CHE Double Trap
 

I have occasionally referred to the CHE double trap that I once owned. It was a fully optioned gun and was one of only four known with 30" barrels.
It has twin ivory beads on a Parker factory original ventilated rib, ejectors, "beavertail" (trap style) forend, soft rubber recoil pad, and Miller SST. I took it to the trap range once. I had shot trap at a few of my local clubs throughout the 80's with a 20 gauge and have a few second and third place trophies, but I was not prepared for what happened on that day when I first shot my CHE double trap gun.
I stepped to my assigned position at the line and when my turn came around I smashed the target with authority... or maybe I should say that the gun smashed the target with authority.
This continued uninterrupted by a miss and the others on the squad, never having seen me shoot trap there, were all kinda giving me the old "hairy eyeball". So I moved to my final station and "Pull!" - POW!(break) "Pull!" - POW!(break) "Pull!" - POW!(break) "Pull!" - POW!(break) "Pull!" - POW! :shock:(MISS).... I couldn't believe I had psyched myself out of breaking that last clay after breaking 24 straight. What an embarrassment!
I was determined to shoot another round - this time I would relax through the entire round and very carefully and in supreme control of myself, would quite easily redeem myself before the other shooters who were snickering just a little bit because they know only too well how this game can get into your mind.

I will only humbly and unashamedly tell you that on my second round I DID EXACTLY THE SAME THING - MISSING ONLY THE VERY LAST CLAY THAT I WOULD EVER SHOOT THIS WONDERFUL GUN AT.

Here are some pictures of this wonderful gun that I recently found in an old folder I had stashed away in my hard drive.




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Beautiful gun Dean. I know that dropped last bird feeling too well. :banghead:

Sometimes you find a gun that just seems to be a natural extension of mind and body. You pick it up and it feels like part of you. I had that one time with a perazzi Ithicas trap gun.

Wish there were side pictures of the rib

I'll try to accommodate that request. This gun was made in 1929 and the stock book is missing so I was not able to buy a research letter on it but everything but the pad is original - so sayeth some long-time Parker experts.




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Dean,
Didn't that gun cost you one book of raffle tickets?:whistle:

Dean:

The story goes something like this:

While I was in Las Vegas several year ago , at some point I was looking for a PGCA raffle gun, I asked Frank to look for a gun with a reasonable price . Frank came to me with a list of guns that he thought would fit the bill. One of the guns was the CHE. I went over to see Mike Methe and borrowed a hand full of cash. I went to the dealer that had the CHE and offered him a cash deal of considerably less than he was asking----he took the deal.

The gun needed a very little TLC and I gave the gun to Doug Turnbull, he did his magic touch.

Dean upon winning the gun came to Vermont to pick up his winnings along with his wife Kathy-------the first time I met them.

I am glad that Dean enjoyed the gun for a short time.

Allan

Dean
Fantastic Parker and a great story. I own her "big sister" who sports 32" barrels. I purchased mine at Pintail Pt from a fellow PGCA member. I have never shot her as she is almost unfired, and I suck at trap.I purchased her for her beauty and condition.
If you need any pictures of her "sister" let me know.
David

Dean,

Absolutely beautiful gun.

Like Mike says, sometimes a gun just fits perfectly. That's the whole reason I'm in this organization. My VHE 20 was that way for me, that's why it is now mine.

PopPop

A Parker double trap gun is exactly that.....it is designed for trap. They have high combs with little drop. Mine had one inch of drop at the heel and 1/2" at comb. They provide a built in vertical lead. You place the clay on top of the bead and it leads the clay up for you. They do not do well for sporting clays or hunting but they are a wonderful gun for trap.

They also have enough weight, mine was 8 lbs.