Parker stock reinforcing rod.

[Clint Meier]

Gentlemen,
Chuck, yours was the first one I had ever seen. This second one, above, is serial # 8709X, made in 1897 according to the charts. It did not have the patent date stamped on the belly of the stock, as shown in your second pic. I would have noticed , as it is shown very prominently on your gun. This GH got a pretty thorough going over. I have attached a few more before and after pics of it. Someone had really butchereded up the forearm checkering. Dean, thanks for your pic of the reinforced rod visible through skeleton butt plate. I really appreciate your input, guys! Best regards.........Clint.

[Bill Murphy]

Dean, how did you identify your pictured butt as a hickory rod? Does it have the patent stamp behind the grip? How many hickory rods do we think exist behind the buttplates of guns that have no stamp behind the grip?

[Austin W Hogan]

I am quite surprised to see the grain of the dowel in the same plane as that of the stock. I had always thought the purpose of the dowel was to strengthen the wrist of a stock with complex grain structure near the wrist. This would best be done by aligning the dowel grain at a right angle to that of the stock.

Best, Austin