Parker Cloth Gun Slips

[Reggie B]

Not sure that is proper terminology, but I am curious if anyone else has a Parker with these cloth "cases"? Were they available to order with a gun? Have they ever been noted in a PGCA letter? If they were available what period of time were they available. Maybe the Parker Story has something regarding these.

I have a DHE 20 gauge, 1930 manufacture date that had these with it when I bought the gun. The previous owner thought they were original to the gun.

[Bill Murphy]

Somewhere I have seen a description of two different varieties of "shirts" used by Parker Brothers according to grade. However, it was a description without pictures.

[Bruce Day]

Reggie , Parkers came with two types of gun socks . To have an original is rare . Dave Suponski has a set of the lower grade ones.

The low grade Parkers came with an olive/ brown muslin two piece sock , each with a string tie, not a drawstring. D grades and higher came with a chamois tan flannel two piece sock of the same design. The Galazan gun socks are close to the originals. The flannel was like the old fawn chamois cloth shirts that L L Bean used to make and sell pre China .

I have previously posted photos of ones that my mother sewed from the originals. She is 97 now so I treasure them. Here they are again with my grandfathers PHE 16 .

And Bill Murphy is correct that the term that Parker used was “shirts”. The gun is broken down and the two pieces are inserted into the shirts then the gun sections are put into a leg of mutton case.

I think it highly likely that these shirts were sewn by various ladies local to Meridan at home piecework. I am sure that designs and materials differed over time. The ones you have may be original .

[Reggie B]

Thanks Bruce and Bill. Bruce I thought I recalled you posting something about these "shirts" and your response confirms that. Thanks again.