1937 12ga VHE Trap Gun?

[Randy Roberts]

Hi Curtis. The letter does not offer a good deal of info and as you said the pictures are a little dark and distant. So for starters does the BTFE have the reinforcing bolt ? Is the barrel loop reinforced ? If you are uncertain of how to determine this post a close up picture of the loop and we can determine this. This should verify the authenticity of the BTFE. You can look under the trigger tang for the serial #, if present that will be a good indication the stock is correct. Of course better pics would be a great help. Water table, barrel flats, etc.

[Curtis Jennings]

And still more pics. Hard to see, but the single trigger looks to have been over stamped with this serial number.

[Opening Day]

Take your pictures against a neutral background (light gray) white is the worst to shoot pictures against. Take some close up pictures of the receiver, sides and bottom. It does look like it has the reinforced lug on the barrel. What length are the barrels and do you have any idea of what it is choked?

[Curtis Jennings]

Hi Randy, Yes it does have the bolt through the forend. I did not get a clear picture of it though.

[John Davis]

Very nice. Would make a great doubles trap gun.

[Randy Roberts]

Looks to me like everything is right including the vent rib as evidenced by the flat top receiver. You can look under the rib between the 2nd and 3rd post usually to see if the last 3 digits of the ser # are stamped there, might need a dental type mirror or possibly go outside in good light to see it. Just another indicator if he #'s are present.

In regards to the #'s on the trigger I believe the last 3 digits of the ser # were stamped there as well but this one appears to have 4 #'s. Can you tell if they match the last 4 of the ser # ? Maybe someone else will offer something on this. Nice gun BTW.

[Curtis Jennings]

Hello Eric, Barrels are 30" long, Chokes are .018 in right, .030 in left. And here are more pics. Yes I know my picture taking skills are lacking, but my excuse is I was doing this between rain and hailstorms yesterday.

[Curtis Jennings]

Randy; I did try and look under the rib for numbers with a bright light but could not see anything there. I do not have a mirror small enough to get in there.

And the trigger does appear to have 1170 stamped over a previous three numbers, but it is hard to tell for certain. This one works perfectly so I did not remove it when The gun was apart to work on the wood. I have heard that if your single trigger works do not mess with it

[Randy Roberts]

Curtis when I said under the rib I should have stated on the underside of the rib which is where the #'s would be. Did you look there ? Hard to see in there for sure.

[Opening Day]

Originally Posted by Curtis Jennings

. I have heard that if your single trigger works do not mess with it

You are correct, don't touch lube it nothing. If something goes wrong with the trigger only let a smith who is "known" for working on Parker single triggers touch it. Most smiths don't know how to work on a Parker trigger and will mess the trigger up worse then it was....ask me how I know !