1905 Quality CH Trap Gun

[Bruce Day]

For viewers interest in Parkers, this is a 1905 Parker CH 12ga with ejectors sold to Pacific Iron and Steel in Azusa, CA. It has a drop at heel of 2 1/4", original Length of pull of 14 1/4" and originally without safety. The original Jostam two ply sponge pad is now changed to a Silvers with leather facing. A safety was factory added. The barrels are 30" Bernards choked L and R .038. The metal is original finish. The wood was dull so I used alcohol to wipe off all loose finish and added several coats of member Brian Board's Timberluxe. I recommend Timberluxe.

This would have been a trap gun, some people call these live bird guns, but not knowing if pigeons were used as targets, the better description is simply a no safety gun. The top tang was curved then ground flat when the safety was later installed. Weight is 7 lbs 14oz on a no. 2 frame. The barrels have turned a little brown but still show much contrast. The case colors are maybe 50 percent plus, thin in places and dark in others.

The Remington 1 oz 2 3/4 dre cartridges and their reloaded equivalents are what I use for target loads.

As a side note, this gun is in the range of the rondel side panel guns 1900 to 1905 but does not have that interesting engraving. This one is standard C engraving like about 3/4 of them. I saw my second B the other day with double rondel side panels. The rondel guns were 1900 to 1905, about 25 per cent of C's , an unknown number of B's , at least one D and I'm told a G , but have not seen that gun or photos. I surmise they were done by a single unidentified engraver who was at Parker for that limited time.

[Todd Schrock]

That's a fantastic gun Bruce. Thanks for sharing.

[Eric Eis]

Very nice original gun.

[Dean Romig]

Another very desirable CH in excellent condition! Thanks for sharing Bruce.






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[Gary Laudermilch]

I was trying to come up with an appropriate comment and the only thing I can come up with is - Damn!!! Where do you come up with these Parkers you post? Keep 'em coming.

[Bruce Day]

Gary I have had this one for many years, shown it here before, shot and exhibited it around but thought it might be nice to show photos here again to show folks the difference between a black plastic matt finish machine made gun and these classic American doubles. The gun is nothing new for me. I shoot my old guns at the ranges and in the field and spread the word about how wonderful they are and that they are fun and competitive to shoot. I shot trap with this one the other day and did fine in comparison to the new adjustable comb, release trigger, dedicated trap guns.

Our late and sorely missed friend and hunting companion Dr. James VanBlaricum of Pratt Kansas used to tell the story of going hunting with his sons and their buddies who were carrying black plastic shoot em up guns. They posted Doc as a blocker for a long pheasant drive. The birds were flying out, the kids were yelling, the Labs were running out at 100 yards. At the end the drive, the young men were birdless but Doc was standing there with a double limit and a pile of shells by his old C grade Parker( the one with the extra factory set of rifled barrels in 45-70). Doc got a great kick relating how they asked " you shot all those birds with THAT?".

[Richard Flanders]

I got the same treatment when I showed up for a round of sporting clays a few years ago with my 26" Daly S/S. Everyone else had Perazzis and such and I'm sure were chuckling at my choice of gun for a course that had a lot of long crossing shots. Only one of the 7 shooters did better than I on the course and more than one eventually came over to ask about my gun, usually in the form of, "What is that gun?" You have to love it when you can do that.

[Bruce Day]

How about gun pictures from you other Parker forum readers ? I took those photos with a cell phone camera and posted them with a cell phone. You don't have to have an upper end gun, just get pictures up and get some interest going. We have hundreds of people registered, if you enjoy pictures of others, I'll bet others would enjoy your pictures.

[Bill Murphy]

Bruce, that is a great gun except for the wood. You are the "C-Man".

[Reggie Bishop]

Love the gun! Thanks for sharing !

[Harryreed]

I think that is some of the nicest wood I have seen on a original CH.

[Josh Loewensteiner]

Bruce

Thanks for sharing. You continue to share great guns and educate newer members - that's what the PGCA is really all about.

[John Allen]

Bruce,That is a great gun.Thanks for the nice comment on my Bernard CHE.I heard a great story from a friend who bought a fine damascus DHE from me.He took it to his gun club to shoot clays.The guys in his squad would not go out with him until they studied the club bylaws to see if damascus barrels were outlawed at the club.He then beat the other 3 guys by over 8 birds and won $50.There is justice in the world.

