C Bernard restoration help needed

[George M. Purtill]

I am starting on a mission to restore and preserve #30427 which letters as a C grade toplever in 12 gauge built in 1883 with Bernard.
as you can see from here and another thread, this gun is very un-cared for and will need lots to bring it back- not just money but research.
The 1895 Salesroom portfolio has some cuts that show the incredible beauty of this gun model. I was awed last night when I reviewed them.

I need good pictures of C grade guns of this vintage, particularly stocks, forends and left side engravings.
Thanks in advance. Bruce, Gary and Bill- HELP!!

[George M. Purtill]

Pictures can also be emailed to me at george.m.purtill@snet.net

[Mark Ouellette]

One word: Bachelder

[George M. Purtill]

Here is the text from the PGCA letter. Am I looking for a second set of barrels?


Parker shotgun, serial number 30427, was ordered by the Jno. P. Lovell & Sons Co. of Boston MA on February 27, 1883 and shipped on July 19, 1883. According to Parker Bros. Order Book No. 13, it was a Quality C, Top Action hammer gun, 12 gauge. It featured Bernard steel barrels with a length of 30 inches.

The price was $150.00.

According to Parker Bros. Stock Book No. 12, the stock configuration was a capped pistol grip and its specifications were: Length of Pull: 14 ¼”, Drop at Heel: 2 3/4”, Weight: 8 pounds and 8 ounces. The chokes were patterned RH full and LH full.

According to Parker Bros. Order Book No. 19, the gun was returned on August 8, 1886 by G.L. Brown of Jamaica NY to rebrown, rebore to shoot close, repair action, and blue butt. The price was $9.85. According to Parker Bros. Order Book No. 25, the gun was returned by Salem D. Charles of Boston MA to make & fit new pair of Damascus steel barrels same as old except RH cylinder and LH modified. The price was $30.00.

[Dean Romig]

I wonder what ever became of the Damascus replacement barrels???

You don't have both sets do you George?

[George M. Purtill]

No- I wish i understood what the purpose of that order was.
The Bernards are perfectly sound I think.

[Larry Frey]

Second set with open chokes (cyl/mod).

[Brent Francis]

That looks like a great project. Where did you come across it?

[Dean Romig]

It's really too bad that the front trigger is bent back like that. That could really cost you a bunch to have it brought back to its correct conformation.

[charlie cleveland]

george you gona have a mighty nice gun when you get her done...but i like her the way she is too..i ve never got to run across a good find like you have maybe today will be my day...going to gunshow today... charlie

[George M. Purtill]

It's really too bad that the front trigger is bent back like that. That could really cost you a bunch to have it brought back to its correct conformation.

The right lock is broken and I figure the shooter just kept pulling and pulling and pulling ..... until they figured it out.

[Craig Larter]

George good luck with your C it's nothing most would attempt ---- you must love a challenge---keep us posted on your progress. Craig

[George M. Purtill]

God only knows what happened here. I cant think of any reason for this amputation.
Where can I find or buy a grip cap for this vintage gun?

[charlie cleveland]

i bet some of the boys have one.i seen one on ebay a while back.. charlie

[David Holes]

There are grip caps out there but they are all different sizes. They were sanded to fit the stock. So you will need to add dims. I do have 1, let me know the size and I will see if it matches. Dave

[George M. Purtill]

Thanks Dave
Chris Dawes has or will have the stock soon. I will find out.

[allen newell]

George, www.GunGrip.com has the caps.

[George M. Purtill]

George, www.GunGrip.com has the caps.

Thanks but not that I can see on their site. I searched on Parker and all they show is marked caps- not plain like an 1880's vintage gun.

[allen newell]

George, I just looked too and on the top row far right they show part # GC502 Large Plain Parker Grip cap with checkering. Did you see this one?

[George M. Purtill]

yes
If you search Parker, GC 502 does not show up. Weird.
Thanks

[George M. Purtill]

Start (someone wire brushed off the chicken excrement), halfway there (Dawe cleans up), finish (C grade checkering applied).
Courtesy of Chris Dawe.

[Dean Romig]

NICE!!!

[Daryl Corona]

If the rest of the gun comes out as nice as that forend you will have a true beauty to behold. Can't wait to shoot it so don't spare the coin.:)

[edgarspencer]

If the rest of the gun comes out as nice as that forend you will have a true beauty to behold.

