New to me semi project CHE

[Bill Holcombe]

Well, ignoring the advice of one Ed Muderlack in his writings, I paid the premium to acquire my first Parker model with an E on the end. I typically agree with Mr. Muderlack regarding paying a premium for that E when it is easier to collect your shells without it, but this opportunity presented itself and there you have it.

Acquired this fine 12 ga from Patrick, and it is a nice CHE in my opinion. Has the small matter of attending to the buttstock issue and getting a Silvers pad back on it rather than that ugly ventilated recoil pad, but all in all a nice gun. Barrels are in nice shape, bluing isn't perfect but for now it doesn't bother me. Maybe long term it will get reblued, who knows. Its a 2 frame weighing in at 7lbs 15 oz, and while not as big as either of my 3 frame barrels, it does have some nice swamping to it. It was ordered by the Seattle Hardware Company in Seattle in 1904, and requested that it have ejectors, a silvers pad, and lyman sights with a LOP of 15". Some short armed wimp decided to alter that for a recoil pad.....

I really am a fan of the quality and condition of the engraving on this gun. It isn't anything dynamically different from Ds in many ways, but is better executed and seems to be somewhat deeper. If you really get into detailed comparing with a contemporary DH, the differences become more pronounced.

Anyway, the break at the wrist seems to be well repaired and solid, but the crack is still visible and there is glue in some of the checkering. I have been told it can be repaired, and I have also had some hesitance to work on a repair that has already been made. So we shall see what can be accomplished. I really have no wish or desire to replace this original stock. Its a well balanced old girl and for weighing in at 7lbs 15 oz with 30 inch barrels it seems a bit heftier than I would expect, but like I said it is well balanced.

Anyway, another project to mess with/occupy myself with.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10750

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10751

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10752

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10753

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10754

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10755

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10756

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10757

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10758

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10759

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10760

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10761

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10762

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10763

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10764

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10766

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10767

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10768

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10770

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10772

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10773

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10775

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10776

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10777

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10778

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10780
http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10782
http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=853&pictureid=10781

[Bill Holcombe]

Any advice on the ability to repair the stock? I am waiting for a response from a few people I have read reccomended over the years.

[charlie cleveland]

fine gun you have there as you said the engraving just stands out...you got a keeper for sure...charlie

[Mark Ray]

Dan Wolf in Waco Tx, is a magician on stocks like that. He just sis a VH O frame 20 for me that had 9 compound fractures in the wrist. You cannot tell it is repaired, and I asked him to “keep the honest wear” on the gun....flawless....expensive....but flawless!

[John Campbell]

It's all up to you, but...

It seems the "repair" is holding well. Thus, it's a matter of cosmetics. For that, Bachelder or The Stock Doctor are superb choices. They may also be able to give you a professional assessment of the bodgered "fix."

[Tom Flanigan]

It was kind of a sloppy job, But if they used glass bedding compound, it will probably hold. The checkering can be fixed. A person skilled in checkering can work the pattern to the same depth overall and even checker over the compound. Applying "patina" over the recut pattern will make the compound dissappear.

If it was my gun, I would drill a hole length wise under the end of the tang and through the grip. I would fill the oversize long bolt hole with acra-glass compound and put the bolt in. That way you would know for sure that the fix is not going to break again. I would do this because I wouldn't trust the work of anyone who would leave that mess on the gun. The good news is that it is a mistake that can be easily fixed and made right. Nice gun.

[Bill Murphy]

Dave Wolf, Waco, TX?

[Alfred Greeson]

I like it. The more you hear and read about C's, the more you appreciate them. That gun has some really nice engraving. A great project, please send pics as it progresses.

[davidboyles]

I think you scored on a nice C. I have had numerous transactions with Patrick and he is an outstanding member of our organization. Always fair and shows all the flaws on his sale items. I think you have been given sound advice on restoring that baby.She will clean up to be a fine prized piece. Very nice wood and engraving. I've owned 2 CH guns and for some reason I have not held on to them. That's part of the disease !!!!

[Bill Holcombe]

Yeah, I just always thought the first thing I would buy from Patrick would have been a gun case lol.

I believe it was Mr. Murphy who said that there is always a nicer Parker out there.

[Rich Anderson]

Congrats on a nice gun. You would be surprised how well that stock would look cleaned up and a correct pad installed. You lucked out with birds on the floor plate and not a stag. I have 3 C's and only one has a bird a nice CHE 16 that has a pheasant.

