For a gun that early (11,000 range) to have the patent latch, it was likely “upgraded” later. I once owned a grade 2 in the 12,000 range that had the keyed forend.
TPS speculates that at first maybe only higher grade guns used the patent latch, and lower grade guns kept using the keyed forend, explaining the period of overlap.
Do you have a letter on that gun eric? There may be records of a return for the upgrade.
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B. Dudley
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