Parker from 1911

[Dean Romig]

First time I've ever seen a split stock head repair like that - very ingenius.
The top rib keels are in place so it's tough to tell if the barrels are original length - someone who has the "book" close at hand can look it up for you.
The round knob grip could be original but we'd need to see a picture from each side and the book may say what king of grip treatment it was made with.

[D. Shane Burton]

Hmm... in the same area as the repair, I have what looks like a brass rod through the stock of my beat-up 12 gauge. I don't have plate, though, just a pin through the stock. Maybe a similar repair? Possibly this was common practice back in the day?

I would have a gunsmith look over it before I'd shoot it, but you should at least make sure there's no looseness at the barrel/receiver. Use a feeler gauge at the barrel/receiver junction. If it's out, check in the threads I have about my two Parkers, as one of the guys put up a procedure, with pics, on how to shim this out.

I have a 1901 16 gauge the guys couldn't find in the book and it has 24 inch barrels, as well. Yours look similar to mine, head-on. Using an internal mic of the barrels, they landed at a reading which equaled Improved Cylinder choke. I can't remember the values offhand; they're written down at home.

Shane