J P Clabrough

[Harold Pickens]

Was doing a little research on JP Clabrough shotguns today. I was thinking that Rick Losey might have one. A very nice 12 ga.. hammer gun with ducks engraved on both sides of the locks and the to rib enscribed J P Clabrough Fine Damascus Steel Featherweight. The barrels are exactly 28', and still have nice Damascus pattern, with only one small ding in them 6" from the muzzle. The old gent that had the gun said that his former employer gave him the gun after his wife threw it out of the second story window, when she found out he was cheating on her. Unfortunately, he lost the screws for the trigger guard, and replaced them with Phillips head screws. The gun is marked 103 on the frame, barrels, and forearm--so a very early gun. And it is a featherweight, probably around 6 lbs. After admiring the gun for a while, he told me he was going to shoot it for a little while longer, and then give it to me. WOW, I told him I would bring him some of my 7/8 oz low pressure loads for it.
Maybe another hammer gun in my future.
Oh, sorry, have no pictures.

[OH Osthaus]

yes I do, the question is high or low hammers - they restarted the serial numbers when the design changed - mine is #36 of the new design

they were well made Birmingham guns and had several grades/qualities - mine is what was called medium-high in Larry Shelton’s book J.P. Clabrough, an updated edition came out a few years ago and sold out right away . they may show up on the used market occasionally

[Brett Hoop]

Harold

You obviously hang with the right kind.

[PML]

Larry passed away in late 2018 I think. I met him 20 years ago in Vegas and he was always very nice to me as I was learning about vintage shotguns and he always had a Clabrough for sale. His book on Clabrough guns was a labor of love for him and if you have one of these guns then you should seek out this book. There are shooting articles in print by other authors that have used larry's data and info but he was the boss on these guns and I miss my conversations with him.

PML

[Harold Pickens]

I think it must be the low hammer , Rick. The cool part is the "Featherweight" designation on the rib, it is as light, or lighter than my O frame Parkers--definitely not a waterfowl gun.
I initially wondered if it might be a 2" chamber gun, but my friend had been shooting 2 /34" loads thru it.

[OH Osthaus]

Originally Posted by Harold Lee Pickens

I think it must be the low hammer , Rick. The cool part is the "Featherweight" designation on the rib, it is as light, or lighter than my O frame Parkers--definitely not a waterfowl gun.
I initially wondered if it might be a 2" chamber gun, but my friend had been shooting 2 /34" loads thru it.

I have handled one of those owned by a double gun gunsmith who would not let it go. I thought it was a nice gun. I'd stick with RST or your reloads -

Clabrough's seem to have well executed engraving and nice wood on the better grades

mine is a 32" very solid 10ga, that at 40 yards threw 92% patterns with lead 4's when I printed it on paper.

and I agree Patrick, he was a gentleman. I contacted him when I, or actually my wife, found mine as a disassembled basket case in a PA antique co-op. we had several phone conversations and I was lucky enough to get a signed copy of the book from him.

[C.O.B.]

I had one for a while it was a nice gun but I sold it when I bought a Stephan Grant.