Rifling goes the full length of the barrells. jvb

Is there anything on the water table to indicate the load? I wonder if there is anything in the order books that would indicate the load. Or would you shoot a Foster type slug common for the day when this gun was made. I wonder how a sabot would preform. Please keep us up to date on this wonderful Parker.

Thanks, Harry

Did Del Grego do the case colors and replace the buttstock on Doc's gun? It's a beauty!

Here's the stag on the bottom of my CH 16.

http://pic60.picturetrail.com/VOL172.../352518811.jpg

Larry the Gun Guy
 

Here's the bottom of my 20ga CHE. I think it's more like a cartoon deer than anything else.

Larry

Elk and deer were a common engraving subject on C grades from 1889 through 1900.

1889 CH 10/26 dam and 12/30 Bernard #2 frame set.

A water fowl engraving
 

Here is a CHE 16, with a waterfowl, Ser No 226467. I would welcome a PM from any member who might have had this in their cabinet at one time.

Mark, That is fantastic! Thank you for posting it.

Mark's new C 16 is typical of C's after the early 20s. After that date, there was almost always a single bird , often a mallard, or a dog. Mallards, swimming, flying, standing were common C engraving subjects. Mark's has a common, and very nice, subject and execution. Gauge didn't seem to make any difference. I've seen 12's with woodcock and 28's with mallards.

After the early 20s, I think most C's were unique. There is always some difference in engraving, at least among the guns I've seen. Before that period, there was a standard C engraving on many but there were still some with unique engraving.

Somebody mentioned the rondell side panel engraving on Doc's 2 barrel set. I have been privileged to handle that gun and have shown photos of it before. In my study of C engraving, about a quarter of the C's made between 1900 and 1905 have the rondell side panel style and it will come with some unique engraving on the bottom. Still, most of the C's between 1900 and the early 20's had a standard five ducks on the bottom and pointer and setter on the sides. You would think that engraving would be mentioned in an order book, but it never is, or rather, I have never seen it mentioned. I guess you got what you got, but a person would think that a person could specify what engraving he wanted.....like a grouse hunter getting a grouse engraved on his special order 20ga.

There is one gun with a spaniel head, another with a sailing ship, and these and others sure look like special order engraving to me. Wonder why we have never been able to find any written record of it. Other guns have extra deep engraving, again no record that I have seen in any order book entry.

Here is a couple of picts. hope they help

Brad