What's Wrong With This Picture

[GH-16]

Like Paul Harvey would say; Here's the rest of the story.

I watched this gun go around on Gunbroker for a couple of sessions and finally my curiosity got the best of me. I contacted the seller and asked for a picture of the serial number on the barrel lug. After viewing the picture. I convinced myself that the barrels were factory stamped & must have been installed in Meriden. I decided to take the chance and did the bidding to win the auction. I was really nervous doing so because the serialization book lists the gun as having Vulcan barrels.

After getting the gun I started turning screws to check all the stampings on the various parts and became even more convinced that the barrels were a factory job. The curious thing though was the grade-2 engraving on the forearm metal.

I sent off for a letter and to my relief it confirmed that sure enough it is all factory work for this VH to be wearing Damascus barrels. Take a look at the letter and you will see that when the gun was almost new it was sent back to have the Vulcan barrels replaced with the Damascus ones she has worn for the last 114 years. I would like to think that the gun was never fired before the original purchaser had the gun sent back to have the barrels replaced.

This validates two things for me.

1. This is proof that at the time there were still questions about the then new fluid steel barrels and at least one man decided to stick to the tried & true Damascus that he was comfortable with.

2. The value of the letters we can get through the PGCA. The money I spent on the letter IMO is as good as gold on this particular gun.

Look the letter over & enjoy!!