Patterning

[Randy Roberts]

Originally Posted by Drew Hause

Randy: does the letter document the original purchaser? If so I could check the Sporting Life archives and see if he was a "Top Gun". Also let me know the DOM so I know where to look.

Much appreciated Drew. The following as copied from the letter:

Parker shotgun, serial number 170918, was ordered by Mr. G.B. Cragg of Dallas, TX on April
12, 1915 and shipped on June 11, 1915. According to Parker Bros. Order Book No. 92, it was a DH
hammerless, 12-gauge. It featured Titanic steel barrels with a length of 34 inches. The stock
configuration was a pistol grip. The requested specifications were Length of Pull 14 ½”, Drop at Comb
1 3/8”, Drop at Heel 2”, Weight 7 ¾ to 8 pounds. Special instructions were Silvers rubber butt, medium
thick comb, 2” of pitch, no safety, trigger pull 3 pounds, 2 Lyman sights, and full choke. The gun was
consigned.
The price was $75.00 plus $10.00 for extra long barrels, $18,75 for ejectors, $5.00 for Silvers
pad, and $1.00 for Lyman sights

[Drew Hause]

In 1912 he shot in a tournament in Boston
https://digital.la84.org/digital/col...d/27368/rec/11

at the Dallas Trap Club in March
https://digital.la84.org/digital/col...d/26318/rec/13

He represented the U.S. Cartridge Co. in Texas
https://digital.la84.org/digital/col...d/26341/rec/14

and was listed as a Professional in 1913
https://digital.la84.org/digital/col...id/25406/rec/1

His 1914 average is listed under Professionals here
https://digital.la84.org/digital/col...id/56176/rec/2

In 1919 he was living in New Orleans
https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SDU19191...t-txIN--------

[Stan Hillis]

Originally Posted by Randy Roberts

Of course that does not explain why I can see more of the rib on this one vs other guns and still shoot spot on, back to the quandary I suppose.

That's the part that's buggin' me. I've never shot a gun that shot flat for me when I was looking down on the rib. But, rules are made to be broken. Now, I'll start second guessing myself when I pass on a nice shotgun stocked high for the traps, or such. Livinlearn.

Originally Posted by Harry Geitler

If the gun is shooting low when you are looking over the ''Rib'' its just one thing,
''the barrels are bent downward'', that's it!

Pitch plays into it too, Harry.

[Double Lab]

For me, pitch plays more of a role in keeping the gun on my shoulder after recoil. I have a PAC Fox 32" gun in which I see way more rib than I would like but it too shoots where I look. Then again I've had guns that when mounted look perfect but I just couldn't be consistent with it. Go figure.

[Randy Roberts]

Perusing through the information as provided by Dr. Drew I see that in the first 12 tournaments in the Interstate Association in 1914 a recognizable Gent by the name of W. R. Crosby was near the top of the leader board with an average of .957 while Mr. Cragg was at the other end of the board with an average of .705, both listed as "Professionals". One thing is for certain he was not shooting the 1915 DHE in question at that point in time. Possibly his lackluster scores lead to the ordering of this 34" gun.

[Drew Hause]

Crosby was certainly one of the turn-of-the-century "Top Guns"; along with Fred Gilbert, J.A.R. Elliot and Rolla Heikes.
He was a representative for Baker Gun & Forging from at least 1897 until 1899, twice winning the “E.C.” Target Championship of America, first with a “$30 Baker Hammerless” B grade, then with a Paragon. He won the “Review Cup” from J.A.R. Elliott in October 1899 killing 98/100 live birds.
In 1900 he won the Sportsmen’s Association Championship Trophy held on the Madison Square Garden roof under the auspices of the Sportsmen's show March 1-17.

After the first GAH at Targets in June he changed to a L.C. Smith and was part of, and High Gun, in the victorious American team in the June 1901 Anglo-American Clay Bird Match.

In 1904, Crosby ordered through Capt. duBray a 20g VH, 30” barrels with F/F chokes, no safety, LOP-14”, DAC-1 3/8”, DAH- 2 1/4”, Pitch-2 3/4’, Weight- 6lb-10oz., Chambers- 2 7/8”, RH trigger- 3 1/2lb, LH trigger- 4lb.
The Parker records include the notation “Send Bill - Compliments of Parker Brothers”. (Courtesy of Daryl Corona)
He continued to compete with his Smith, and the gun may have been for Mrs. Crosby.

At the Philadelphia Eastern Handicap July, 1906 he was using a Parker with 32” barrels.

Lots more here
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...c/edit?tab=t.0

[Double Lab]

In 1904, Crosby ordered through Capt. duBray a 20g VH, 30” barrels with F/F chokes, no safety, LOP-14”, DAC-1 3/8”, DAH- 2 1/4”, Pitch-2 3/4’, Weight- 6lb-10oz., Chambers- 2 7/8”, RH trigger- 3 1/2lb, LH trigger- 4lb.
The Parker records include the notation “Send Bill - Compliments of Parker Brothers”. (Courtesy of Daryl Corona)

I still have this gun and if the gun was for Mrs. Crosby she was built like me () because if I was ever to have a gun custom made for me I would use these measurements. It's one of those guns I can just pick up break targets with.

Thanks for the reminder Drew.

[Drew Hause]

I haven't found much on Mrs. Crosby, but she did compete. The first Ladies Amateur National Championship was at the 1916 GAH in St. Louis, won by Mrs. D.J. Dalton; Miss Harriett Hammond 2nd
https://digital.la84.org/digital/col...oll17/id/22498
Day 2 Ladies Special Event
Mrs L.G. Vogel
Mrs H. Almert
Miss Harriett D. Hammond
Miss L. Meusel
Mrs D.J. Dalton
Mrs. F.A. Johnson
Mrs C. Edmiston
Mrs H.L. Patter
Mrs J.L. Hooper
Mrs W.R. Crosby
Mrs D.B. Foster
Miss E. Wettleaf
Mrs A. Killam

BTW she was one of the wives to accompany (keep an eye on ) her husband to the 1901 Anglo-American match

American Team Departs May 26
The team will consist of the following shots: Capt. Thos. Marshall, R.O. Heikes, W.R. Crosby. C.W. Budd. J.S. Fanning, J.A.R. Elliott, F. Gilbert. F.S. Parmelee, C.M. Powers, Edward Banks, E.H. Tripp, Richard Merrill, and B. Le Roy Woodard.
Others with the team are: Capt. A.W. Money, Emil Werk, D.F. Pride, D. Erhardt, Fred. Elliott, and Frank Harrison.
The ladies of the party are Mrs. Banks, Mrs. Crosby, Mrs. Tripp, Miss Werk and others.

[Double Lab]

Wow, a bunch of heavy hitters there. Very cool Drew, thanks.

[Drew Hause]

And most of them shot Parkers
Marshall and Merrill gave up their Cashmores and shot Parkers, as did Le Roy and Heikes who used Remington doubles at the 1901 GAH at Live Birds as Remington professionals.
Parmelee used a Parker at the 1900 GAH, but had previously also been a Remington professional.
Guns used: Capt. Thos. Marshall - Parker, R.O. Heikes - Parker, W.R. Crosby - Smith., C.W. Budd – Parker, J.S. Fanning - Smith, J.A.R. Elliott - Winchester Repeater, Fred. Gilbert – Parker, F.S. Parmelee - Parker, C.M. Powers - Parker, Edward Banks - Winchester Repeater, E.H. Tripp - Parker, Richard Merrill - Parker, and B. Le Roy Woodard - Parker.

It seems likely there was some form of inducement from Parker Bros.

More here
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...w/edit?tab=t.0