*79 Years Ago Today, Portsmouth NH Gun Club.

[CSL]

This past week while observing the Burton Spiller thread, I remembered a pair of old Parker related photos in our collection and thought perhaps Spiller might have been among the ranks of the Portsmouth NH Gun Club shooters in the early 1930's.

Research indicates the original Portsmouth NH Gun Club shooting lodge burned to the ground on April-27th-1930 when a small airplane crashed on the Portsmouth Country Club golf course. The disastrous crash started one of the worst brush fires in years sweeping through the undergrowth and over the Portsmouth Gun Club...

We often hear "if only our Parker's could talk" and wonder what interesting history they might reveal? The photo below is dated Nov-27-1930, Thanksgiving day, (7-months after the fire) leading me to believe these men are standing in front of their newly rebuilt Portsmouth Gun Club... There are several Parkers in the hands of these sober face depression-era shooters, and who knows, maybe 79 years later one of those same "Old-Reliable" Parkers is now in your hands?...

Dean, thanks for sending the book images of Spiller, but still not sure if Burton is among them?... Several images below...

Best, CSL
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[Autumn Daze]

Chris,Thanks for the great photos! In the fourth picture down there looks to be a Parker on the left and right of the seated shooter.The gun on the left looks to have a lace on pad on it.And the gun on the right may be the straight grip SC seen in another photo?

I really enjoyed the photo of the SC Trap.Thanks again....

[Bill Murphy]

I wonder how many 30" straight grip single traps there are? Maybe we could track that one down.

[Autumn Daze]

Bill,I went through the "Serialization Book" and there are 22 SBT guns listed with 30" barrels and straight grip stocks. That equals "not a lot" While I was doing the research I found 6 28" guns,4 SBT with ball grips"Oh my!" And ya ready for this..1 20 gauge with 34" barrels serial number 178050. I hope that was a misprint or I am on a new quest..

I need to get a life.....

[CSL]

Dave, Check your e-mail...
Glad you enjoyed the old photos, and you're right, there are more in the background that also appear to be Parker's...

Below are two more images from the 2nd large photo of the same day, showing young spectators and shooters in action...

Best, CSL
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[Autumn Daze]

Chris,Another great shot. I like the walkway to the 16 yard line.I guess it would be kinda hard to markoff the handicap lines on dirt...

[MarketHunter]

It's a small world.

I had Dunkle bidding these same photos on eBay a couple years ago.


Destry

[Bill Murphy]

Dave, not a misprint. The gun is out there, probably owned by one of us.

[Researcher]

Great photos Chris. Looks like that single trap has the Jostam Sponge Rubber two-ply pad, and the flinty-eyed gent above that picture has the scarce D.W. pad on his straight grip double.

[CSL]

Dave,
Good to hear from you, and I think you're correct about the Sponge Rubber two-ply pad... I recall seeing the other "D.W." pad you mentioned in an old hunting magazine ad, and if I remember correctly, I believe it was a strange green color?

Best, Chris
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