The Mershon Co., Inc. Recoil Pad

[herbertnirdosh]

Saw a straight stock DH (1902 made) with a - The Mershon Co., Inc. White Line recoil pad. Did Parker use these pads.

[Dean Romig]

Not in 1902 to the best of my knowledge. I believe the "White Line" pad was first introduced in the thirties.

[Dan May]

Last week a customer brought in a double and a NOS Mershon red rubber white line pad (in the original box) to fit to it. That was some of the nicest grinding rubber I've yet encountered. Pretty neat, almost hated to fit it to the gun, though I don't think they're all that rare.

[Drew Hause]

The first Parker fitted with a "Silvers Recoil Butt" was in 1891, and would be period appropriate. Other c. 1902 pads included the Funkes and the American Silver pad (sometimes called Grieb.)
The 'White Line' Recoil Pad was patented by Frank Pachmayr 1-28-35 #2091010, but made by Fray-Mershon of Los Angeles. It was offered by Hunter Arms in the 40s. Pachmayr manufactured the pad after about 1950.

[Bill Murphy]

We have talked about very late Remington Parkers that seem to be equipped with factory installed Mershon pads. Charlie Green's Joan Bennett DHE 20 may be an example, as well as a fully optioned, minty VHE 20 in my collection. Some day I will remove the pad on my VHE to see how many screw holes it has. A Remington Model 31 TC in the factory museum collection also seems to be equipped with the Mershon pad.

[Bruce Day]

The Mershon White Line recoil pad came out in 1934-35. Too bad the Parker records for this period are so lacking for gun order/production , but as Bill says, some Parkers with White Line Mershon/Pachmayr pads appear to be original. Those Parkers would have to be post 1934-35. If a person wanted to replace a crushed or hardened pad on a post 34-35 gun, a White Line Mershon or Pachmayr would be period correct. Some people find them attractive, others don't.

However, I think I will put off, for at least now, chopping off the skeleton butt plate on my 1939 C and installing a Mershon pad.

Bruce Day, Parker beginer/novice third class

[Austin W Hogan]

Several distinguished Parkers including Invincible 200000 were found wearing White Line Pads.
I have the gun Drew cites. It is a DH 10, 56553, one of the first 150 DH guns. It was returned to Parker several times. The second owner returned it in 1891 to have the butt recontoured and the pad fitted. A match weight 12 ga barrel was later fitted, and the 10 ga barrels re blued. The pad is still in place and the 10 ga barrel looks seldom used.

Best, Austin

[Bill Murphy]

Several thousand Parkers have Mershon pads and they got them the same way that Invincible #200,000 got hers, at some corner gunsmith shop. When #200,000 was in the hands of a couple of ATA shooters for many years, it's a wonder that the Mershon pad was the only damage done. It could have been equipped with an adjustable comb. Just joking, of course. Both previous owners were/are nice guys. But #200,000 was made much too early to have been equipped with the Mershon from the factory.

[Austin W Hogan]

Sorry - I didn't mean to infer that the Invincible or any other Parker was factory fitted with a white line- only that the white line was the choice for good quality guns from the 30's to the 60's.

Best, Austin

[Bill Murphy]

Austin, do we have any pictures of #200,000 with the White Line pad? It seems to have a Silvers type pad on it now.

[Austin W Hogan]

Bill : Take a look at that PP article on a A Visit to DelGrego. There is a picture of a young Babe and a very young Lawrence holding two Invincibles - with 200000 wearing a white line. The original hangs in the Del Grego shop.

Best, Austin

[Don Kaas]

The Mershon/Pachmayr White Line Pad may be "period correct" on a late Parker gun but it remains as tasteless as a hot house tomato dressed in a white polyester Nehru jacket...ditto cyanide case colors and claro walnut...

[Bill Murphy]

The pad on #200,000 is probably a Del Grego logo Pachmayr pad. The gun's previous owners were long time Del Grego friends. In those days, Larry Del Grego Sr. had no idea how to access original type pads and installed his own pad if the customer did not provide one. Don is right about "tasteless", but then my favorite Parker has gold, silver, ebony, ivory, and pearl inlays, and several major parts are gold plated. On the other hand, it also has a properly finished skeleton butt.

[Don Kaas]

Now Bill, like Liberace and more recently Lady Gaga, some full blown monstrosities such as "The Pimp Parker" transcend mere "taste"and create enduring and heartwarming niches in the American pysche...Mies van der Rohe was not always right...occasionally, too much is more...:bowdown:

[Will Gurton]

I am sorry to drift too far off topic here, but I have a delemia.

I just purchased a relatively nice 1903 Browning A5 that had the finest original buttplate your likely to run across. Thanks too blunt force trama dealt by USPS I now have a jigsaw puzzle and broken toe.

I am thinking that I will cut her back and fit a period pad.

My question is which would be most appropriate?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Will

[Don Kaas]

Will-I have a Silvers pad on my Remington Autolading Shotgun (pre M11 Grade F). I recommend one on your A-5 or the softer Galazan "period pad" or Griffin & Howe copies. Check eBay as the original Browning plates often turn up. I found one of the 2 ring horn plates for my first year Superposed "Joe Knapp Club" gun.-Don

[Will Gurton]

Thanks Don.

Is there a Silvers that is not a full inch thick?

I have an original on an 11E that is thinner and I like the look alot.

Will

[Bill Murphy]

Will, I also have noticed that some early Silvers pads were thinner than the ones available today. I feel that a skilled gunsmith or machinist could grind a standard Silvers or Silvers repro to a thinner profile with little problem.

[Will Gurton]

Thanks Bill,

I had thought of that. I just thought that I may be overlooking another type pad that may be appropriate.

I just bought a Vintage NIB Jostom "No Kick Coming", I have seen these on A5/Rem. 11's and like the proportions and look it just doesn't seem right on an '03 gun.

Regards, Will