Eightbore. That rib was a post 65 rib put on a 1949 gun. It was redone as a pigeon grade gun. I suspect very recently as well. Stock was wrong. Obvious upgrade. One of too many 12 or 42 upgrades out there.
I know at one time Simmons got in pump guns by the pallet from Winchester, and installed ribs on them, then sent them out to gun shops and wholesalers. But a Pigeon grade gun would have been a custom shop gun, made to order not anything Simmons would have done. Now Winchester claims they never sent guns out to Simmons for ribs which would have Simmons on the side of the rib. Not certain thats correct but might be. But before 1965 it would be KC on the side not Olathe KS. Easy tell as they say. Like the solid rib 12 I was looking at with the edge of the factory proof showing under the solid on top rib where plain barrels were marked and sporting a second factory proof mark where a factory rib proof make should be.
To be fair the seller listed it as a high condition pigeon grade gun but never claimed outright it was an original gun. Just high grade and very nice. And as a shooter it was a nice looking gun. But I get so tired of refinished or upgraded guns trying to be passed off as rare and original. Im sure you are as well. And the difference in what this gun would be worth if real was many times its selling price.
