John, I am curious if that gun was a Remington era VHE?

It is a fact that Remington used American black walnut of a far higher grade on all of the lower grade Parkers than Parker Bros. ever, as a standard, would have used.






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No,it was a 1910 or 1911 gun.I sold it quickly because of the wood.The letter only stated the grade,gauge,and barrel length.

Years ago I worked as a forester in Kentucky. We sold native American black walnut bid by the tree with a specification that the stump height could not be less than 18 inches. After the timber was removed we sold the stumps again as an individual tree bid. Bidding was fierce and almost all of the bidders for both timber and stumps were from gun stock buyers.

OK here are two more pictures-- the first one is the left side of the #6 frame N, the second is a D grade #6 frame hammer gun. Anyone want to change their mind??

What da ya know... they look the same.

Do the initials in the second picture relate to the original owner?

Yes I believe so Martin E. Wampler, great name for a duck hunter. I have the original leg of mutton case with his name and address.
I know the catalogs read grade 1 guns are stocked with American walnut. My only purpose for making this post is because the advanced collectors on this forum have taught us one thing---never say never!!

Good looking wood, no matter what it is

The wood of those two Parkers appear to have similar appearing characteristics but that doesn't mean they were cut from the same tree, or even the same sub species of Juglans. It only serves to reinforce that there are exceptions to every rule... or to 'Never say Never.' ;)





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Both Edgars and Deans statements are entirely accurate about walnut stocks. In addition American/black walnut trees grow throughout the US where soils, growing seasons, rain fall, and seasonal temperature vary drastically. These variations will change the appearance of wood even if the trees are biologically the same. By 1937 Parker offered the D and C grades in fancy American walnut only.