Sorry for the double post above.
I use the word forger in the most broad context and perhaps not the best word to use. There are those who restore and make new pieces so well as to be un-distinguishable from the factory piece. Some do it with malice intent to deceive and others as a normal process in the restoration of a gun. It is at the other end with open disclosure that counts. However after a said gun has passed a few hands the history of the replacement piece is lost and we can only speculate on the purpose and intent.
If we go back to the OP's gun, I think it is generally determined that a normal 1900 would not have this grade of wood. How and why it is on this gun leads to the fun of discovery in collecting these vintage firearms.
