Vulcan Barrels on a GH?
 

I was under the impression that fluid steel barrels on a GH grade were marked as Parker Special Steel, and Vulcan Steel barrels were reserved for VH grades. So what does one make of this GH with barrels marked vulcan? Have the barrel lumps been renumbered to match the frame or is that just how it left the factory?

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=269794927

The serial number puts the gun being made in 1903. I believe this is before the introduction of Parker Special Steel barrels. With that being said the gun would have left the factory with damascus barrels. We have found many guns in the "books" being returned for new barrel sets. Many times the guns owner would have oppted for less expensive fluid steel barrels. That would have been Vulcan steel. In 1903 the only fluid steel barrels available were Vulcan,Titanic and maybe Whitworth. I dont believe Acme were available yet.

PGCA letter may give information about the original configuration and possibly later modifications.

Dave's theory of subsequently replaced barrels at the factory is probably the most likely explanation for what we are seeing in this example. Not a bad price for a fluid steel shooter, if one can get past the case colors.

I emailed the seller last week about this shotgun requesting who restored this gun and I was informed that he did not know...

I find it interesting that the case colors on this GH are so heavy on the golds and mustard yellows....it very much reminds me of CSMC's case colors on many of their RBLs, and they too are located in Connecticut. A mighty speculative connection to be sure, but perhaps there's some common thread or history there.

From my experience you need to know your way around a camera to get case colors to look right. Some of our guys here do a wonderful job. Someone needs to get the gun in their hands to truly see the colors. Checkered stock cheeks on a G grade?

Isn't Turnbull doing CSM coloring work?

The item description mentions a wrist repair, which usually involves a segment of dowel used as a pin through the head of the stock. The panels are then typically checkered and refinished in an effort to camoflage the ends of the dowel. That might be what's going on here.

Turnbull might be case coloring some of CSMC's products, but not all of them. I saw a short segment on the Outdoor Channel recently which showed CSMC doing its own in house color case hardening on one of its sidelock over/under frames.