I think you are right- the man who first owned it was a star athlete- 6' 4"- 230 lbs. and long arms-His favorite load was somewhat similar to Nash Buckingham's 3" coppered fours for Geese and pass shooting mallards- coppered sixes for dukcs over decoys-It is a great pumpgun and I have shot Federal Steel loads with no problem with the choke, I am sure the gentleman named 8 bore is right- as the barrel has greater wall thickness than a std. 12 ga. Model 12-is it also possible the factory "overlooked the extra hole for the lead plug" and just sold it-

"The field is the touchstone of the man"..