Parker Forends
 

On my v grade parkers the little part on the very end has no engraving. On higher grades it is. Is there a name for this part? Is this case colored or plain? Thanks You for any information. Loren

I have always heard it referred to as the "forend tip". There may be other more technically correct names. I believe your V grade should be case colored.

The classic term for this part is "finial." At least for British and European guns.

The forend tips on all grades (except trojan since they had no tip) of Parker gun are case colored, along with the rest of the metal on the forend.

No engraving is normal for VH grade. There is a long thread on the forum about grades and engraving on forend tips. I don't think the old parts schematic calls the tip or the screw out by name or number.

They were virtually all color case hardened and if you pull yours off it will likely still show colors underneath. The thin colors on the outside wear easily over time from handling but what is protected underneath will show a little color. It is a distinctive Parker feature and although a little unnecessary, they add a nice touch. While other manufacturers of the time used other materials like ebony and horn for forend tips, anson push rods and similar designs excluded, Parker kept using their distinctive metal tip. The Trojan model did away with it altogether, likely to lower the cost as much as possible.

the part is usually referred to as the forend "tip" or "Banjo Tip"(from the shape of it). However, actual Parker factory language defined the whole forend as the "tip". So, I do not know what they referred to the metal banjo as.

Agreed. But not all were engraved. V's were not, G's may have been, D's definitely were. Is that correct?

Thanks,

Jay

Thanks for all the answers for the forend tip. All of mine are plain no case colors on them. Thanks again Loren

V grade was UN-engraved. All higher grades had increasing amounts of engraving.

V grade guns had no schnabel on it, higher grades did. Until the mid to late 20's when they eliminated the schnabel on the higher grades as well.

Some are true works of art. Click the link.
http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthr...ight=show+tips

I’ve long known of a “schnabel” forend in reference to the shape of the wood but never saw or heard the word schnabel in reference to the forend tip. Would you kindly define ‘schnabel’ in this context?

It is a German word meaning ‘beak’ or ‘mouth’.







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Well, i am not sure if I am referring to the shape of the forward end of the tip metal in the correct term, but you know what I am speaking of Dean. At least I hope.

I think I do know now. I don’t know what to call it though... but I might call it bulldozed and sculpted, or just sculpted.





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Dean; thank you for asking the question. I too was stumped by schnable. Photos would make this distinction easier to comprehend.

Thanks,

JDG

I’m not sure it ever occurred to me to call it that, but it makes sense to me.:cuss:

Man, this one could go downhill faster than a redneck standing on ice right before saying "hold my beer and watch this", but for posterity will try and keep it above the gutter.

Btw I don't know if any one should post pictures of their stumped schnabel on the internet as it takes up precious bandwidth. Also if your "schnavel" is longer than your "schnabel" you need to lay of the pie, and definitely no one wants to see that. :rotf:

I have a couple of Dehaan shotguns that have a schnabel on the fore-end or fore-arm, which ever is correct. I think some higher grade O/U's employ schnabels with their guns.

Schnabel forends have been around for a long time. Even some American makers of SxS shotguns employed the design, for whatever reason, on a couple of trap or skeet models.
I don’t know how the German word for ‘beak’ or ‘mouth’ devolved to describing the flaring of the forward end of the forend wood...






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What some are describing as a schnabel on the forend tip, I've long referred to them as a beaded forend tip -- akin to the beads around the breech balls of Grade 5 and higher hammerless Parkers.

Here's one for true schnabel lovers. On a 12-bore by Robert Jones of Liverpool.

Interesting that the schnabel shaping is incorporated in the horn tip only.

John, do you know if it serves any purpose other than aesthetics only.



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To illustrate what I am speaking of...

See below photo. Tip on left is from a V grade. Right is from a graded gun. Note the “schnable” on the tip of it. Or whatever you prefer to call it.

The lower tip is from a later graded gun where they did away with the “schnable” all together.

Attachment 67687

Dean:
It's only for looks. Many British guns had horn tips, but this is the only schnabel type I've ever encountered. And from a bloke named "Jones" at that!

I think the schnabel ends are two fold looks and functional ergonomics for some. Rightly or wrongly that end does invite you to extend your hand towards it. For some it is benefit for others an ornament.

My custom DeHaan .410, and my custom Sterly 30” 16. I had Mark use Bill Hanus “birdgun” dimensions with 14 7/8ths LOP to a SSBP. I liked the .410 so much, that I sent the Fox to Mark DeHaan to send to Turkey and have his guys stock tha Fox the same. Only difference is that we used a thin leather covered BP on that gun as the blank I sent was 1/4” too short to make the SSBP work.

Both guns have very slight beaver tails, and the schnabel treatment on the toe.

Its different I know, but it grew on me.

Have to think they made these in bulk and they were finished based on the grade of the gun they were being used for so was the “lip” on the metal actually dependent on the grade or the fellow who engraved and finished the gun?

The grade. It was present on ALL grades above VH until it was completely done away with in the 1920s