Parker Gun Weight??

[Ken Hill]

I'm looking at a 20gauge DHE on an O frame. The PGCA letter says the gun weighed 6lbs in 1916. A year later, the gun went back to Parker for a restock. There is no mention of the weight after the restock. The restock removed 1/8" on the LOP. Today the gun weighs 6lbs 8oz and balances about 1.5" to the rear of the hinge pin.

The barrels weigh 2lbs 10oz and the unfinished weight marked on the barrels is 3lbs 2oz. The barrels also have a KL3 Remington service code.

How did this gun gain 8oz??

Thanks
Ken

[Bill Murphy]

If your gun balances 1 1/2" to the rear of the hinge pin, it has a bunch of added weight in the buttstock after its original construction.

[Dave Tercek]

Maybe the first stock was hollowed out.

[Ken Hill]

Bill,

The gun has a skeleton butt plate. The checkering doesn't show any holes being hidden. If it has weight added I don't where they put it.

Do you think the gun should balance at the hinge pin?

Ken

[Ken Hill]

Maybe the first stock was hollowed out.


Dave,

Would Parker restock a gun without regards to original weight and balance?

Ken

[Ken Hill]

Attached are some pictures of the stock. The wood has nice figure, but I don't know if this is an 8 oz difference.

Thanks,
Ken

[Dean Romig]

Probably just a denser piece of walnut than the piece that was originally on the gun.

It is surprising that Parker Bros. didn't take steps to make sure the gun balanced the same as when they received it.






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[Brian Dudley]

Yes, the density of the wood can make a big difference in the weight. The stock with an SSBP can be drilled out to remove weight. The hole would have just been plugged afterwards and checkered over. Some guns can be seen with two plugs in the butt.

The butt of your gun does not appear to have any plugs in it now.

Was the letter information stating 6lbs from the order book or stock book? If from the order book, that would mean that the gun was ordered as a 6 lb gun. But it dos not mean the gun was made that way. But the stock book stating the weight would mean the gun was made that way. Just a thought.

[Ken Hill]

Brian,

The "requested" specifications are from order book 96. Maybe it was heavier, but the gun is butt heavy.

Thanks,
Ken

[Bob Brown]

Did you look under the trigger guard? My VHE 20 straight grip with 30" barrels has a drilled hole filled with lead under the trigger guard. It goes at angle back into the butt from near the end of the guard. The weight matches the letter, so I assumed it was factory. It gives it a nice balance.

[Dean Romig]

That is the first time I have heard of lead weight being added to the stock anywhere other than at the very butt of the stock.






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[Brian Dudley]

Yes. That is surprising to hear. And lead in the wood can cause problems.

[Gary Laudermilch]

I had a 20 ga VH pistol grip years ago. It had a hole bored under the grip cap. It was filled with lead slugs wrapped with cellophane tape.

[Ken Hill]

Did you look under the trigger guard? My VHE 20 straight grip with 30" barrels has a drilled hole filled with lead under the trigger guard. It goes at angle back into the butt from near the end of the guard. The weight matches the letter, so I assumed it was factory. It gives it a nice balance.

Bob,

Other than taking the trigger guard tang screws off, I wouldn't know how to loosen the trigger guard to look underneath it.

Interesting someone would put lead under the guard.

Thanks,
Ken

[Bob Brown]

Perhaps it was added later to move the balance point. It doesn't seem to have harmed the wood. The requested specs as ordered in the letter:

"According to Parker Bros. Order Book No. 91, it was a VHE hammerless, 20-gauge. It featured Vulcan steel barrels with a length of 30 inches, chamber lengths of 2 7/8”, and Lyman sights. The stock configuration was a straight grip and a Silvers rubber butt was requested. The requested specifications were: Length of Pull 14 ½”, Drop at Heel 3 ½”, Weight 6 pounds, 6 ounces."

I don't know if it was added to match the ordered weight though. The rest is original and matches the letter. She would probably be a bit muzzle heavy without it. There would be no way to tell on yours without removing the trigger guard.

[Bob Brown]

With the silvers pad on mine I don't know what is under it. I thought that they had probably mounted the pad and put the finish on and then weighed the finished gun. With an actual lbs and oz target there wouldn't be many places they could add weight without negatively affecting the balance.

edit: it appears the lead is either a part of a round bar or was melted and poured into the hole.

[Craig Budgeon]

Ken, you state that your gun was manufactured in 1916 which means it was originally stocked in European walnut. The present stock appears to be high quality American walnut to me which is denser than European walnut.

[Dean Romig]

Ken, now that I have enlarged your pictures and more closely examined the detail, it your gun now wears a Remington replacement buttstock of American Black Walnut crotch grain.





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