1904 CHE shooter I am considering
 

I currently have in my possesion a 1904 CHE 12 gauge 2 frame shooter. It has titanic barrels that have been monoblocked and with screw in chokes that was originally 30 inches. The original barrels were blown out, but the monoblocking appears to be well done from my comparisons to others that have been done.

The price is a good one for a CHE. The engraving is more of the early version that is very similar to D's.

It has a pad on the end with the widow peak still visible and the forearm has been rechecked to repair/cover up damage or it may be a new well fitted piece.

I will take more pics, but it is a nice price on a shooter C.

a cheap gun in any grade is quickly overshadowed by quality.

If it has been sleeved, how do you know it has Titanic barrels? Because the top rib inscription says so?

Has the forend been replaced?

It does look like a D grade, what is the difference in the engraving between this C grade and a D ?

I do not know if they are actually titanic or not. The rib that is on them says titanic and the bluing looks correct.

The forend has either been replaced or heavily recheckered, it definitely isn't checked correctly.

I fully realize that condition is important, but I struggle to buy old DHs, a quality CHE is not something I could afford without selling a lot of funs.

It has finer detail than a D grade. It also has wrap around checking on the wrist as well as 5 birds on the floor plate as opposed to 4. The scroll work is better as well.

The late 1800 and early 1900 Cs don't have a lot of difference from Ds from what I have seen unless they were rondells.

Are the barrels still 30 inches? I'd like to see pics of the muzzle and dolls head area.

Barrels are now 26".

Will take some pics tomorrow.

Bill,

I look and price British guns. The sleeving process has come a long way. The joint is practically invisible using TIG welding techniques. Usually they will use the rib from the old barrels. Even guns with an invisible joint are heavily discounted and hard to resell.

Ken

It is heavily discounted and I would be buying it as a shooter, certainly not an investment.

Can you include some photos of the complete gun, muzzles and the barrel flats?
Glad you are excited about this CHE.
Is the barrel flat have the Titanic steel mark as well as the top rib?
Enjoy,
Erick

I bought a 0 frame 20 at a yard sale for 800.00 del grego refinish. turns out it was a 16 monoblocked new 20 barrels etc etc. now its under the bed upstairs...

:nono:I bought a 0 frame 20 at a yard sale for 800.00 del grego refinish. turns out it was a 16 monoblocked new 20 barrels etc etc. now its under the bed upstairs...

That is not really a very good sleeving job from a cosmetic standpoint. Since the sleeve joint can be seen from my house.

Im sure you were disappointed to realize after purchasing.An easy way to get it out from under the bed and money back in your hand it post it for sale here. For $800 I for one would buy it as well as many others Im quite sure. Some guns are destined to be hunted with.

Here are the pics I took this morning. Unfortunately they are with cell phone as the canon is with my wife and kid.

Anyway here they are:


The longer I seem to consider this one the less inclined I seem to buy it. I haven't decided yet as I plan to take it out and shoot it, but while it may be the rare chance for me to own a CHE, I am just not feeling this gun at the moment.

That may change with a couple of RST rounds through it. We shall see.

It really boils down to price. If it's a truly good deal...I'd buy it and let it lounge in my safe if nothing else. I'd also probably lose that pad if I were going to be seen in public with it.

I love seeing checkering jobs done by thise who have no idea what they are doing. By love, i mean it is sad.

If you say it's engraved as a D, how many birds are on the floorplate and what is the serial number?

That's why I asked if the forend was a replacement. Plus the color is different.

5 birds on the floor plate. Serial number was already checked and its a C as well according to the book. The engraving just doesn't show a lot of variation from Ds in early C guns.

Yes, forend wood is non-original replacement.

The engraving on this gun is pretty typical of most C grade guns. Generally speaking.

Every C has a little bit of variation from gun to gun, but this one has the normal amount of scroll work and border treatment that is normally seen on the grade.

The two major features that start showing up in C grade guns is the use of heavy border designs and the use of organicly shaped wrap-around checkering on the wrist.

I have decided to pass on this gun. Mostly because when I took it out with me on a site visit to the pecan orchards on the north end of the county, there just wasn't any connection made between me and it. It would make a good shooter, but my budget constraints make me a little more picky on guns I get. It is on its way back home as we speak.

The VH 16 ga led a very rough life, monoblocked 20 ga 0 frame chokes were bored out by Marty the blind gunsmith Crooked bore job, off face bad when the forends off! vertical split in restock at metal interface causing very proud wood...your right I should sell it.

What shows on the watertable, above/below the serial number - that will tell you grade.

The grade has never been in doubt. It's serials as a C, it has 5 birds on floor plate like a c, it had titanic barrels, it has wrap around checkering on the stock, it has a 4 and a C on the water table. That has never been in doubt.

I gotta ask..... what is that on the front face of the lug in the close picture of the barrel flat ???

Really thick grease of some kind.

In the picture of the barrel flats there is a "K" stamped close to where the barrel steel type is usually located. Does anyone know what that stands for? Krieghof?

You made a good decision .

William

I think you made a good decision too.

My advice is to take the money you were going to spend on that gun and just let it build up and you will be able to buy a real C grade.

David the "K" supposedly stands for King and is typical of guns from the early in the 1900 period. I don't know the time span it was used but it is not uncommon.
Erick

That's right - the "K" is for Charles Alonzo King, the Parker Gun Works superintendent until 1910 when his son Walter King took over that position. We also see the "WK" stamp on the barrel flats, and that is the stamp of Walter King.






.

I have decided that most C's that are out there don't have anything that truly appeals to me over a D short of being a rondell or bernard or something I could never afford due to uniqueness.

However, I currently have a DH heading my way that I am excited about so we shall see.

The C grade is considered a very special grade - the only made about 5,000 - and of those there are only about 4,900 available for purchase at any given time.

Nice C grades sometimes become available but most are tightly held by Parker enthusiasts. Here is the floor plate engraving if a special one, a 1903 CHE 20 ga with 26" star Damascus barrels , rondel side panels and well figured French walnut stock with skeleton butt.

Some seek the C small bores , this one a 16 that serves as an example of original colors

Others seek the few remaining hammer C's, this one from the Parker New York Salesroom.

Thanks Bruce. Always treat to see your pic posts.