What do I have?

[George Lander]

Dee: You have some excellant advice from Francis, Robert, Bruce & Others. I know Herschel and he is a gun dealer of integrity but not a gunsmith. I would show your gun to three qualified Parker smiths and get their full evaluation as to cost and results. Three who do not "have a horse in the race". You have a gun that is well worth restoration and for the money spent the monetary value would enhanced several fold. If folks on this forum are willing to chip in & help, your "better angels" should prompt you to accept. Once a restorer is selected and a price established any of us could send our contributions directly to him. There is nothing demeaning by accepting a little help from your friends,

IMHO Best Regards, George

[DeAn Durham]

Ok, Here is the contents of my research letter:

"It was ordered by J. M. Parisot in Palmetto Home, MS on April 8, 1904 and shipped on July 27, 1904. According to Parker Bros. Order Book No. 62 it was a CHE hammerless, 16-gauge. It featured Titanic steel barrels with a length of 28 inches. Its stock configuration was a capped pistol grip. The chokes were patterned RH full (185 # 7 pellets in a 30” circle at 40 yards) and LH full (185 # 7 pellets in a 30” circle at 40 yards). According to Parker Bros. Stock Book No. 45, its specifications were: Length of Pull: 14”, Drop at Heel: 3 ¼”, Weight: 6 pounds and 10 ounces. The price was $150.00 plus $25.00 for ejectors.

According to Order Book No. 63, the gun was returned on August 19, 1904 by J. M. Parisot to repair ext rib and frame. There was no charge."

I wanted to again say thank you to everyone here for their advice and knowledge. I believe I am just going to keep this old Parker and display it proudly. The restoration will have to come later down the road when I can budget in a cost of that magnitude. I am forever grateful to each and every one of you for all that you've done. You may not think you've done much of anything but give advice, but you've done more than you know.

I'll 'go out on a limb" here and state that the other PGCA members who responded to your thread here also appreciate your sharing the details of the history of your CHE 16 bore. I am also sure your Granddad (deceased) would be pleased that you are going to keep it as a family heirloom and keepsake.

I had a 16 gauge PH on the O frame with 26" uncut Twist barrels (grade 2) also made in about 1905 and I had it lettered. I am not a smaller gauge gunner, when I sold it having the letter authenticating it and the original factory barrel length was a plus in the sale transaction. I had shot it with the 2.5" RST 7/8 oz. loads, if I lived where there was both quail and dove hunting I would have kept it.

Your barrels being both full choke- not all that uncommon back in that era. Unless a specific pattern with a load was specified by the purchaser, Parker, L.C. Smith, possibly AH Fox- all tended to bore their barrels for full choke. This, in retrospect, IMO anyway, was a smart move, as later the owner could return the gun to the factory and have the chokes opened.
Unfortunately, there were some upland bird hunters with those fine older tighter choked Parkers who took a hacksaw to the muzzle area, in a mis-guided effort to provide more open shot patterns.

Again, IMO- if I were the fortunate owner of this CHE, I would have it restored (my choice is my friend Brad Bachelder in MI -about 25 miles from where I live)- I might have him open the choke on the right barrel, but leave the left one at full. I am 70 and not so "quick on the draw" and having a tighter patterning second barrel often stops a cripple or drops a wild flushing bird (if in fair range). The late Ray P. Holland had most of his upland double guns choked imp. cyl. right and full left.

Today's specialty shotshells (RST, Poly-Wad, Fiocchi, New Era, Hevi-Shot) have been a great bonus for those of us who treasure our days afield with a older fine vintage double, such as your CHE 16. Best wishes!!