Rib Width Question

[Bruce Day]

Well this is interesting. It appears that rib width was yet another variable that the purchaser could and sometimes did specify. Thanks for finding the order letters, Bill.

So, standard untapered, narrow tapered, flat, concave, raised, ventilated, matted, unmatted.

[Autumn Daze]

Interesting topic. I had a chance today to pull a few guns out and measure the ribs. I only measured concave matted rib guns.Here are my findings.First dimension is rib at breech and second dimension is rib at muzzle.

1)Trojan 26" 20 gauge Serial range 181xxx .550/.410

2) DH 26" 12 gauge Serial range 84xxx .538/.420

3) VH 16 gauge 28" O frame Serial range 183xxx .570/.410

4) PH 16 gauge 26" Serial range 68xxx .535/.390

5) VHE 16 gauge skeet 26" Serial range 237xxx .514/.308

6)GHE 16 gauge 30" Serial range 163xxx .520/.384

7) VH 20 gauge 30" Serial range 171xxx .542/.398

A couple of obsevations here. These are all pretty much "off the shelf" guns.

1) No two ribs are exactly alike so that tells me these ribs were all fitted one at a time by Parker.2) Barrel length does not play into rib width as there is no direct proportions exhibited here. 3) And this may be because the gun is a late Meriden gun. The rib on the "skeet" gun is noticeably narrower and much more deeply set than the other guns shown.