At some point I'm going to post a couple of pics of an early A grade two barrel set I have, as I'd like to illicite some opinions.
I'll post close ups of the serial number stampings on the two barrels and forends, to illustrate that they appear identical in font and striking. My question will be, is it plausible that they're both "factory original" because the letter states that it was only a one barrel set.
In other words, either the barrels were added as an afterthought/order after the initial build was set, or the gun was returned to the factory later to have the barrels added. Close inspection doesn't provide any evidence that the second barrel set was cobbled up by some 'smith at a later date.
The point being, it suggests to me that the build information might not always reflect the exact details of the way the gun eventually left the factory, or that perhaps info on a particular gun wasn't updated with later factory alterations. Mr.s Researcher and Admin will surely have some opinions.
I once had one of 25 (?) Ithaca NID 7Es, in a two barrel trap and skeet set. The skeet barrels fit the action/forend perfectly and had all the proper stamps with correct font and striking, yet they were grade 3 barrels in terms of barrel engraving. Herschel Chadick inspected the gun for me and agreed that they were surely added later by the factory. Still wish I had that thing.
