The curve of the butt!

[Setter Man]

Now that I have your attention.... Looking carefully at Trojans, V's, G's and really any Parker with a butt plate I can't figure out why some appear to have a curve in the wood and others don't. I am talking about the end of the wood where it meets the solid plastic plate. Was there a rhyme or reason behind this?

Thanks,

JDG

[Dean Romig]

Heck, I'm still trying to figure out Bruce's example of a convex curved butt

[Austin W Hogan]

Parker Butt stocks were machine inletted and contoured. The arc of the butt and the widows peak were machine cut, as was the relief for the ssbp on D and higher grades. There is an article about this in DGJ.
The widows peak on the dhbp was discontinued sometime around s/n 220000. The arc contiues through at least 232000 ie the last few guns made in Meriden. It is possible to fit some pads to the arc.
Many Parkers were ordered and shipped with a pad, and this was noted by an extra charge. The butt was probably sawn flat to accept the pad, but the pad may have been fitted to the arc on guns with a dhbp. It was necessary to remove or omit the ssbp inletting on higher grade guns.
Best, Austin

[Old and Reliable]

Thanks again, Austin- for the insight. I now have two 1900-1910 Damascus (Twist) barreled PH Parkers- both with the DHBP "spurred" and pg capped stocks. The "little gun" the O framed 16 has unusual, to my eyes, flamed grained walnut in the buttstock and is matched by the forearm grain flow as well.

The PH 12 No. 2 frame I just bought is also equipped the same, better wood than perhaps a VH of that era, I can't say. However, as I am very much into stock dims and fit, drops and pitch- as I shoot ALL my side-bys, that slight ogive buttplate curve, with the LOP for me, makes those 100 year old "Reliables" fit me quite well.

A friend has a similar vintaged Ithaca Flues 12- 2E grade with a replacement pad- flat, no curve, and I can shoot it (somewhat) but it has waaaaaay too much downpitch and drop at heel for my mounting and tracking shooting style.

I have seen a few Parkers that had the spurred DHBP, then removed and a pad or pad with spacer added. Usually the spurred

[Harry Collins]

This may not be germane, however, I had to repalce the DHBP on Uncle Bill's VH 20 with one from Galazans which was flat. I put the top screw in and held a heat gun (on low) about 6 to 8 inchises away and the but plate conformed to the stock very well.

Harry