Barrel Lug Stamping
 

Here's a shot of the back locking lug on my 16ga lifter.
Apart from the inspector initials, and frame size number, there is a delicate 6, if viewed from the breech end, or it's an equally delicate 9 if viewed from the muzzle end.
I have other, later boxlock 16s and there is a small 16 stamped on the back lug.
Would I be correct in assuming the 1 was left off and the 6 refers to 16ga. ?

Edger, It is very possible that the 1 was left off. But I think that is an inspectors mark. I see your gun has John Stokes inspector stamps. How about some more pictures of the "Ol girl"?

Dave, look over on the New Member Intro thread from a couple days ago; I put a couple pics there. If there's more you want to see, Im happy to snap more. It's just an 0 grade, and I sheepishly admit I lucked into it, but couldn't I just once get REAL lucky and find a high grade sleeper? The weight stamp is within an ounce of what it weighs at, so it's killing me waiting for the letter to see if the 24" barrels are what left the factory, but that's too much to hope for.

Still learning and stand to be corrected. As I understand it, the weight stamp pounds and ounces are the "unstruck" barrel weight. The final weight is slightly less than the stamped weight due to some judicious metal removal as the final product was realized at the factory. Yes/No ?????

Cheers,
Jack

That's how I understand it also Jack. My 16 is stamped 3 pounds 6 ounces and if I trust my scale, I'm seeing slightly only about an ounce of reduction. I would have to think there would be a greater difference if they had been cut down. I'm hopeful anyway.

Step one in determining barrel originality is bore and choke measurements. Then worry about order book and stock book dimensions. Give us your bore and choke diameters and choke lengths and we'll tell you what we think.

I would have measured them Bill, but I sold my Chubbs back to Gary a long time ago. In the mean time, the letter arrived and confirmed they've been shortened.