Garry in its present state this gun does not possess the typical trap comb that it apparently began life with. It appears to me that the stock was altered at some point.

Too bad, but I hear that you trap shooters can be pretty persnickety about your stocks.:)

I wish we could have seen the original configuration. I think this special comb "thing" must have been somewhat idiosyncratic to specific eras and workers, just like engraving; but it would be nice to see more documented examples.

Actually I am not a trap shooter :rotf:

Are clays shooters persnickety about their stocks? Just trying to learn.:corn:

BTW, thanks for keeping this thread going. I still think there are more documented comb designations out there.

Some are downright fussy in that everything has to be perfect right down to 1/64", some are constantly making adjustments which usually occur after a poor round. I would guess that the percentage who pay little attention to stock dimensions is small. Most likely the more serious a person is the more attention to detail, the weekend warrior probably not so much.

Here are couple more examples of trap combs. Neither letter mentions a trap style comb. Both guns are stamped properly under the trigger guard with serial number and grade. Both guns have the demensions that correspond with the letter. The top picture is 1921 and the bottom is 1923. The 1923 example looks exactly like the 1924 BHE 16ga pictured on a earlier post, bottom picture.

Right Craig, those combs are Parker’s “trap combs” and it is odd that the letters don’t mention it. I suspect those guns were built to the purchaser’s specs for competition guns and maybe it was a foregone conclusion that they would have this style of comb.

It’s sometimes frustrating that we wish for more information but it just isn’t there…






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I have three Parker’s with such combs. A 1924 BHE 16 has the fluting of Craig’s lower photos. The other two have the more rounded form and are late 1910s/early 1920s 16 gauges. Those earlier guns are noted as “medium full combs” in the records.

Each sports a straight grip.

The “fullest” comb I have ever seen on a Parker. A DHE. Letters with full comb.

Attachment 136648

I almost bought a VHE that had a comb just like that Brian but the price was unreasonable.





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