doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Clark Gable's Skeet Gun

Robert Montgomery, Joan Crawford & Clark Gable were in "Forsaking All Others" in 1934.
This is a grainy magazine image skeet shooting with Montgomery at the Santa Monica - LA Gun Club in 1934 or 1935



A better studio image close up of the gun, which does not appear to be a Parker, and with a unique inlay in the BTFE



Can anyone ID?

Gable had a bunch of Parkers, M21s, and several M12s
http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?p=314610
a BHE 32" barrel with BTFE 28g SN 201993 shipped 6-13-23 (obviously purchase later),
a 32" BHE 20g,
a DHE 28g SN 194,298 given him by Carole Lombard,
a 20g Skeet configured DHE given him by Joan Bennett,
and a VR A-1 Special purchased at the New York Sportsman's Show, from the Remington rep Cliff Baldwin, after the NYC premier of “Gone With the Wind” Dec. 19, 1939. He later gave the A-1 to Gary Cooper.
http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2301



and a 20g CHE 2 barrel set
http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13455

Not sure which 20g is this gun



He did most of his skeet shooting however with a Remington Sportsman. This is 1934 or 1935



Gables M21 skeet gun
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/82/3355/clark-gable-attributed-winchester-model-21-shotgun

I can't confirm the source or date of this image which may be Gable's gun rack. Note there are 2 SBTs

Article regarding Gable's Presentation Erich Klebe Over/Under gifted to Carole Lombard
https://www.rockislandauction.com/riac-blog/clark-gable-shotgun-for-carole-lombard

More on Klebe and no mention of his making SxSs
http://www.nashwauk.net/ErichsGuns.html

Those were the days: When Hollywood stars were gun nuts and pretty serious shooters. I recall reading somewhere that we seldom see photos of Gary Cooper shooting or hunting because he had to wear glasses.

Re skeet in the early days of the sport, pre-WWII. There's a vintage Winchester poster hanging in the restroom at one of the clubs where I shoot skeet. The world record at the time for the longest "straight" run was 229. Winchester was proud to promote the fact that it was set with a Model 21.

In standard American skeet today, it doesn't sound nearly as impressive. But it's good to remember that back then, they were playing by the original skeet rules. Shooters called for the bird from a low gun position, and there was a variable 0-3 second delay in the pull. And your option bird, assuming you went 24 straight, could be taken at any station of your choice. I vaguely recall that option rule from when I first started shooting skeet. Our local Ruffed Grouse Society chapter used to put on a fun shoot in late summer. 2 rounds of skeet: One with modern rules and the second one with the low gun/variable delay in the pull rule. It was interesting to watch good shooters get very nervous on Station 8 in particular with that variable delay rule.

Here 'ya go Larry.

1932



1933



1935



1937 16g Skeet gun

Women's Long Run 115 in 1933

I love those old ads

They're great. You won't see many sxs in serious skeet competition these days. But back then (pre-WWII), OUs weren't real popular. And all the classic American makers of sxs offered their guns configured for skeet.

A year ago I bought a late 40's Model 21, 20 gauge skeet that has 28" barrels. Choked WS1 & WS2

Here are some ladies with Model 21s from a Winchester Skeet brochure --



Clark's wife with Cutts equipped Remington shotguns --




The man his own self with several of his shotguns from the July 1939 National sportsman including a Winchester Model 21 and a Remington Model 32 --



A couple of pics of Clark Gable's Parker Bros. BHE 20-gauge from when it made an appearance at our PGCA tables at a Vintage Cup at Orvis Sandanona --





Two shooters on the California team in the late 1930s have over/unders --