I my opinion it's not a real mess it perfect it just fits the gun's overall character. I can't imagine a new pad will make it shoot better but that's just me. It's kinda like people putting vinyl siding a 18th century colonial home---- out of place in my opinion. Bottom line it's your gun and you can do as you desire----but you asked.

What a wonderful gun! :bowdown:

Replace the pad, hammer the ducks with it and don't look back!!

Keep the old pad but put a new one on if you want. A new soft pad may help protect the wood butt better than an old hard one. That is one great gun. +1 no safety. What's the frame size and overall weight?

I had a Elsie that had a three position safety. In the rear position it was not automatic. I never was at ease shooting it and did not let my grandson hunt with it at all. I was very careful to explain it to a friend who bought it. It was a very nice gun but the Parker Quality just was not there.

There was a lady here, she went hunting with her husband and somehow the gun gun accidentally went off and shot him 4 times. Then her camp shovel accidentally went off and dug a pretty deep hole. Then, the guy was so surprised by it all he rolled into the hole and all the dirt fell in on top of him. She was so shocked that went home and forgot to tell anyone about it for over 15 years.

In the words of Horace Greeley, "...only one thing endures and that is character."
That pad spells Character with a capital "C." I wouldn't touch a thing. What a find. Beautiful gun!!

I have a couple of favorite Parker singles with new Griffin and Howe repro Silver pads that I replaced years ago. Some day I will take the time to reinstall the original D-W and Silver pads on them. My AHE Trap also has a G&H Silver repro, has since 1986. I had a couple of spacers put under the pad because "A trap gun just had to be 14 1/2" long". That original Hawkins pad will be a bit harder to reinstall. I displayed this gun at the Eastern Panhandle shoot, along with some others on the PGCA tables. From now on, I leave them alone.

I see said the blind man.
 

Any thoughts on grunge eradication??
In the spirit of "do no harm", can a century of accumulated
dirt and grime be gently removed??
Thank you.

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...psab6e844a.jpg

Most posters ask how to age a newly installed repro Silver pad to get the grunge back. 409 should work to get your grunge removed.

The pad looks great like it is , some here use goose blood and other exotic things to get a pad to look like yours.