We hope you enjoy this multi-part blog series on the restoration of a 1921 Parker BHE 12 gauge shotgun. Do you have questions about the process of gun restoration? Feel free to ask in the comments section below, or drop us a line.
Day 13: Engraving
Day 13, Step 1
1) Since the buttplate is an odd shape, our in-house engraver, Tom, starts by hot gluing the buttplate to a block of wood.
Day 13, Step 2
2) Using a Sharpie for contrast, he then scribes the basic borders.
Day 13, Step 3
3) A chisel is then used to follow the lines.
Day 13, Step 4
4) Here Tom does some detail work on the rosette around the screw hole.
Day 13, Step 5
5) Because there wasn’t an original buttplate on this shotgun, Tom had to research the style of engraving that was used at the time to come up with the pattern.
Day 13, Step 6
6) Touching up the knurling on the safety button.
Day 13, Step 7
7) More knurling on the safety button.
Day 13, Step 8
8) The finished safety button.
Day 13, Step 9
9) The finished buttplate.
Day 14: Re-Cutting the Engraving
Day 14, Step 1
1) Re-cutting the engraving on the left side of the frame.
Day 14, Step 2
2) Now for the bottom side of the frame.
Day 14, Step 3
3) Detail work!
Day 14, Step 4
4) Engraving the screws.
Day 14, Step 5
5) Tom tapes on an ink pull from the original stock oval.
Day 14, Step 6
6) First, he scribes on the numbers.
Day 14, Step 7
7) Then he can engrave the numbers.
Day 14, Step 8
8) The gold stock shield is complete.
Day 15: Re-Assembly
Day 15, Step 1
1) The color-case hardening has been completed—it’s a process that cannot be photographed!
Day 15, Step 2
2) All the parts to the Parker BHE shotgun are set out so assembly can take place.
Day 15, Step 3
3) The bottom tang assembly is the first step.
Day 15, Step 4
4) Putting the pins in.
Day 15, Step 5
5) Mainspring and cocking rod.
Day 15, Step 6
6) Lining up the safety tower with the safety notch.
Day 15, Step 7
7) Driving the sears in.
Day 15, Step 8
8) Attaching the floor plate.
Parker BHE 12 Gauge Restoration: The Full Process
Days 1-3: making a new buttstock, fitting the stock to the receiver, fitting the skeleton buttplate
Days 4-6: last day of inletting, polishing the barrels, inletting the gold shield
Days 7-9: re-cutting the barrel engraving, polishing the action, rust bluing the barrels
Days 10-12: stock refinishing, checkering the buttstock, finishing up the checkering
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Absolutely beautiful. It’s remarkable what master craftsmen can accomplish. And you have a cadre of them working for you.