Building a CH upgrade
 

This project started a while back. Unlike my 20g. hammer gun build, I decided not to document the whole thing too closely since all the work was less involved.

It all started with a set of 30" 2 frame 12g. Damascus barrels that had very nice bores. I kind of had them planned for something else, but I figured I would go through all my extra frames to see which ones the barrels would fit up well to. I have 2 or 3 VH frames that the barrels nearly fully closed on. So I figured I had a good platform for an upgrade. I picked the VH frame that had the shallowest cut engraving and started to work on it.

The VH is serial no 100908. I originally got it as a parts gun that had a poorly fitted non-original buttstock, no forend at all. And the original Vulcan barrels had both tubes badly bulged in front of the chambers. When I had picked out that frame, I went through my parts bins and found that I still had nearly all of the serial matched parts that came out of it. After fitting up the barrels to the frame, I quickly threw the action back together, put another buttstock onto it and took it out a fired a few rounds through it to make sure the barrels had no unforseen issues.

When everything came back apart, all hardened parts were annealed and the VH border engraving was wiped off. The actions look a bit different in their naked state.

The dolls head had to be worked down a little to be flush with the frame. All screws were replaced with new ones.
Some custom work to the gun was the underside of the forend iron was milled out as to lighten it some. It made about 1/2 oz. difference. The former straight top lever was converted to a fishtail.

The SSBP is one that I made from scratch using a plain hammer gun buttplate. The middle was roughed out with a mill and everything else was cleaned up with hand file work.

I decided on a straight grip stock for this gun. The stock is a piece of darker colored english walnut.

The photos below show everything as it is currently. Metal parts polished out and restocked with the wood only having a few coats of sealer on it.

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Looks very nice Brian. I love the wood!

That is going to be a nice gun. Just a thought But have you ever seen the top lever on a sabatti. If you cut yours out in stead of checkering it, it would be pretty unique for a parker.

Looks great .
Did you make that stock or is it after market ?
Looking forward to pictures of the finished product.

It is one of my own "aftermarket" stocks.

brian this is another fine project you have come up with youre gona get so many requests to do other guns like yours that it will certainly keep you busy...keep up the fine work...charlie

Brian,
Very nice as usual. Will your engraver be able to reapply the rib matting well enough to make it unnoticeable? I have never seen that done and often wondered how well it could be matched.

I anticipate he can. It is only about 3/8" of it that got wiped out.

This gun will be going to Geoffroy Gournet for all the engraving work. I plan on having this gun and my 20g hammer project at the Southern and Hausmans for show and tell. After that, it will come apart for the engraving.

That will certainly be fantastic when finished. I like the fishtail lever. Hope to see it at the Southern. I have a little VHE 20 that would make a good project
gun. It is rough, but quite shootable,ejectors work fine, etc ,some dufus cut the barrels to 26 1/2". If I ever did anything with it, I would have a straight grip put on it.
Question, the frame is quite dark and dull, what would I use to "clean" it up some--a frontier pad, or some Flitz polish, certainly dont want to buff it out.
Harold

Brian
You can make that stock out of a hunk of wood !!
I am most impressed, stuff like this always inspires me to continue to learn.

Tom

Here are photos of the forend with finish completed and checkering cut in.

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Very nice Brian. I find it interesting in that most of the upgrades in Parkers or Foxes, that the person chooses to make it a straight grip. I just love straight grips especially in the smallbores.

The barrels are at Gounets now for breech engraving. I am to pick them up from him at Hausmans and the gun will be displayed there in its current state. Then when I get home it will all come apart and go to him for the rest of the engraving.

I did the barrel engraving first so that I can send them off for finishing while the frame is out for engraving.

Progress on the wrist checkering.

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And here is the back half with finish and checkering completed.

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Hey Brian, I was looking at some old posts just learning and enjoying a break and ran across this post on your C grade. This is making a beautiful gun. You may recall the high grade repros that were sold by Galazan in the white. I always wondered if we should have picked up one. If you took my VHE 12 that we are working on and say wanted to make an AHE out of it, how much egg money would it take to make a nice one out of it?

that straight stock sure has come out nice...charlie

Glad I got a place in line...

Well, the frame and all replated parts are off to Gournet for engraving. I am opting for the very tasteful Rondel pattern. Something very much like the photo below. I will be giving Geoffroy his own artistic license on the animals used on the gun. As long as they look like original parker engraving.

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this gun just keeps getting better...charlie

wow
 

pretty sweat indeed. I've got a deposit in with Gournet for a project that will be ready for him at the Southern next year. Everyone is busy it seems which is a good thing.

Just saw this. Beautiful as always Brian!

Is this a keeper or do you intend to sell it?

I gave GG 4 unfinished repros about a year ago, he finished one recently. According to Geoff, Turnbull is coloring it, Brian will reassemble. Since his DGJ article, he has gotten alot of additional publicity and demands for his work, hope he can finish the others during my lifetime.

Bill, This gun is a keeper for me. I have no intent to sell it.

Brian: I wanted it but thought you would want to keep. It is nice that you will be able to keep some of your outstanding work for yourself and the family. Bob

Dang, I really like your work, I was hoping I could have saved.my pennies up enough by the time you finished her. ;)

Here is the first photo I received from Geoffroy on the engraving work he just started on the CH upgrade.

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Very Nice!

Sometimes I wish I was Brian Dudley :cool:

Sounds like we've all got a touch of "Dudley Envy"!

Another photo of engraving progress.

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what can you say other than WOW

BHE 12ga 26" Bernard's. 1 frame. Double rondel side panel engravings

More!:shock::shock::shock:

Truly works of art in the highest forms!!!!!

Here are the final photos of the finished engraving that I just received from Geoffroy.

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Very Nice !

I second that!!!

Really beautiful Brian. Is that a Parker butt plate or a Galazan?

That will be one beautiful gun!! Can't wait to see it complete. Craig