It made it by noon, thankfully.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

The differences 1 year and 1 grade level makes (1890 to 1891) eh? The shape of the bottom of the action is still nicely carried back into the wood at the head of the stock (although less-so in '91). Also, besides the square-to-rounded barrel lug and the slightly thinner cross-section on the earlier gun, the geometry of the entire action changed from Syracuse to the Fulton variant, note the position of the screw in front of the trigger guard on the '91 gun. Moreover, better wood on the Quality 2 (& with a capped grip!). A little more of the "gunmaker's art" here really makes a big difference in the overall appearance (at least for me). The post 1913 guns had none of that in the lower grades. Completely cookie-cutter towards the end of things.

This Quality 2 gun should clean up quite nicely, although it's been shot way-more than the Quality 1 gun has (one's been carried more, the other has been shot more). The tubes are quite different as well, 3-bar good Damascus (confirmed by Dr. Drew) versus the "Angularly-Laminated" steel of the '91 gun. This tubeset still weighs over 4lbs and measures 30-inches exactly, choked .022 and .027 (Mod & Imp. Mod). Thinnest point in the tubes was .035 (the average overall thickness was confirmed at being well over that, closer to 40 thou).

Last edited by Lloyd3; 04/01/24 02:19 PM.