Beavertail forearms on Parkers

[B. Dudley]

Originally Posted by Victor Wasylyna

Edify us. Why is it not original?

—Victor

Forend iron is wrong

Length of forend is wrong

Shape of forend is wrong

Checkering is wrong

Forend lug on barrels is not pictured, but I can guarantee that is wrong too.

Overall quality is not up to snuff.


Is that enough?


The gun was originally fitted with a splinter forend and at some time someone made a beavertail for it in their own signature style.

[Wild Skies]

The non-mullered checkering borders and the wood to metal fit were the biggest tell for me.

[Scott Gentry]

My 1920 20ga VH forend, it is factory. Never thought much of BTF till I got this one, love it.

[C.O.B.]

Originally Posted by Patrick Lien

A VH 20 from 1925 with a factory BT forend would be uncommon. Please post pictures.

PML

Patrick is it uncommon because of the year or the grade? Just curious as I have a DHE 20 from 1926 IIRC (ser # 222223) with a BTF.

[Bruce Day]

Scott’s forend is factory at first glance. The other isn’t. The more you look the more it isn’t. The fat forend was the style in the 50’s and 60’s and bunches were redone with beavertail forends and stocks with highly curved grips and rubber recoil pads. Fajen sold the inletted stocks for $20 , forends for $10. Gunsmiths did the final fitting and checkering. The practice continues,supplier costs a little higher but not much.

[PML]

Originally Posted by Rich Anderson

Patrick is it uncommon because of the year or the grade? Just curious as I have a DHE 20 from 1926 IIRC (ser # 222223) with a BTF.

Rich,
I said it was uncommon because of the year, then the gauge, then lastly the grade. I THINK Parker started offering BT forends in either 1923 or 1925. These were Trap forends in the beginning and I would say mostly 12ga in this time frame. There are numerous examples of earlier guns with BT forends where some of the factory letters describe "Trap forend" on the order. If someone was ordering a 20ga skeet in 1925 I would have expected ejectors, single trigger, etc. That was the thinking behind my comment.

PML

[PML]

Scott,
Do you have a letter on your gun? If so, what does it say in regards to the FE? It looks like a nice gun. Can we see the rest of it please?

PML

[C.O.B.]

Thanks Patrick I appreciate the response.

[Randy Roberts]

In regard to Scotts absolutely gorgeous forend how uncommon is the lack of a border around the forend iron on Parkers ?

[PML]

Randy,
On the BT guns I have owned and observed the V grades were checkered up to the metal and the graded guns had a border.

PML