Parker Double Trap.

[Frank Allegra]

Larry Baer wrote that he believed the Parker double traps were possibly the rarest Parkers. Is this true?

Can anyone comment on the the existence of Parker Double 32" trap guns in gauges other than 12ga. How rare are they in 16 or 20? Is there a known production number?

[Bruce Day]

See the 1937 Parker catalog for specifications. "Made in 12 gauge only" according to the catalog.

206 were made in various grades and barrel lengths from 30 to 34, according to the chapter in TPS on trap and skeet guns, see p. 402.

I think Baer unintendedly overstated a bit , but they certainly are uncommon. You don't see many of them but if a person wanted to find one and made it known, I suspect one would appear. There are some smaller gauge guns with vent ribs, but I don't think you could properly call those "Double Trap". There are other groups of Parkers that are much rarer.

The Double Traps are very much a specialized gun, so I found when I owned one. The rib slopes down and the gun is designed to shoot high for a rising target. I have shot Parkers with vent ribs other than the Double Traps and I did not find that they were sighted to shoot high. For its intended purpose, I think a Double Trap is a perfect gun.

[Ed Blake]

A single trigger seems to be part of the TPS definition of a Double Trap. My 32" DHE has all the features of a Double Trap except a single trigger. It's choked .15 and .35 so I feel fairly confident it has shot a few doubles in it's day. Anyone else out there with a double trigger "double trap?"

[Holeshot]

I have not figured a name for my trap gun. It is a DH, splinter, double trigger, and vent rib. It was an early production vent rib.

[Bruce Day]

David, yours is a DH with vent rib option. The Double Trap as a catalog item came in 1937 and was specifically designed for double trap clay shooting and had the high, flat rib, and the ones I have seen, the rib sloped down to shoot high. There are many vent rib guns out there that were undoubtedly used for shooting trap that are not the same.

[J.B. Books]

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

The Double Trap as a catalog item came in 1937 and was specifically designed for double trap clay shooting and had the high, flat rib, and the ones I have seen, the rib sloped down to shoot high.

I don't see any reference to being specifically designed for shooting "trap doubles" in the '37 catalog.

It is formally called "Parker Double Barrel Trap Gun" rather than Double Trap. It is preceeded in the catalog by the "Parker Skeet Gun" and followed by the "Parker Single Barrel Trap Gun".

The Catalog states it was 12ga only and chambered for 2 3/4" shells. SST and BTFE were standard. Hawkin Pad was standard, option of any other make of pad. 30 or 32 inch barrels, both full choke, option of any other barrel length or boring. Ivory bead front and rear, red bead if desired. Non automatic safety standard , auto safety optional,

CPG stock standard, straight or half pistol grip optional. Standard dimensions 14 3/8" LOP, 1 7/8 DAH", 1 1/2" DAC. Any other stock measurement including cheek piece, monte carlo or cast off could be made.

A Remington built gun that has the above features would be a "Double Trap"

There were many double barrel guns ordered and built for trapshooting before this was marketed.

[gordon smith]

I have a GHE 32" vent rib that was made for D.W. Flannigan . The letter calls it a trap gun. It has a single trigger.. Ser# is 238828

[Dean Romig]

What should we call John Dunkle's AAHE then? It was made before 1937... and the 1929 CHE Double Trap I owned (230760) had every option available including the ventilated rib that sloped down to the muzzles. Are they only to be considered "Double Trap" guns if they were made in or after '37 when that term may have been first 'coined'?

[Autumn Daze]

My 12 gauge full/full 32" VHE vent rib,single trigger,non automatic safety,trap forend and rubber butt was built in 1927. It is a documented trap gun. I think the confusion starts when people believe that if a style of gun is not in the catalog when that particular gun was built than it's not original.

Parker Bros. were building guns with many of these options before they were listed in catalogs.As an example.Trap model forends were being fitted to existing guns as early as the 1923 catalog.

[Brush Buster]

Just for conversation purposes , Would this be considered a " Double Trap " ,Way earlier than 1937 ," Serial #27425 " 1882 " This is one of the very early H & D Folsum ,Trap Guns according to TPS ,Page; 392 , With a letter of provenance from the PGCA ? Russ10 Ga. Trap Gun Dbl Brl. 5 14 2011 015.JPG