Reliability (or not) of TPS Tables
I recently acquired a 24" 28ga., made in 1900. While the gun appears to have been freshened, in my opinion, it is in it's original configuration, as it left Meriden.
It's serial number, not surprisingly, is not in the book, and there are apparently no factory records from which a letter may be written.
The tables at the end of the grade chapter (Grade 0, VH) it states there were a total of Thirty Eight 24" 28ga. guns. However, In looking at the tables of 'All 28ga guns' there are only about 25 guns, in all grades, listed as having 24" barrels. Adding to the frustration of inconsistent information, the table listing short barreled guns (24" and shorter) lists several 28ga. guns which are not listed in the table of all 28ga. guns
All of the inconsistencies taken into consideration, it still appears the gun I acquired is the first 24" 28ga. gun.
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