Number on buttstock

[Jeff Fette]

Yesterday I purchased a nice 1892 12 gauge DH. On the belly of the butt, just behind the grip cap, the number “73” is stamped. What, if any, is the significance of this marking?

[Dean Romig]

It is not a standard Parker Brothers stamp. Parker only stamped wood parts in hidden locations, i.e., under the trigger guard strap, in the forend wood under the forend iron and a few less common examples.





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[Jerry Harlow]

Dean,

Page 127 of The Parker Story Vol. 1 shows the patent date for Charles King's reinforcing rod that is Sept. 10, 1895 and is stamped behind the grip cap on the bottom of the stock. I thought we had also seen other numbers stamped there before.

The question for Jeff: Is that the last two digits of the serial number? And also if you look under the trigger guard, is the stock numbered to the gun?

[JAMES HALL]

Memory correct. Patent date for hickory rod.

[Jerry Harlow]

Memory correct. Patent date for hickory rod.

Thanks for confirming I did not have the President's current problems. I was able to find it and edited my post.

[Dean Romig]

I should have been more clear. I am quite aware of the patent stamp we have so rarely seen behind the grip cap, but a “73” is not part of that stamp. Maybe the OP could supply a clear picture of the stamp on his gun.

I will also say that sometimes on older guns quite visibly on the underside of the forend wood we have seen the serial number, a checkered’s or stocker’s name, a 1 or a 2 indicating which barrel set it went to, as examples.





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[Bill Murphy]

I have a Parker with a number stamped behind the grip cap. I'll dig it out.

[Brian Dudley]

Bill, Post pics when you find it.

[Jeff Fette]

I am tech challenged and don’t know how to post pictures with my iPad and it is my only computer. To answer the questions, stock is serial numbered to the gun but the numbers behind grip do not match last two digits of the serial number.

[Robert Brooks]

I had a GH 16 with # behind cap. Bobby