How much should a single barrel trap gun weigh?
 

Letter from Parker Bros. to E. E. Bishop of Bradentown, Florida, March 2, 1931:

“We have your letter of the 26th enclosing check for $100, which is to be a deposit on a single barrel trap gun. In reading over the specifications, we note that you have specified a weight of 7 ½ pounds. We feel quite sure that this is going to be too light for you, and that there will be an unpleasant recoil, because the weight should be in our opinion about 8 pounds. It might run a very little under if you prefer. A trap gun, in which you are liable to shoot 200 and perhaps more loads in a day, and then repeat perhaps the next day in the same tournament, must necessarily be a gun which does not develop unpleasant recoil, and aside from stock dimensions, which in your case are correct, the only way of overcoming this recoil is by having as much weight in the barrel and gun as the shooter can easily handle.”

"A trap gun, in which you are liable to shoot 200 and perhaps more loads in a day, and then repeat perhaps the next day in the same tournament, must necessarily be a gun which does not develop unpleasant recoil, and aside from stock dimensions, which in your case are correct, the only way of overcoming this recoil is by having as much weight in the barrel and gun as the shooter can easily handle.”

I would agree... Have never weighed my Parker SBT, but I prefer to shoot a 9 1/2 to 10 pound Single Barrel Trap gun...

RD
Trap3

In those days they weren't shootin' no sissy loads either! Up to April 1940, there were plenty of 1 1/4 ounce Trap Loads.

The 3 1/8 Drams Equiv. 1 1/4 ounce was a popular load.

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You'd want a gun with some considerable weight if you're going to shoot competition with those loads! :eek:





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So, I guess there shouldn't be any problem shooting 3 dram equivalent, 1 1/8 oz (1200 fps) loads in my 1937 SB.

These would be best --

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for the proper period aroma.

Dave... is that Gildkote box in your collection?

RD

mighty nice shell boxes...i like the wording on the old shells...and what high brass... charlie

No. All three of those boxes went for well past my comfort level in Ward's auctions. I just saved the pictures for educational purposes. All I have are the two shells.

Dave, I agree... I`d like to add a Gildkote box to my trap load collection.
maybe one day ... :)

RD

Just looked at my records and that Gildkote full, sealed, box went for $3675 back in May 2019. The present auction has a bit earlier empty box from before Rustless priming, said to be from the 1929 GAH, and the copper plated shot is called Lubkote --

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Already up to $600 with 18 days to go. I don't have access to a Peters catalog between 1926 and 1930 so have nothing to show such a box with that Lubkote name.