Watertable w/no patent date stamps

[jmc]

I've encountered a late 20's Sterlinworth with no patent date stamps on the watertable. The only stamp is the serial number. There appears to be no evidence of filing on the watertable and it still contains light remnants of original color case hardening. This seams unusual to me. Has anyone else encountered this?

-jmc

[Researcher]

A look in the safe, without going too deep, showed a July 1927, 20-gauge, A-Grade; and a July 1928, 16-gauge, Sterlingworth-Ejector both had the patent date stamps. Three Utica guns from 1937 and 38 had no patent date stamps

[Researcher]

Savage didn't begin stating "chambered for 2 3/4 inch shells" until their 1938 Fox catalogue, though I believe they started somewhat earlier then that. I have a 1933 A-Grade 16-gauge that has the 2 7/16 inch chambers intended for the old 2 9/16 inch 16-gauge shells.

It seems from my research that the first guns regularly chambered for the 2 3/4 inch 16-gauge shells were the Remington Model 11 and Sportsman autoloaders, introduced in 16-gauge about 1931. When the Super-X 16-ggauge shell was introduced in 1923 it was in a 2 9/16 inch case and the load was 3 drams equiv. and 1 1/8 ounces of shot. Remington began loading a 2 3/4 inch 16-gauge shell with 3 1/4 drams equiv. and 1 1/8 ounces of shot with the introduction of their 16-gauge autoloaders. They were called Auto Express. Winchester-Western didn't add such a shell to their line until just before WW-II.