The last entry in the letter explains the late plunger design, the frame having been replaced, but does the replacement frame still have the right angle at the water table and standing breech, or does it have the later design with the radius at that location? We might presume that tha frame had cracked at that location as was relatively common on the early lifter frames. (Stay tuned for the Winter Issue of Parker Pages for "The Lazarus Gun" - story of same situation.) but we still don't know how and when the forend latching system was replaced with the later style.

Thanks Brian





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Yes Dean I would guess the original frame had the right angle frame, the new frame has the radius.

Looking forward to the article!

Put on new frame? Thats a new one.

My guess is that it was done from time to time in the case of a cracked right angle frame.
Maybe Chuck has seen other examples of this...?






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I still do not know if the forend latch was upgraded or not.
Other than the checkered areas on the forend, what is the evidence?

There is no sign, that i see, of the retaining screw hole on the inside of the forend that kept the key in.

Maybe Brian Hornacek could show us better pictures of the checkered triangles in different lighting that might better show what I believe are oval wood plugs under the checkering where the keyed latchplates might have been.

Again, just one man's opinion - better pictures might prove one way or the other.






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Removing the iron from the wood can also show if the inletting is still present from the key.

Under max magnification I think I see a wood plug in that location. Stained dark and without the continuation of the grain of the forend wood.

See my key-latched forend for exactly where to look for evidence of a plug.



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Good evening Parker friends. I am bringing up this thread since the mystery of the release latch conversion and checkering has been solved.

I sent the wood to Chris Dawe to re-cut the checkering as the original borders were still present but very faint. Dean Romig mentioned he believed the original slide wedge style forearm release had been converted to the newer release style and the checkering was adapted to cover up the repairs. He was correct, you can make out the wood inserts and also the wedge keeper screw hole being plugged. Here are the pictures showing another interesting Parker factory repair/change.

Thanks for sharing Brian.

I would have liked to see the factory do something a little more pleasing to the eye. But, what can you do. I have seen other examples with the pattern was converted to one big diamond to cover those patches.