I'm getting the feeling you guys just don't have a proper appreciation for Askins the elder or the noted gunsmith Gladstone Blake Crandall. One of the longest running threads ever in the Browning section of Shotgunworld.com was on Major Askins Browning Superposed --
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/view...?f=53&t=124719
Of course Parker Bros. told him to buy a new gun, they wanted to move some product! I know from the collectors point of view these modifications old Chas. had done are abhorrent, but the gun just could be a great shooter and have some great stories with it.