George L.

I guess the buyer saw hope. If the barrels can be saved he has a chance. If you replace the barrels, restock the gun and redo the metal is this gun going to be like King Alfred's ax? You know on the fifth handle and the head has been replaced twice, but original.

All those who saw the gun said the barrels were in bad shape. I suspect someone along the way checked the barrel wall thickness and found them too thin to save or the gun would not have been at auction. The metal and engraving is going to take a lot of work to do right. But if the winner bid almost 7K someone was not far behind him to drive the bidding up to that level. Maybe both of them are optimistic about this Optimus.