Butt Plate question ?
 

My VH "0" frame 16 gauge circa 1917 has a flat dogs head butt plate I see others with the "Spur" style but plate, did they use both styles at the same time?

A gun of that era should have a spur. It was the mid 1920s that the spur went away.

Dan, can you post pictures of the buttstock and of the buttplate?





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Butt Plate
 

Here are a couple of pictures what do you think.

I would wager that the gun was restocked by the factory after the mid 20s. The style of the stock and checkering (and buttplate) are of that later period. Not 1917.
If you swing the guard tang aside, you MAY find a large “R” with the serial number. I have observed this many times on Factory replacement stocks.

I agree with Brian’s assessment of your stock. Looks original Parker to me but later.





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The "R" Brian was speaking of can be seen in this picture.

The R indicates Replacement.

A very cool example Randy. The 5 stamped in the wood is the grade of the gun and the hole in the tail end of the channel is for the retaining screw for the gold grip cap insert. The Grade 5 is the lowest grade to incorporate the gold grip cap insert.





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It's a replacement
 

On Brian's advise I moved the trigger bow tang aside and sure enough there is an R indicating a replacement stock.

I love it!