As Molly Hatchet sang in Gator Country, "We got that chomp chomp..."

Nice restoration. That wood might be for a Remington era VH, but the Brothers P went for a bit plainer --

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This gun was virtually new, but had been left in a case and the metal had some severe cosmetic issues. My Wife bought it for me for my 55th birthday. After owning it for fifteen years, I dropped it off at Bachelders on my way home from Hausemanns.

They did a nice job, except for polishing the triggers bright.

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When people are paying good money for a restock, most opt to upgrade the wood some to make it more attractive. I try to make sure that the selection is not outside of the realm of possibility for the grade.

Brian, it’s also not unheard of for one of the stockers to grab a higher grade stick of wood for the gun he was working on.

I shot a VH for years that had highly figured wood from the factory 1917 if I remember. One side was not as figured as the other but was not plain by any means. I also had a Gh with nice english walnut,

There are not a few Remington era VH grade guns that sport bona fide factory GH wood, and a few GHs that will make you loosen your collar going through Meriden catalogs and auction pictures showing righteous DH factory grade wood; all a product of Remington using up the considerable inventory of Meriden wood gleaned at the 1934 buyout. So it definitely pays to know what you are looking at era and style-wise.

Years ago I bought for pennies on the dollar a DHE 20 ga. straight grip 30 inch gun that had been stocked by Remington at Ilion in what was at least CH and arguably BH figured wood with checkered butt and SFE. Shown to 3 or 4 dealers and half a dozen "bottom feeders" at the Richmond VA gun show, no one would touch it because of the "bogus" stock (must be a restock with high grade wood) and butt (checkered instead of SKBP, standard for a DH). I sold it at the last Sandanona Vintagers years later for nearly 3 times what I paid for it and would never have done so had it not put me into a GHE .410 RK PG SFE 26" DHBP beauty. Caveat Emptor!!

This 1891 PH O frame 16 sports wood that is certainly much nicer than what I've seen on any other PH. It is what led me to pick it up as a project gun. And its still a project, but it did take its share of grouse and pheasant this year.

I have personally seen many P grades with funky wood like that.

I had a VHE 20 #241xxx sst checkered butt reversed choked that had the finest piece of feather crotch wood i have ever seen and i have seen many! Bobby

Mills,

Not many people would spend that much to restore a VH. I commend you for giving that shotgun a new lease on life.