Parker Brothers CH
Parker Brothers · Shotgun · Discontinued · 1875
Also known as: Parker CH, Parker C Grade Hammerless, Parker Grade 4
Overview
The Parker Brothers CH is a side-by-side, break-action double-barreled shotgun and one of the higher 'C' grades in Parker's celebrated line of American doubles. Ranked as a Grade 4 gun above the DH, the CH featured better-figured Circassian walnut, a silver stock shield and grip cap, fine 24-line checkering, and dog-and-scroll engraving on a case-colored boxlock receiver; barrels were made variously of Bernard, Damascus, or later Acme fluid steel. The 'C' denotes the quality grade and the 'H' the hammerless action, and most were chambered in 12-gauge with twin triggers and a top lever.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3345 g (118.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1168 mm (45.98") |
| Barrel Length | 711 mm (27.99") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Internal Hammer |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 2 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 400 m/s (1312 fps) |
| Effective Range | 40 m (44 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | None |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Case Hardened |
Calibers
- 12 Gauge · primary — also known as 12ga, 12 Bore
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Break Action Double Barrel
- Safety mechanisms: Tang Safety
- Features: Break Action, Side By Side Barrels, Boxlock, Hammerless, Double Trigger, Top Lever, Engraved, Case Colored Receiver
Production
Estimated total produced: 1,673 · Production years: 1875-1942
Approximately 1,673 hammerless CH guns produced; earlier lifter and top-lever hammer C grades numbered roughly 100 and 101 respectively
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Discontinued: 1942
Notes
Parker Brothers shotguns were graded by quality (Trojan, VH, PH, GH, DH, CH, BH, AH, A-1 Special, Invincible); the CH sits in the upper-middle of that range. Introduced around 1875 at roughly $150, the C grade sold poorly as buyers tended to choose either the cheaper D grade or the more prestigious B and A grades; only about 1,673 hammerless CH guns were built. Production passed to Remington in 1934, which continued Parker guns until about 1942.
Background
Parker Brothers was so revered that the firm was nicknamed 'Old Reliable'. The C grade was an awkward middle child of the catalogue: too dear for the thrifty, too plain for the wealthy, so relatively few were sold, which today makes a genuine CH-grade Parker double a comparatively scarce and sought-after collector's gun.