I have seen examples of hand engraved "matting" beyond the line in the blank space - for what ever reason I have no idea. I wonder if yours may be a similar one...? It's difficult to see that it may be an overrun of the matting machine because the termination of the matting grooves is as evident as any I have ever seen - so I doubt it.
I wonder if those 'marks' are simply file marks left when the barrels and ribs were first "struck" because they don't seem to line up with the matting grooves.
Have you measured the length of the chokes?
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"I'm a Setter man.
Not because I think they're better than the other breeds,
but because I'm a romantic - stuck on tradition - and to me, a Setter just "belongs" in the grouse picture."
George King, "That's Ruff", 2010 - a timeless classic.
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