I purchased a CHE on GB for too much this weekend, but it was an interesting gun. It is a 1904 model sold through Walter E. Clark Co. in Nebraska and shipped to Chamberlain Cartridge & Target in Cleveland. The attached letter (hard to read) shows it was fitted with 31" Titanic barrels with Lyman sights, an extra full comb straight grip stock with drops of 1-1/8" x 2", very tight chokes with the tighter barrel on the right. No 2 frame size and weight of 7-3/4#.
A check of TPS production data shows that only 2 C Grade guns were ever made with 31" Titanic barrels. There are somewhat less than 200 31" barrels listed but less than 20 in grades C and above total, divided mostly between Bernard and Acme with a few Titanics.
I am scheduled to receive the gun Monday and will have some more info then. It is missing the hammers, but looking at the pictures at least part of the other internals are there and it opens and locks up normally. I have a selection of some internals as spares so hopefully it will be relatively easy to correct, especially considering there are no safety parts.
My major questions are does anyone recognize the style of recoil pad and does anyone maybe have a graded trigger plate available? It would be easier if I could find one rather than have an engraved copy made. The pad is worn and could be used for a while with a leather slip on, but eventually needs to be addressed. It appears in the pictures to be a glued on pad with a cork or foam center. I suspect the former but can't tell until it is in hand. I have never personally run across such a pad but suspect it could be rehabbed by slicing off a vintage style red pad and doing a transplant on the outer layer. I would only fool with that if it some sort of significant style.
I will post more pictures once I receive it and examine it in detail.
New CHE on the Way
Threaded Mode