[Bill Holcombe]

Just heard back from Dennis Smith (stock dock) he has examined the gun and is going to redo the checkering, de-oil and put new wood inside the inletting at the break, put a silvers pad on, and refinish it and remove most of the dents while retaining the character of the age of the gun. Hopefully have it back by Thanksgiving.

[Tom Flanigan]

With respect to Ed Muderlack and his distain of ejectors, I never agreed with him on this. Hearing the thunk of ejectors is part of the pleasure I get out of shooting. And it is much easier to cup your hand over the breech and let the ejectors thunk them into your hand. Much better and faster then a non-ejector gun when you are in a hot corner. I never have to pick shells from the ground with my ejector guns. They thunk them right into my hand.

[Bill Holcombe]

People often talk about wishing these old guns could talk. Well this stock is apparently giving Dennis a discourse. He has found at least 3 previous repairs done to the stock, including 2 seperate dowe rods. He seems to be getting some enjoyment out of his discoveries of the previous repairs.

The repair is coming along fine and the stock should be strong as ever when done.

[Mills Morrison]

Very cool! Keep us posted

[Dean Romig]

Dennis is a great stock man.... um... make that a magician!





.

[Randy G Roberts]

I acquired an LC Smith a few years ago where the prior owner had cut the stock down and retained the 1" or so section that was removed. Dennis reinstalled it, basically an extension if you will. That gun has been handled by a lot of folks and the repair has never been spotted. You need to be in direct sunlight to see it and you will need to be looking for it. He does amazing work and is a nice guy as well.

[Ed Blake]

I like the sound of ejectors too, but after having the extractor rods break on a few guns i quickly realized I don’t want Mr Del Grego to fix them more than once. $$$ouch. I’ve hence deactivated the ejectors on my only ejector gun.

[Bill Holcombe]

Got the stock back from Dennis today. Took about 9 months as opposed to 4 but good work takes time.

I am very happy with the work and the original 15 inch LOP feels great! Well done Dennis!

[Eric Eis]

Nicely done!

[Mills Morrison]

Looks really good!

[Daniel G Rainey]

Please let us see pictures when you are finished with the project.

[Bill Holcombe]

The last post I made had before and after photos of the stock. I haven't decided if I will do anything about the barrels, but leaning towards leaving them alone.

[Mike Franzen]

That really turned out nice. Transformed the whole gun. Thanks for posting.

[Dean Romig]

Dennis does great work!

Dave Suponski introduced me to him more than a decade ago.





.

[Eric Eis]

One thing Bill you need to age that Silvers pad. Again what wonderful work that he did.

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Eric, Explain the aging process to him, Gary

[Mike Poindexter]

Not all C's are engraved that nicely. Glad to see you're only going after the stock. Second the opinion on Dennis Earl Smith, The Stock Doctor. A great guy.

[Eric Eis]

Eric, Explain the aging process to him, Gary

Gary, I have found good dirty oil works well and after you clean it off, buff the pad and out and you are good to go

[Richard Flanders]

Love the 5-turnip engraving on the bottom. First I've seen that. My CHE has a stag. The wood on this really came out nice too. I don't think you'd be mis spending money or abusing the resource by giving this gun at least a near full monty treatment. It's sure got some miles on it. If only it could talk!

[Dean Romig]

I would have the barrels refinished but I would hesitate on re-case coloring it - the engraving would be obscured.





.

[Jim Thynne]

Nice C Grade, a keeper for sure!!

[nick balzano]

beautiful shotgun andgreat photos

[Bill Holcombe]

Wanted to post that I have enjoyed shooting this old gal during our pandemic. It fits interestingly with my 2 DHs. At 7lbs 15 oz it is just over a lb lighter than my 3 frame and just under my 2 frame that is 8lbs, though neither of the 2 lighter guns seem heavy. I keep looking for a lightweight D or C but don't seem to be finding the right one.

I am leaning more to sending the barrels off eventually. They just seem to clash with the rest of the gun in it's current state.

[Dave Noreen]

Beautiful job of freshening up. Sure you will really enjoy it.

I have one annomaly question. What is with the K in the barrel steel location?

86571

We normally expect to see a T in a circle on Titanic Steel barrels.

86572

I have recorded a couple of other Titanic Steel barrels with a K in this location.

Not to be confused with the Kf in the barrel steel location on Vulcan Steel barrels up into the 133xxx range.

86573

[charlie cleveland]

the 8 ga barrels had me puzzled for a moment....I see now they were being used as an example....charlie