Did parker shotguns ever have factory recoil pads installed?
 

As the title says........

Did parker shotguns ever have factory recoil pads installed?

and if so what kind of pad was used? Gun in question is a hammer gun, serial number 46515. I am guessing it was made somewhere around 1885 ish.
Thank you in advance for any info you can provide.

Silvers were requested

Silver Pad:
 

The Silver Pad was patented in 1874, made of “India rubber”. Still available from Kynoch LTD. Illustrated pad from the 1880’s, L.C. Smith Quality 3, 32” Damascus #20882.

I thumbed through my stack of Parker catalogs and the first I see to offer a recoil pad is the 1913 Flying Ducks. I'm sure Parker Bros. were installing recoil pads earlier, but 1885 may be a bit early, or not. By the Remington era a recoil pad, usually a Hawkins, was "standard" but option of any other on the single and double trap guns

Out of curiosity, would a letter tell me length of pull and perhaps what type of butt plate or pad was requested....?

From my experience the Parker letters have detailed the following:
The date of the order
Who ordered the gun
Where & when it was shipped
Model & Gauge
Lifter, Top action Hammer or Hammerless
Barrel length
Barrel Composition - Damascus, Twist, Titanic Steel, Vulcan Steel etc.
Stock Configuration - Pistol Grip or Straight
Requested chokes
Other details- vent rib, shells ordered
Other people’s letters may contain more information.

The orders I have copies of for Edwin Hedderly's guns specify "Silvers Rubber Butt" --

Attachment 117481

but some just list "S R Butt."

Hawkins pad with heart shaped reliefs for 1930s double trap guns.

I had a 28 ga. Damascus barreled DHE made in 1908 where the order specifies a Silvers pad, and the gun still has the original pad. In fact, the letter specifies, “supply Annie Oakley style case.” too but the case is no longer with the gun.


.

rubber butt
 

Parker shotgun 153475 is a Grade 3 hammer gun and it was ordered with a "Silvers rubber butt" for an extra charge of $4, where normally it would have had a skeleton steel butt plate

I would rather fit and grind a Silvers pad to a butt any day over a skeleton butt plate. No precise inletting needed for a Silvers.

$4 extra seems a bit high, all things considered. Just saying.

Edited to add: Rereading this I wanted to clarify that what I meant was not a preference, according to function or aesthetics, but according to the amount of effort/work involved to do either of the jobs.

This one from 1900, another hammer gun (Quality B) that would have normally had the SSBP yet ordered with a Silvers pad. Once again, $4.

WOW! Great gun and great letter.

Sounds like horribly short barreled light gun, it’s even missing nicely patterned Damascus barrels :shock:

Must be a tough gun to shoot well Randy, I feel bad for you:cool:

Parker 1923 AAHE, SN 203418 ordered with two(2) butt stocks and separate forends:
one stock for skeet and trap fitted with Hawkins heart pad. The other remaining butt stock was fitted with a skeletal steel engraved butt plate. Parker Bros. always endeavored to
please its client-customers wherever possible. This Parker was a third generation family gun.