Rib termination line - or lack of
 

A little bit of education needed here.

I was going through my safe and giving everything a nice wipe down the other day when I noticed that my VHE does not have a terminator on the rib at the muzzle end of the gun. It seems from my own research that this is rather peculiar, but I can't quite determine if that means anything more.

As I understand it this seems to be evidence of cut barrels in most cases, but the 28" barrels are uncut as evidence by the Mod/full choking in them.

Any commentary is appreciated

Have you checked your serial number with the serialization book just for the heck of it Parkers had some long chokes

Although the a good rule of thumb, not having the rib matting end before the barrel ends is not always a sign the barrels are cut. I have two guns like this and the research letters verify their length...as do the chokes (and their lengths), and the appearance of keels.

I believe Keels are present as well. Correct?

I can't see the barrel ends all that well in your photo, but it looks like they are there. It is worth noting that Parker chokes can be quite long, sometimes measuring out 3+ inches, so barrels cut two inches can still exhibit some choke. If you know how long the taper is, that's another clue.

Thanks I will look into it, I don't have the tools for that handy at the moment. It may not be a definitive clue but the balance of the gun is still precisely on the hinge pin.

I should have included in the original post that this gun is already an enigma, with the research letter stating 26" barrels but I came into possession of it with 28, for whatever the reason. I was mainly looking for knowledge regarding rib matting termination, and it seems I have found it.

thanks!

There are plenty of examples of the rib not having a termination line but where the matting does not just run off the end of the rib but stops just short of it. The matting tool operator will have stopped the machine just before the end and each matting line ends in a point.

How about a closer high def picture of the end of the rib? I can’t get that kind of detail from your first picture.





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Dean,

I will work on getting that, I just stepped away from my house on a business trip so it might take me some time.

Thanks,

I am going to ask a "stupid" question. Are the 28" barrels SN'ed to the frame ?

Yes, but the research letter would suggest they are not original, or that the book was wrong. I have a separate expedition underway to obtain the original information from Von Lengerke & Detmold through Griffin & Howe to see if it was inventoried by them with the 28" barrels when it was received from Parker. Apparently that is a service they offer. Per research letter, they should be 26"....


Anyways, I was only really using the gun as a discussion prop. I was after some general knowledge as to if its possible that Parkers were made without a terminating line, and it seems the answer is yes per Gary. Dean also provided information I was unaware of. Debating if the terminating line is telling or not on this specific gun isn't worth much to me honestly since the letter already doesn't match its a total crapshoot. Probably I worded my post poorly.