Opinion On This Stock

[Donald Holmes]

Good morning all,

I purchased this GH 12 gauge about 11 years ago from a used gun shop. It is mechanically sound, and I have hunted with it, using light 1 oz loads. You will see it is well used; the colors are gone, the checkering is smooth, the engraving is worn. I'm thinking of refinishing the stock and forearm wood, including re-cutting the checkering, something I have some limited experience with as I have done similar work on a Fox Sterlingworth and a Baker Gun. As I have examined this stock I realize that the wood and finish of the stock and forearm are different. I have a research letter. It was shipped to a gentleman in New Hampshire Sept 1895. In October 1895 (one month later!) the shotgun was returned to the factory to restock (price $5). In May 1896 it was again returned to the factory to take out dents and reblue ($1). It was returned once again in March 1899 to install a new rubber butt and "make LH shoot best can" ($2). This amusing history brings up so many questions, but the one I would like opinion on for today is about the stock. It seems to me that the wood of this stock is not of the usual G grade quality in figure, and the checkering is poorly done (not a normal pattern for GH, no borders, just sloppy). This would make me think that in the last 125 years it was restocked one more time, as I think that Parker would not send back that kind of work. I welcome your insight, comments, opinion, or conjecture.