[Bruce Day]

A question was raised in a private messsge about the stock by a person with a good eye.
Factors
1. The wood grain is higher than most C's.
2. The cheek checkering is not standard to a C.
3. The cheek checkering is inset with a bevel as Parkers usually are.
4. The trigger guard tang channel has the gun SN , no R for replacement. The SN and tang had been undisturbed for many years, perhaps almost 100 when I got it. I don't think the tang had been out of the channel and had to go slowly and carefully with a razor blade.
5. The TG channel has the number 3 by the SN.
6. The straight grip stock and dimensions letter to the gun.

From this I conclude that the stock was made up and checkered and intended for a D , then it was noticed how nice the wood grain was, so the stock was mounted to this C and the side panels checkered to give it an extra touch. When I got the gun it looked like it had not been touched or used for many years and I know it had sat with the previous owner for at least 20 years.

[Drew Hause]

1900 and 1901 were big years for Parker trap guns

1900 GAH at Live Birds Queens, L.I. at the new Interstate Park
http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1900/VOL_35_NO_05/SL3505012.pdf
http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1900/VOL_35_NO_04/SL3504011.pdf
Won by 25 year old H.D. Bates (Parker), of Ridgetown, Ontario after 8 men tied at 25: J.L. Smith, H.D. Bates, C.F. Ayling, J.R. Malone – 2nd, Col. A.G. Courtney, Dr. A.A. Webber, Tom A. Marshall, and Phil Daly – 3rd.
“The Parker gun which Phil Daly Jr. shot in the Grand American Carnival and won third prize, was one which he borrowed from A.W. Du Bray, the Parker representative. Daly never saw the gun until the day before the big event, when he killed 15 out of 16. In the big event be was shot out on the 32d bird.”
Guns: Parker - 73, Smith - 34, Greener - 19, Francotte - 19, Daly - 12, Remington - 10, Lefever - 7, Scott - 7, Winchester - 5, Cashrnore - 5, Purdey - 3, Baker - 2, Colt - 2.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19974446/397098808.jpg

E.C. Griffith won both the GAH at Live Birds and the GAH at Inanimate Targets with a Parker in 1901

1901 GAH at Live Birds April 1 & 2, Interstate Park, New York
http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1901/VOL_37_NO_04/SL3704018.pdf
Won by E.C. Griffith (Parker), of Pascoag, R.I. He killed 25 straight in the race and finished 18 more in the tie, shooting out twenty one other men who tied him.
2nd - J.L.D. Morrison (Winchester), 3rd - R.R. Bennett (Parker), 4th - J.B. Barto (Parker), 5th - Chris Gottlieb (Smith)
Shooters were handicapped from 25 to 33 yards: W.R. Crosby, J.A.R. Elliott and Fred Gilbert shot from 32 yards. Thomas A. Marshall & Jack Fanning at 31 yds.
E.D. Fulford & Rolla Heikes at 30yds. Charley “Sparrow” Young at 29 yds.
Guns:
Parker – 85, Smith - 34. Francotte - 21, Winchester - 11, Remington - 7. Scott - 6, Daly – 6, Cashmore – 5, Greener – 5, Lefever – 4

2nd Interstate Grand American Handicap at Targets at Interstate Park, Long Island
Manufacturers agents and paid representatives were permitted to shoot “for targets only” in all events but could compete for the purse in the Preliminary, Grand American, and Consolation Handicaps.
Preliminary Handicap won by E.C. Fulford (Remington)
GAH won by E.C. Griffith with 95 from 19 yards. (Parker)
Second – F.B. Carlough with 93 from 16 yards.
Third – Charles Wagner (Parker)
Crosby (Smith) led the sweepstake events with 85 straight, Fred Gilbert (Parker) second.
Consolation Handicap – F.D. Kelsey (Smith) tied with Windsor Morris (Parker)

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19974446/410294481.jpg

[Drew Hause]

Most of the competitors at the 1901 Anglo-American match used Parkers
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=185YOyQl7GIB9OYLs9Hr3tnMLHqs4rjEdR4j_E9l4HL w

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/19974446/410926777.jpg

The great Tom Marshall used his Cashmore to win both the 1897 and 1899 GAH at Live Birds (the only 2 time winner of Live Birds or Targets), but switched to a Parker for the international match.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/21690841/278723593.jpg

[John Allen]

Pigeon shooting is the toughest shotgun game going.When a clay target leaves the trap it is going in a straight line and decelerating.When a pigeon leaves the trap he can turn 180 degrees in a wingbeat and is gaining speed with each beat.Read how many of the GAH shooters had straights going and then missed a bird.It is a hard game to be consistent on.