Welcome to the PGCA, Jim. On this forum you will find more real experts to answer your questions than anywhere else on the planet. In my opinion, however, you haven't given us enough information to answer any of your questions. We would need some good photographs, the serial number, are all numbers matching on the barrels, receiver and forearm metal? Have the barrels been cut? With the serial number these experts can tell you somewhat as to to how the gun left the factory in 1893. If your gun doesn't match the book then the barrels could have been cut or the gun restocked. Without photos we could not tell you if the barrels have possibly been reblued and maybe the receiver blued when it should really be color case hardened. All of these things are important to the use and value of the gun. The crimp you mention about 3 inches from the breech end could be a sign of new barrels fitted into a monoblock, (basically the old barrels were cut off and new barrels were fit into the spaces after the breech had been drilled out). Please give us something to work with and these people will be more than happy to answer any questions you have.
Again, welcome to the forum.
Dennis
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