Baby sitting a AAHE - Page 4

Fishtail · 03-11-2013, 06:48 PM

1919 was a pretty good year to be alive in the USA. Big war just ended, the Roaring 20's were kicking off and the Great Depression was not even a glimmer. Most of all, you could order a really righteous Parker.

Pa SxS · 03-11-2013, 07:53 PM

This gun was being sold by a dealer/gunsmith near Reading Pa a few months ago. I believe he either posted pictures here or on Trapshooters.com. The asking price at that time was 50k as I recall. I e-mailed him with a few questions which he responded to and I told him, if he wanted, I would take a drive over and answer any questions about the gun that I could answer. He never contacted me about that. The gun was owned by a Dr. in Adamstown just south of Harrisburg. You just never know where these guns will surface!

Bill Murphy · 03-11-2013, 08:06 PM

Craig, I had a very nice correspondence with the dealer also, and he sent me some great pictures. Your boy didn't shoot any ATA trap in the years after he bought the gun and he did not attend the Hegins shoot as far as I can tell. Hegins is a very popular annual pigeon shoot and social event in the area where the Doctor lived. He probably shot pheasants with the great gun, but apparently did not shoot for money.

Pa SxS · 03-11-2013, 08:36 PM

Craig, I think that stamp on the barrel flat is the symbol for Peerless steel

Coach · 03-11-2013, 09:49 PM

Craig,

If you are still babysitting, can you take a picture or two of the socks (felt sleeves) for this gun. Are there any markings on them?

Thanks,
Carl.

Craig Larter · 03-12-2013, 04:56 AM

Thanks everyone for all the help, Carl the pictures you requested are below. The sleeves appear to be a fine green billiard felt. The gun goes back to my friend tomorrow, it was wonderful to have it in hand for a few days.
I did find some newspaper references to Dr. Ziemer traveling to Canada to duck hunt in 1926 with a group of docs from the Lancaster area. I am in touch with the Lancaster County library. Dr. Ziemer was the county Medical Director for many years. I did locate Dr. Ziemer's granddaughter so I am hoping she can add some color to the history of this fine gun.

Bruce Day · 03-12-2013, 07:12 AM

Craig thank you for the pictures of the gun sleeves. Green felt is an odd material, as TPS describes the sleeve material for high grade guns as "chamois", which I take to be a fawn colored high quality cotton flannel. For lower grade guns, a coarse weave olive brown green cotton material was used. They had fold over tops with string ties ( not drawstrings). I have seen one high grade with the original chamois sleeves .

The green felt may be replacement sleeves rather than originals. Does anybody have any insight on this or have green felt sleeves been seen before?

Cold Spring · 03-12-2013, 07:14 AM

Craig, as many others have said, what a wonderful gun. As one interested in technical stuff this brings up a good question, I think. Hang tag states "use shells 2-5/8" long". If Parker practice was to cut 12 ga chambers 1/8-inch short, does the gun have 2-1/2" chambers? I wonder how they compare against other Parkers with 2-5/8" chambers made for 2-3/4" shells?

Double Play · 03-12-2013, 08:30 AM

Carl,
Attached is a pic of the only gun I ever had that came with what I believe to be original gun socks. They are the fold over fawn colored cotton flannel that Bruce mentioned.

Craig Larter · 03-12-2013, 08:34 AM

The chambers measure 2 5/8". According to Researcher none of the shell manufacturers made a 3 1/8 dram 1 1/4oz shell for 2 5/8" chambered gun in or around 1920. All the shell catalogs show "for 2 3/4 chambers only" for the load listed on the hang tag. Just another question to unravel.
The green sleeves do not have draw strings they fold over.