The Nose of the Comb

[Greg Baehman]

Would someone that 'nose' and understands the subtle differences in the shape of the nose of the comb of Parker stocks through the manufacturing eras please show us pics in how they differ?

[Brian Dudley]

Hammer guns included, there was a large variety of comb styles used over the 80+ years of Parker manufacturing. Then you have the special ordered "full combs".

One thing is for sure, there was not the use of sharply defined or long flutes in the combs.

[Dean Romig]

I have quite a large collection of pictures of the various styles of comb 'noses' that I will post up here tonight.
Unfortunately I don't have serial numbers on some of them.

Keep in mind that there were a number of stockers working at PB over the decades and each had his own small variation of the style of the period.





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[Dean Romig]

This should be a pretty good sampling. AS ALWAYS, REMEMBER TO DOUBLE-CLICK OR EVEN TRIPLE-CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT TO ITS FULLEST FOR A BETTER VIEW.

Serial numbers later this evening, but from top to bottom they are early to late.

Okay... the serial numbers are, top to bottom, are:

5949 D Lifter 10 ga. (stripped and stained but not sanded)
14056 D Lifter 12 ga. (refinished but with original nose contour)
18719 D Lifter 16 ga. (original finish)
18719 Again
19114 D Lifter 12 ga. (looks all original with possible recut checkering)
36488 C T/A 12 ga. (Before refinish)
36488 Again (After a fine Chris Dawe Restoration)
86488 CH 12 ga. (completely original)
149020 DHE 28 ga. (original finish)
235908 GH 12 ga. (original finish)
74625 Grade 1 16 ga. completely original
74625 Again
Original CH Original finish (same gun as just after pic of 235908)
Dollar Grade Lifter belonging to a Friend of PGCA
Next 2 Pics are a Friend's original condition AHE
Friend of PGCA's Dollar Quality Lifter again
Original Finish 241813 DHE 20 ga. Remington
Remington...
Another Remington....
And Another Remington.....
DelGrego Restock (the vast majority of DelGrego's restocks have this Remington style of comb nose)
209516 VHE 12 ga. 'Trap Comb'
209516 Again
Trap Comb at Brad Bachelder's


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[Dean Romig]

Pics & Descriptions are now updated.




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[Greg Baehman]

As we can see from what Dean has generously shown us there is a variety of noses that Parker offered through the years. Thank you Dean! :cheers:

It appears that through the Remington era the flute area is a bit wider and longer than anytime during those from the Meriden eras. Would youse agree?

In addition, I realize wide combs and trap combs could be specified from Meriden, but can one assume that the standard comb coming from Remington is a little wider than the standard comb width of the Meriden guns?

[Dean Romig]

As we can see from what Dean has generously shown us there is a variety of noses that Parker offered through the years. Thank you Dean! :cheers:

It appears that through the Remington era the flute area is a bit wider and longer than anytime during those from the Meriden eras. Would youse agree?

Generally speaking I would say yes, as well as the fluting being cut at more of an acute angle.

In addition, I realize wide combs and trap combs could be specified from Meriden, but can one assume that the standard comb coming from Remington is a little wider than the standard comb width of the Meriden guns?

With that acute angle style of fluting the nose is usually wider but not always. I have seen a number of Remington combs that are narrower while still having the acutely angled fluting.


It is really hard to generalize the Remington style of stocks and all of their various nuances, as it is impossible to generalize Meriden stock nuances of styling.





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[Greg Baehman]

Just so we're perfectly clear so I and others are on the same page regarding the definition of "The Nose of the Comb":

A. Is it a point as shown by the arrow in the first pic below?

-- or --

B. Is the nose of the comb an area encompassed by the rectangle in the 2nd pic below?

-- and --

C. Is the definition of the comb the entire length of the top of the stock behind the grip area or a portion of the length?

[Dean Romig]

Greg, the "nose of the comb" is all of the comb shaping within your rectangle B.
The 'comb' I believe, is the entire length at the top of the stock from the point of the 'nose' to the butt plate.





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[Greg Baehman]

I assumed the same Dean, but in thinking about the comb we have 'drop at comb' and we have 'drop at heel'. Maybe the former should be 'drop at comb at nose' and the latter could be more accurately termed 'drop at comb at heel', eh? :rotf:

[Dean Romig]

Or drop of comb at heel.




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[Greg Baehman]

The nose of the comb varied with Parker Reproductions as well. Below are pics of a 12, 20, 28 and lastly a .410. It appears the height from the top of the grip to the point of the nose decends as the bore size decreases.

[Chuck Bishop]

I think a bettter description is to refer these areas as nose of the comb and the heel of the comb. I think the lifter and top lever guns, for the most part, look very similar to the Remington Ilion made guns in their angled down cut at the nose of the comb. Most Meridan nose comb
shapes on hammerless guns just have a shallow parallel cut under the top of the comb as shown in many of your pictures.

[Dean Romig]

I don't think it's that cut and dried Chuck. I see nuances that differ one to the other. "Similar" is about as closely as we can describe them and even that is too general.

Just my opinion.





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