Barrel condition vs case color on 20 ga VH
 

Local store has a 20 ga, #111039, with nicely refinished stock and fore end wood and the receiver's screws are in good shape but zero case color. DHP is worn. My question is the barrels (just shy of 28" and not cut by appearance - choked IM/IM) are pristine and that doesn't seem to be in keeping with the rest of the gun.

If their redone it's a nice job but the the shop swears they're original condition. This just seem possible to me.

Sorry, no pictures at the moment but trust me when I say the barrels have come from a showroom and the receiver has no remaining case colors. All serial numbers match.

Is it possible to have perfect barrels and nice condition but zero case color receiver?

pretty unlikely. Case colors will wear off faster than bluing, but when there's no evidence of any, and the bluing is 100%, it's kind of a signal.

Yep, it sure is. I am the second owner of a Parker that I inherited and it is just as you describe. It has been carried in the field for miles and miles and the balance point is the receiver. That receiver has no case left and it almost looks as if it were bright nickle when it stands in a corner. The barrels show very little wear of the blue and then only at the breach where a thumb sometimes sits when carried by hand; rather than its usual over the arm carry.

If it was rebarreled then not used much

My 1904 VH was well used, but rebarreled by Remington in the 30's and from the looks used very little after that.

I have been told that many people did not like case colors therefore rubbed it off. Gerald

The barrels were probably just reblued---maybe at the factory or elsewhere. The letter on my DHE 16 states that the gun was returned and the stock redressed and barrels rebrowned in 1910.
Someone with the book could tell us if the barrels were ordered at 28".

Without pictures I would have to agree with edger.

Same serial # without a 2 on the forearm lug?

Thanks gentlemen, I will post pictures in a couple days

serial numbered with all the other marks including the frame size on the barrels, no forearm marks.

i believe replacement barrels not a second set.

Good point I did not think that through correctly. Replaced barrels would answer everything - thanks everyone - it's OK to order a research letter without owning a gun?

If I liked the gun, I would buy it without worrying about whether the barrels were reblued. In all cases, I would order a PGCA letter.

Thanks Bill, I agree and I would normally buy the gun either way.

My question was more about whether you could have two major pieces on the same gun in such different condition.

It also went towards the overall negotiation aspect. The seller makes another mis-statement about condition, (they had not seen the crack in the stock), it goes towards end price. Particularly so as the gun is at a local outdoor store and the price being asked is premium. It won't break my heart to walk away but it is a nice little 20 on an '0' frame.

Pictures of the 20 VH barrels and receiver
 

Attachment 25762

Attachment 25763

Attachment 25764

Attachment 25765

Attachment 25766

Pictures as promised showing mint barrels and white receiver on the 20 Vulcan.

Sweet little gun. What's the frame size again ? Thanks for sharing.

John, it might just be the lighting in the photos, but those barrels look too shiny to me to be rust blued. If that's a hot re-blue that I'm seeing, that raises a whole other set of issues.

It's a rust blue, bad lighting, but it is showroom rust blue.