The pictured gun is beyond a normal restoration. A "one of the first" documentation is not enough to make this gun an important gun once it is restored. The floorplate abuse is hideous. Shoot it and enjoy it.

The floor plate is unfortunate but I really like the over-all look of the gun otherwise.
It has a great profile and the wood is beautiful. Personally, I would use it just as it is if the stock is solid and the bores check out.

I wouldn't do anything right now except shoot that gun and enjoy it. Maybe down the road you'll feel more committed to a full resto. That is a beautiful gun you have there and you are a lucky man to have 3 grade 4s.

Just my two cents worth but I would have the plate spruced up and leave the rest of the gun as is. Its your gun and you only live once.You might as well have something your proud of.

I believe the gun has been restored once already and the surface was power wire brushed hence the degradation of the floor plate edge. To fix that correctly would require the TIG addition of metal and then very careful hand fitting. It would still not be right and will most likely leave a shadow line and funky case hardening colors. So I won't have that done. I just wanted to touch up the engraving and that will cost $2500.

I did take it dove shooting this past September, no birds though.

I'd be using it just as it is. But if you had a few bucks to blow on it, and not spend $2500, you could have the floor plate scene recut. It would then stand out. I had the dogs and reeds recut on the sides of a D that had been polished. It made me happy enough and was cheap enough.

The floor plate looks like someone went crazy with a buffer the last go around. You can see evidence of that around all the screw holes on the sides of the action too. It's not impossible or even overly difficult to fix, it'll just take time and money. I think it's a fine old gun that deserves to be made right. You'll likely be into it for more than it's worth, but will your enjoyment offset that?? It's only money...you can always make more :rotf:

Fix it or sell it since it is obvious the gun doesn't please you now.

I rescued a CHE 12 gauge in the same serial number range that was abused and incorrectly repaired. I couldn't live with it, so I sold it to a PGCA member who loved it more than I did. He continued with the restoration started by two previous owners and made it a very nice gun. He sold it off my Baltimore Show table a year or two ago to someone who just had to have it. As the tractor dealers say, there's a seat for every ass.

From the pictures your gun looks like a money pit to my eye. If it was me I would sell it and move on.