[Drew Hause]

In 1887, Parker company shooters W.S. Perry ordered a C Grade 10g with a LOP of 14 3/8" and DAC 1 1/4” X DAH 2” (Courtesy of Bill Murphy)

Fred Gilbert (1865-1928) was one of the world’s best known shooters from 1895-1915 and used a L.C. Smith to win the DuPont World’s Pigeon Shooting Championship in 1895 and the “E. C.” Inanimate Target Championship Cup in 1896. The “Fred Gilbert Specifications” were for a drop at comb of 1 3/8 inches; at the heel, 2 inches; length from trigger to heel, 14 1/4 inches; trigger to toe 14 1/2 inches; and trigger to center of butt 14 inches; with a full pistol grip and 30-inch full choke barrels.

In Feb. 1898, C.W. Budd received on consignment a Parker $400 AAH Pigeon Gun SN 87449 with 30”” Whitworth barrels F/F and 2 7/8” chambers. LOP was 14”” and DAH 2 1/4”” with a pistol grip stock and no safety. It weighed 7# 12 oz.

November 23, 1901, The Sportsmen’s Review, in an article written by “Gaucho” (Captain A.W. duBray, Parker Brothers shooting professional & traveling salesman from 1884 to 1926) entitled, “A Few Remarks on Some Celebrated Guns,” du Bray lists some prominent shooters and the type of guns they used.
(Courtesy of John Davis)
Those who made the Parker their choice were as follows:
Straight grip (S) - 17
Pistol grip (P) - 7
Half-pistol grip (1/2 P) - 3

Name….Barrel Length…..Weight…..DAC…..DAH…..LOP..….Grip
W.E. Beesom…….32”.......7lb. 15oz....1 7/16….2 1/4…...14 1/2…....S
W.L. Boyd………….32………..7/ 14……..1 1/2…...2 1/8…...14 1/8.…....S
C.W. Budd………….30………..7/ 15……..1 1/2…...2…….....14……….......POW
P.W.H. Colquitt…..30………..7/ 12……...1 1/4…...2 1/4…...14 3/4…....S
V.C. Dagan………….30…………..8………….1 3/8…...3……….14 1/2……......P
O.R. Dickey………...30…………..7/ 14……...1 5/8…....2 1/4…...14………..S
E.E. Ellis……….…....32…………..8………….1 5/8…....2 5/8…...14 1/2…....P
F.C. Etheridge….….30……….….7/ 6……….2 1/8…….3 1/8…..14…..…1/2 P
A.H. Frank…………...30…………..7/ 12……...1 1/8…….2 3/8…..14…..…….S
Fred Gilbert………...30……….....7/ 14……....1 3/8…….2……....14 1/4…....P
W.A. Hammond…….32………….7/ 15……....1 5/8…….2 3/8…..14 3/4…...S
Sam Hutchings……..32………….7/ 14…….....1 1/2…….2 1/2…..14 1/2…...S
H.J. Lyons……….…..30…………..7/ 10……….1 1/4…….1 7/8…..14 1/8….....S
Geo. S. McAlpin…………………..7/ 6………...1 1/4…….1 3/4…..14 1/2…......S
J.R. Malone……….…30…………..7/ 15……….1 1/2…….2……....15….…..........S
R.R. Merrill………....32…………..7/ 14……….1 5/8…….2 5/8…..14 5/8...1/2 P
F.S. Parmelee……...32…………..7/ 12……….1 1/2…….2……....14 1/2…......P
C.M. Powers………...32…………..7/ 15……….1 1/8…….2 1/4…..14 3/8….....S
W.C. Rawson………..32…………..7/ 15……….1 3/8…….2……….14 1/8….......S
R.S. Rhoads………….30………….7/ 15……….1 1/8…….2 1/8…...14 1/2….....P
C.E. Robbins………...32…………..7/ 11……….1 1/2…….2 1/2…...14 1/4…....P
Frank Simpson……….32………….7/ 14……….1 1/2…….2 3/8…...14 3/8…....S
Franklin Stearns…...32………….7/ 15……….1 1/2…….2 1/2…...15…...….1/2 P
E.H. Tripp………..…….30………….8…………..1 1/2……...2 5/8…...14 1/2…....S
S.A. Tucker…………...30………….7/ 14……....1 1/2……..2……….14….....…...S
Wm. Wagner………….30………….7/ 10……....1 1/4….….2 1/4…...14…….....S
Dr. F.C. Wilson……….32………….7/ 10……….1 1/2….….2 1/4…...15……......S
Leroy Woodward…….30………….7/ 13……….1 3/8……..2……….14 1/4…......P

O.R. Dickey won the 1896 GAH at Live Birds.
Gilbert, Budd, Parmelee, Powers, Tripp & Merrill were all members of the 1901 International Match Team