What a treasure! Any idea whether the collapsed ventilated pad is original? If not, any plans to replace it with something more historically accurate like a red solid Silver's?

very nice...

Justin,
Thanks.
Pretty sure pad (Jostam "No Flinch") is factory. I'll wait until the Southern to get some
opinions on choice of pad before I do a replacement.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy! Congratulations Daryl.

P.S. I wouldn't touch that pad.... but, of course, it's your gun.

(I don't think a new pad on Burt Spiller's VHE 20 could possibly improve that gun and Morris doesn't think so either.)

That's the way I'm leaning Dean. Thanks for the comment.

My gosh, leave the pad alone. It could easily be factory. Check your information for year of manufacture. It doesn't look like a 1931 gun to me. Daryl, I'll see you at Sanford.

Yup, if that pad is factory original, keep it on the gun.
Does anyone know of a way to rejuvinate a dried out ventilated pad to restore its shape and flexibility?

In fact, your P has a leather faced pad just like Spiller's and is in the same serail number range too if I'm not mistaken - I'll check my records tonight.

I'm thinking a letter might show it to be a '32 or '33 YOP gun.

Daryl,

Why don't you just put a new pad on it and keep the old one locked up in your safe. You'll have the comfort of shooting with a new soft pad and if you want it back to the way you bought it, it only takes a few minutes to swap it out!

If we have time this Saturday, bring a pad along and I'll fit it for you. It's supposed to rain again this Saturday although I don't think as much as last year.

Bill,Dean,
Factory letter is included in my first post as a pdf file. Click on it and it should open. Letter states 1931 mfg as is my VHE which is 4 digits lower. I'm inclined to leave pad alone. I looks much worse in the photos than in person. As I am not as much of a collector as I am a shooter this gun will not be shot that much, maybe 1-2 times/year. If someone could tell me what I did wrong with trying to post the PGCA letter I'll try and re-post it tonight.