Yes. No sort of hardware, wood plugs, or similar belong in the cheek of a Parker gun.
This is always a repair of a split head, or proactive measures taken by someone who was afraid of the head splitting.

Some choose to make them look nicer than others.

I would really be curious to see a gun that was documented to have been pinned by the factory and what it looks like today.

Chuck has told us about a Parker where it was requested by the person who ordered it to proactively reinforce the stock head.





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Was that a common problem on certain Parkers or frame sizes ?

As I recall in the case of the gun I referenced, it was a heavy 12 or a 10 that might have been intended by the owner to shoot heavy loads on waterfowl.





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Now if it is an Iver Johnson bicycle chain that would add collector value.

DHE Right Side stock head reinforcement.

One of the nicest I have seen.
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