Destry, I disagree with you that Becker did not build the gun. I read someplace that Nash requested he build it. Even if he did not request it, there's no telling how much of it Burt did himself. But if he had not had a big part to play in the gun, more so than just boring the barrels, I do not believe he would have put the inscription claiming he did so on the barrels. The lettering does not say "Bored for Nash Buckingham", By Burt Becker", it says "Made".
I indeed misspoke when I said "exactly as they exist today". They are certainly reversed from what Nash wrote in the letter years after his loss of the gun. However, given the fact that he mistakenly transposed the digits in the serial number I find it very easy to believe he mistakenly stated which barrel the inscription was on. Thanks for pointing out my error in that statement.
