Factory recoil pad with "spur"
 

I have a high grade Parker gun (circa 1906) which "letters" with a Silver's recoil pad. The pad that is currently on the gun is a much newer replacement (probably late 60s/early 70s). There is a spot inletted at the top of the heel of the stock for a "spur" or widow's peak.

My question is this, did the Parker factory fit recoil pads to some of their guns which had the "spur"? I seem to remember seeing such guns/pads.

Thanks.....Tom

Tom, I'll take a look at my 1908 28 ga. DHE with the 'lettered' Silvers pad tonight and let you know.

Best, Dean

The Silver Pad does not letter on my CHE but it sure looks like it has been there for a long time and it does have the spur.
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...arker-spur.jpg

You can still get a pad with the spur if you are looking to replace the existing one, I got one from Galazans not long ago.

But the spur will be too small. You will need to use acuraglass to fill the void around the Galazan spur, which is about a third of the origional size.

ahh - nice to know- mine went on a different kind of gun and was a perfect fit.

No spur on this original Silvers pad, however, the stock was made to fit a smallish lady and LOP was 13" according to the letter (it is now 12 3/4" due to the flattened pad) so I'm sure the wood was cut down and the pad added without inletting for a spur.

1905 pad
 

This is a pad off of a 1905 C grade hammer gun. I believe this pad is original since the letter states a 14 1/4" length of pull and this is 1/16" under that dimension. The letter does not mention the kind of butt.

Wayne, How about pictures of the rest on the gun?.........Please!

Here's my 1905 DHE 12 ga. safety delete straight grip with Silvers pad and all letter.

Thanks very much for the input and pix fellas..... Keep those cards and letters coming. So I'm wondering, do "we" think that the Parker factory used recoil pads with "spurs"......or not??

tjw

I believe both types were installed by Parker Bros. in Meriden, depending on what was ordered and what the stocker had to work with. Certainly this small sampling is inconclusive at best. More often than not however, I believe when a gun was ordered with a recoil pad the stock would have to have been cut to add the pad and still attain the LOP that the gun would have been ordered with, thereby eliminating any relief that would have been cut into the wood to allow for the 'standard for the grade' spurred buttplate. This would not likely have been the case for the higher grades which normally would have had a skeleton steel butt plate as these would have been cut and fitted to meet the requirements of a particular order and the lower grades with spurred "hard rubber" dog's head butt plates would have been produced in runs for inventory.

C Grade Hammer
 

Dave,
Here are a few pictures of the C grade.

Why do you think that the engravers could do such a great job on the dogs, and a so so job on the ducks? Great gun by the way.

What ducks....?

But check out those wonderful whimsical flying turnips!

Great gun indeed!!

I had a fella with alot of Parker experience tell me that Parker NEVER used a recoil pad with a spur.... I just wanted to post here to ask alot of guys with alot of experience as I personally found his statement hard to believe.

Dean, thanx for your answer....sounds very plausible to me.

Wow. Nice hammer gun. Is that fluid steel or Damascus?

Most of have learned that when it comes to Parkers we never say "Never". :cool:

FWIW I have a DHE 16 made during the transition period that has a Silvers pad but no spur.

Wayne, Thank You soo much for the pictures. You have a wonderful gun there!

Factory recoil pad with spur
 

Ed,
The barrels are 28" Titanic steel.

Here are a couple pictures of a 1905 DHE with a factory silvers pad and a 13" length of pull. It all letters correctly. Oh, and it's also a two barrel set.

Tom's DHE is a perfect example that the inletting in the wood was done specifically for the Silvers recoil pad and not for a skeleton steel butt plate.

What I am wondering is what our distinguished AH Fox friend has acquired in a Parker gun?

Tom P: Thanks for posting the pictures, your DHE pad looks exactly like my 1905 CHE on the first page of this topic

Tom P, thanks for posting those pics.... that's exactly what I was hoping to see.

Yes indeed, I try very hard to not say the "n" word "never" in gun collecting as well. I was repeating what I was told.

Thanks again Parker boys who contributed. See ya in Addieville.

tjw

Just received my Vintager's/Addieville information packet yesterday... see ya there!

My PH 8 gauge, made in 1909, was special ordered with a Silver's pad ($4) and a stock length of 14 1/4". The stock pad has the perfectly fitted peak.

Here's a picture of Bill's 8 ga. PH from the Parker Pages feature.



.

wow dont look this 8 ga was ever used....charlie

Not very much, Charlie. Has perfect 36" barrels with a lot of finish choked full (42/000) and fuller (44/000). Frame still has color and I realy like the special ordered twin ivory sights. I don't believe the gun ever saw much use. I was lucky enough to buy it when 8s were relatively cheap and the owner "threw in" an unope ed box of Remington 8 gauge shells. The whole deal was a lot less than a repro 28 goes for today.