The "Never sent back for final engraving or finishing" doesn't hold water since many if not most of the best quality funeral guns had gold names inlaid indicating a "final finish". My friend MM would disagree with the "Never sent back" opinion since his Purdey funeral gun has about fifty gold inlaid letters in amongst the blue, indicating that it has truly been final finished. Get serious, these guys aren't going to send out soft finished guns to be used and abused while their engravers and hardeners look for work.
I never suggested that it was done often or even done at all, but rather I thought I remembered reading of it somewhere, possibly in the shooting sportsman article posted earlier. I agree that they are made for a purpose, as youve noticed, many of them have a very classy touch with the gold inlays and lettering.
