future, think seriously.

See you in a few weeks
Allan

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Kevin, the Sterlingworth was a mess, Alan I will get photos of the gun next year, who knows I might, well, I won't say, gary