Common or rare ?

[Daniel G Rainey]

My 12 ga. 2 frame CHE with skeleton butt plate has a circular Plug cut out and replaced in butt of the stock. This plug is located in the bottom third of the stock toward the toe. I have read that this was sometimes done to balance or to reduce the weight of the gun. How common or rare was this ? Since the plug in my gun was cut toward the toe of the stock was this done for balance or weight reduction ? Thanks in advance.

[Dean Romig]

The one in the bottom third of the butt was for the patented hickory rod reinforcement through the wrist or grip of the stock.
It was usually used on the more figured wood found on higher grade Parkers and it is not especially uncommon.

Any plugs above that one were used to remove or add weight for balance.

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[Brian Dudley]

It is not that uncommon.


I have seen some guns with two plugs.

[Dean Romig]

I have a DH with two plugs for balance and none for the patented reinforcing rod.





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[Chuck Bishop]

If it has the reinforcing rod installed, the patent date should be stamped in the wood just behind the pistol grip assuming the stock hasn't been messed with.

[Daniel G Rainey]

Dean Thanks so much. I have wondering about that plug ever since I purchased the gun.

[Dean Romig]

Some even still have the patent stamp just behind the grip cap on the toe line.

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[Daniel G Rainey]

There is no patent date that I could see behind the pistol grip but this is a 1902 gun and the stock was refreshed or messed with before my purchase.

[Daniel G Rainey]

There no number behind the grip cap.

[Dean Romig]

The vast majority of Parkers with the reinforcing rod either were never stamped or the stamp was obliterated in refinishing.





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[Brian Dudley]

I have observed completely original guns that were not stamped behind the cap.

I have in one particular case found where the stamp was under the dhbp right on the walnut plug where the rod was installed.

[Bill Murphy]

Where is the stamp on a straight grip gun?

[Dean Romig]

Good question Bill. I have never seen one but maybe someone who has the hickory reinforcing rod in his straight grip with the patent stamp can show us a picture of it or at least describe where it is located.

Brian says he has seen one on the end of the rod under the DHBP but that won’t work on a stock with a skeleton steel butt plate.





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[Brian Dudley]

I do not recall of that gun with the stamp under the plate was PG or SG, it was a while ago.

[Gerald McPherson]

Has anyone ever installed a rod to strengthen a broken wrist while repairing it?

[Brian Dudley]

Absolutely. That, or something similar to it is commonplace. But not all the way to the butt. Recently I have used Carbon Fiber instead of wood as it is very lightweight and stronger than steel.