SBT - What are you thoughts..

[GunnerGrilli]

Sorry, Wisner, NE, not NB. Typing faster than I can keep up..............



Thanks,


Bobby

[David]

Thank you @tool Man - You are well informed on the Hellcats. I wrote a book about my experience with my grandfather regarding his war experiences and life in small town NE. If you like to read it is on Amazon 'A Grandson's Story - Beatrice, NE' - a Parker even gets a mention in a chapter. He was in the 493rd and 494th Armored Field Artillery. I have their post event assessment of Herrlisheim . If you watched band of brothers - at the end when they liberate the camp -- that was also 12th AD - as you said - from a small farm to the front row of the biggest mess in human history - and he stayed on for war crimes as an attorney prosecuting cases. He lived quite a life - these Parkers mean a lot to me.

[David]

Back to the gun - I took some additional photos of the wood work with more natural light coming in the window. The wood is just fantastic.

One note about this gun - Mr Dudley mentioned the cheek piece on the stock - This is an important detail because my grandfather was left handed. He was particular about this - other guns he used regularly had after market cheek rests - leather sleeves or in one case seemingly glued on the stock for left handed shooting -

So this is a longer 32' - with a right handed stock - and that leads me to believe purchased more as a collectible than something to use.

I went to a higher source (my mom) and she confirmed - no way anyone had funds to be buying special shotguns before the late 1940's or early 1950's.

[John Davis]

The wood is outstanding!

[J. Scott Hanes]

For those members well-studied on script lettering, are the initials on the grip cap (top to bottom) C J L or C F L?

[Mike Franzen]

Great SBT David. I hope you will share the information you receive in your letter. I think a gun like that had to be for someone special. Maybe we’ll find out who.

[David]

Hi all, a few quick weeks have gone by and I have received the letter from The PGCA.

Parker shotgun, serial number 179319, was ordered by Wm. Read & Sons, Inc. of Boston, MA of September 4, 1918 and shipped on November 20, 1918. According to Parker Bros. Order Book No. 99, it was a SA grade, Single Barrel Trap Gun, 12-guage. It featured fluid steel barrels with a length of 32 inches. Special instructions were: cheek piece, 2 Lyman sights, Silvers rubber butt, and to pattern to fill a 30'' circle at 35 yards and to shoot as high as can.

The price was $275.00

According to Parker Bros. Stock Book No. 63, the stock configuration was a capped pistol grip and its specifications were: Length of pull: 14 1/2'' , Drop at Comb, 1 1/8'' , Drop at Heel : 1 3/4'', weight : 7 pounds and 12 ounces.


It amazing to have this resource and get this original information. I wonder what the experts here can glean from this.


a few questions if anyone has input: fluid steel barrels? i found a post that this was the early description of Vulcan ? Gun says ACME .. Silvers rubber butt ? Is the pattern request unique ? I found the 'shoot as high as can.' interesting.. this leads me to believe they ordered the gun for a specific shooter - and not just something to have in the shop.

The other VH guns I have from that period were in the $60 range - so someone was willing to pay 4X that for a special gun. That is pretty impressive- or possibly that was the price to the reseller and the end customer paid even more ?

Anyone know if WM Read & Sons knows who the guns went to when sold / guessing that is lost to time at this point.

Last thought - I would appreciate any thoughts on proper care and servicing of this gun to ensure it is preserved properly going forward.

-David

[GunnerGrilli]

Hi David,


What I find most interesting is this Parker should have been made in 1917, not late 1918, so I am wondering if someone else originally ordered this gun and it sat for awhile? A Silver's Pad is common table fare for the day, and is the pad we are most likely to see as original on this gun. Early Parker SBT Barrels were Titanic, although not clearly marked on the side of the barrel as later SBT's. ACME are the most common Barrels, and occasionally we have seen some Peerless Barrels on Highter Grade SBT's. This is a very early SA, not sure why they stated "fluid steel barrels" in place of ACME. But the ACME Barrel you have is correct for the gun.

In regards to proper care and service of the gun, it looks to be in impeccable condition to me, and I would say whatever someone has done in the last 106 years is the way to go!!


Thanks for sharing the info gleaned from your letter. Always appreciated.



Bobby

[John Davis]

David, as to the requested shot pattern and point of impact (POI), those specifications are exactly what a trap shooter would be looking for. In trap you are always shooting at a rising target that’s going to be an average of 35 yards out when you pull the trigger. And farther if you are shooting handicap. A gun that throws a good tight pattern at 35 yards and shoots high is ideal.

[David]

Thank you Bobby & John - great information.

I guess it is worth considering that USA entered WWI in 1917 -possibly some guys that thought they would be trap shooting ended up with a bigger task.

I have been inspired by this gun to get out with a buddy and shoot some trap and skeet this summer. Purchasing a SC SBT to shoot - as this SA is a bit too special for me to bang around with as a rookie - if I hit some targets with regularity this summer maybe by fall i'll give this one a try. I have shot Skeet a few times with my field gun and I would not say i was a natural ! much harder than it looks.