Hypothetical question:
You find two identical models of your long sought relatively rare high grade vintage double at a gun show. One has been hunted all of its life, is dinged on both the wood and metal, the engraving is worn heavily from carrying, the checkering is almost smooth, the lever well left of center, the barrels have dings from a variety of hunting "incidents" and nearly no finish. But...the chokes and chambers are pristine factory configuration, never touched by a "grinder" or reamer.
The other gun is nearly new looking, clearly not hunted or shot much if at all, nearly 100% factory finishes, engraving sharp as the day it was cut, untouched everywhere...except the chokes and chambers and forcing cones have been "violated". Chambers cut from 2 1/2" to 2 3/4", forcing cones lengthened, chokes openned from full/full to LF/M. A wallthickness gauge verifies it's all plenty safe.
Both are the same price. You can't afford both. You'll likely never see another example.
Which do you buy?
Neither.
