With reference to Dale's question on the checkered horn buttplate on his DHE--I have a 3 framed G grade lifter, serial 18716, that has a fully checkered horn buttplate. The wood butt has widow's peak inletting that was filled like Parker filled butts that had Silvers pads mounted. The plate screws are properly indexed and the plate fits like it was factory made. No reference to a special plate in the factory letter, however. Interesting gun.

I live in the High Country of NC - near Asheville, Charlotte, Winston Salem/Greensboro or Johnson City, TN. I also have business in Coastal SC and Savannah, GA that I travel to periodically. w.r.t. local gunsmiths, I have experience with Woody the gunsmith at Hyatt Gun Shop in Charlotte (http://www.hyattguns.com/gunsmithing.html) who fixed the firing of both barrels simultaneously on my 12 ga repro and some minor finish repair on the stock of my A1 repro after I got it back from Geoffrey Gournet. If any of you experienced collectors are nearby, please let me know.