CHECKERED BUTTSTOCKS

[George Lander]

What percentage of Parker guns, D Grade & higher, left Meridan with checkered butt stocks rather than skeleton butt plates? Was this an option offered to the original purchaser?
Inquiring Minds want To Know.

Best Regards, George

[Bruce Day]

George, in the absense of response by Parker experts, I'll attempt to answer.

Original Parker checkered butts are rare. It was an option on D's and above, see the Parker catalogs, but was not a popular option. There are a few are out there, but most checkered butts you see are on replacement stocks for reasons we can only speculate about.

The Parker checkered butts had an unusual pattern as shown below. Most replacement checkered butts were all over checkered. I'm not aware of any determination of percentage, and I doubt it would be possible to determine. My understanding is by the very few I've seen or heard about. The late Rem Parker skeet guns had standard checkered butts, however, there are not very many of those guns.

Here's one I have on a 1911 DHE 20ga, which I understand from others is one of the few known outside of the late skeet guns.

[George Lander]

Thanks Bruce: Mine looks exactly like yours. I'll post some pictures later. My gun is on an "O" frame w/ 30 inch barrels made in 1925.

Best Regards, George

[Bruce Day]

Well you would have a rare gun that was special ordered and could be worthy of a letter from Mark.

[Dean Romig]

I have photos of a pre-1920 CHE 20 ga. with a straight grip, no safety and a checkered butt that letters exactly as it is and is checkered exactly as Bruce pictures. I'll post a pic tonight with the exact year.

[George Lander]

Bruce & Dean: I have the letter from Mark but it only has the stock book information and not the order card info. My gun has the initial plate engraved " 2 S.D. McGraw N.Y." It has a straight grip and splinter forearm. Double triggers.

Best Regards, George

[John Dunkle]

Hi George,

This checkered butt is on a lowly little "V" grade...

Hope this helps!

Best to you,

John

[Chris Travinski]

The gun George has is a spectacular example. I curse him for out bidding me on it everytime I visit his website!

[Dean Romig]

Can't see the checkered but very well at all but here it is nonetheless.

[Rich Anderson]

It seems to me Mark Conrad bought a C grade or above at the Southern several years ago with an original checkered butt. I would think it would have to be confirmed by the order book and so many records are missing.

[Bill Murphy]

Dean, you have to tell us the particulars of the gun you picture. General Billy Mitchell's CHE 12 with 28" barrels on the #1 frame has a checkered wood butt.

[Mark Conrad]

Checkered butts are rare. The Wagner AAHE has a checkered butt. This gun is pictured in the last Parker Pages with Kevin and Bill looking it over. The order says no butt plate. I have also seen orders that say no steel plate. I have not seen an order that just says checker the butt. Bill is right, the stock book copies we have will not show the butt treatment. I am told the original stock book has a block for information that would include special order stuff. One Clark Gable gun had his name in that block.

Checkered butts are popular in England so the LOP can be shortened easily. Kirk Merrington and I have discussed this at length. Wm Wagner sold lots of British guns and that is why his gun probably came with a checkered butt. Note, I have only seen this in the order books and they end December 31, 1919.

Mark

[Bill Murphy]

William Wagner of Washington, DC special ordered quite a few guns with "No butt plate". I always assumed he would install recoil pads at a lower price than the factory charged. Maybe some of Wagner's special orders were not for a specific person and he wanted to be able to modify them for the eventual owner. Wagner was a gunsmith as well as a retailer. By the way, the "Wagner Gun" that Mark describes is a gift to Wagner from Parker Brothers in appreciation for his high volume sales of Parkers.