Plugs in butt of stock

[John Bastiani]

I've been looking a a Parker with a skelton butt and the top wooden plug is inserted some. Is there a way to get it back out flush.

[Dean Romig]

That is a job for a qualified stocker.
It needs to be pilot deilled and a screw or some threaded pulling tool screwed into it and completely removed. Then it needs to be reinserted (after cleaning out old glue) and glued so the checkering lines up perfectly, fill the screw hole and checker over and finish.
Not really a job for an ametuer.




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[Joe Graziano]

Just google “butt plugs” to get started.

[Milt Fitterman]

Good one Joe!

[Brian Dudley]

It can possibly be removed and reglued. But it would certainly require some minor patchwork to fill in the hole that gets drilled into it to remove it. It may be the better option to remove it and replace it completely with a new plug. Grain matched to the butt (if you can even see the grain), finish it, checker it and color match.

The plugs are for weight holes. Either to add weight or, more commonly, remove weight.
Even if a hole was under a buttplate/pad, the factory would still put in a wooden plug. As an aside, this is also the same way that I do it if I need to drill out a weight hole. Just last week I was balancing two guns that I am restocking. One needed 1oz removed and the other needed 1.5oz removed in order to balance and match lettered weights. I drilled 1” holes and they got thin wood plugs afterwards. Under the buttplates.

[John Bastiani]

After talking to a gentleman-he said the plugs aren't factory and that people drilled them to add weight or to restock a gun. I presumed that the plugs were factory as I have a model 21 (skeet -20ga) with a checkered butt with basically the same 2 plugs. If the plugs aren't factory correct then how much will that hurt the value of the gun? Also: Would like to be able to private message somebody that knows Parkers to take a look at the pictures of this gun and get their personal opinion. Thanks!

[Rick Losey]

After talking to a gentleman-he said the plugs aren't factory and that people drilled them to add weight or to restock a gun. I presumed that the plugs were factory as I have a model 21 (skeet -20ga) with a checkered butt with basically the same 2 plugs. If the plugs aren't factory correct then how much will that hurt the value of the gun? Also: Would like to be able to private message somebody that knows Parkers to take a look at the pictures of this gun and get their personal opinion. Thanks!


yes they were drilled to change the weight, many were done at the factory,


post the pictures here - you might find a few people here know Parkers

you'll get good opinions one the originality of the stock

[Brian Dudley]

MANY factory parker stocks were drilled out and plugged by the factory. It is not uncommon to see minor fitment issues with the plugs on guns with Skeleton Steel buttplates. Due to blows to the butt and to climate changes in the wood over the years.

Please do share photos. I would bet the gun is original. But cannot say for sure until I put eyes on it.
Posting pictures here is easy.

[todd allen]

I would leave them alone.

[Dean Romig]

Not only were they drilled to alter the weight of the buttstock but Parker Bros. also inserten a patented hickory reinforcing rod right through the length of the stock to prevent breaking at the wrist of some of the more figured stock blanks. Some of these specimens still have the patent date stamped in the wood, often in a conspicuous place.

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[Dean Romig]

This was just sent to me by a long-time friend and esteemed PGCA collector to illustrate my post about the patent stamp for the hickory reinforcing rod.

Parker Brothers displayed this gun, a Damascus barreled 12 gauge BHE at the 1904 Worlds Fair.
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[Brian Dudley]

I have also seen the patent stamp under the buttplate of guns. Stamped over the wooden plugs where the rod was inserted.

[John Bastiani]

This was just sent to me by a long-time friend and esteemed PGCA collector to illustrate my post about the patent stamp for the hickory reinforcing rod.

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Thanks for the information! Alot to learn about Parkers! Its about the same as trying to learn everything about the Winchesters that I have collected the last 40 years.