Help with Parker buttplate
 

Hi , I'm curious if someone can tell me if this is a repro or if real. Is there any significance to the 2 marking.

thanks in advance.

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...psgxtiadq3.jpg

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...pszqltzwje.jpg

The 2 is for he size. As is 2 frame.

Hard to tell for sure by the photo if it is real. Looks legit.

You can tell by the smell of it if you sand at it. If you know what to smell for that is.

So when you sand it what is it supposed to smell like , or rather what fragrance , odor or aroma is it close to ?

Idk. It smells like an original buttplate.
I can't really think of anything else that is similar.

Brian, Are the repro and original buttplates made of the same material? If not, maybe the originals absorbed odors over time from gun oil etc.

No. Different material.

I think it smells similar to old rubber.

Bakelite, real distinct odor

The original 'hard rubber' dog's head butt plates were made of just that - hard rubber. It is called gutta percha and is made from the resin of a particular tree, just like real rubber - hence "hard rubber". Bakelite came much later and I can't even say whether Parker Bros. ever even used Bakelite. Though I know some gunmakers used it and I don't know what Remington used on the Parkers they produced - I know they used up the supply they got from Parker Bros. before they started using their own DHBP's without the "Bros." after Parker.

DHBP
 

Are the original DHBP curved or are they flat?