Wait till he post some pics of the butt stock. I've never seen prettier grain.

[George M. Purtill]

This is not a post. It is an on-line tribute to Chris Dawe.

[George M. Purtill]

BC= Before Chris
AD= After Dawe

[Daryl Corona]

Wow, you were'nt kidding Eggar that's some killer grain. That tribute to Chris Dawe may not be a post but it sure is some eye candy. Who's doing the metal work George?

[chris dawe]

Thank you George,this one was really a wonder...as to if and why, like we discussed, if it was from any other gun it probably should have been burnt!!!

The smell of chicken #$@% when I raised the dent's and tried to re-form the drop point's was quite distinct,the worm /bug holes were another thing ,I mean you can't have chicken #$@% without them.And the front wood I really thought was a total loss,from a structural point of view ...the picture doesn't really show the damage the wire wheel caused.

For what it was I'm quite pleased with it,and see the before and after is very satisfying.

Thank you for all the kind words.


Chris

[Justin Julian]

Chris, that is an astonishing transformation. I would not have believed it possible without seeing the before and after pics with my own eyes.

But what do you mean by the smell of chicken #*%@ emanating from the wood? Was this gun propped in the corner of a chicken coop for decades for fox control purposes?

[Ed Blake]

This isn't the first gun shown here to come out of a chicken coop. Why did all of the nice ones end up in chicken coops?

[chris dawe]

Yup ,she apparently lived in a chicken coop or some other livestock building for some time ,George would know more...All I know is that when I woke that stink up it was undeniable

[Rich Anderson]

Its amazing what you can find under 100 years of dirt and apparently chicken s%&t:eek: I know I found a wonderfull piece of wood under 100 years of crap on a GHE 20.

Chris thats some amazing work:bowdown:

[George M. Purtill]

Tom Carter made new screws and cleaned away scunge and corrosion.
But-Can it be worse? Click on the picture to see Tom's work.

[George M. Purtill]

Even Tom Carter couldn't bring this out.
You have to be Gary C or David or Bruce to know there is a dog there.

[Bruce Day]

George, this is pretty rough, but not beyond hope and I see lots of possibilities. I've seen guns worse than this brought back so that a person could never tell how bad it was before. If a person needs names or discussion, contact me.

I can make out enough engraving to make me think that something close to this was originally there:

[Mills Morrison]

I can see the dog on George's.

[Brian Dudley]

It's like a magic eye trick. It took me knowing what to look for, by seeming Bruce's example to see it. Now it sticks out plain as day.

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

As I have said before, Old Parkers never die they just wait for a good heart with the passion to restore them, Damn nice work! Thanks you George for saving the old girl. Gary C

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

I forgot I held those Bernard Barrels when I was at Brads the other day, you gonna love them! Gary

[George M. Purtill]

This is not a post, It is a tribute to the men who have worked on this project.
Look at the top picture, taken on Edgar's kitchen table months ago. Look at the pictures below, taken today.
FYI- some pitting had to stay. But surprisingly, it's really only visible under photography.

[George M. Purtill]

The barely dog is now visible in all its glory. Again, the pitting is not visible under normal conditions.
To remove all the little pocks would have destroyed the original engraving.

[Mills Morrison]

And a great tribute it is . . . Wow!!! :bowdown: :shock:

How about a photo of the floor plate when it is done too?

[Mills Morrison]

Ok, the second post came up as I was typing mine. DOUBLE Wow!!!!

[Justin Julian]

Are you planning to case color harden the frame? A good case coloring will hide, if not actually fill in, much of that mico-pitting.

[Daryl Corona]

She's gonna be a real beauty when she's done. The cleanup on that receiver is amazing.

[George M. Purtill]

This is what the barrels looked like in Edgar's kitchen on March 2, 2013 and this is what they look like now.

[Jim DiSpagno]

So George, when are we going to see the finished Product? Stock by Chris Dawe, barrels by Brad and the receiver by Tom Carter and the engraver all together in your hands.

[Rich Anderson]

Holy make over Mr Purtill those look wonderfull.:bowdown:

[Daryl Corona]

I'm very, very impressed George. That is truly a makeover worth the price.