Edit: Dean, thanks for your reply. You posted it while I was typing this one.
Well....upon closer inspection of the forend irons and ejector mechanism, I've found remnants of another serial number. 85314 . This number is stamped plainly on the underside of the forend latches and partially visible on the irons.
There is the remnant of that number on the lug of one barrel, partially obscured by the current serial number 149011, and the last three digits 314 is found on the rear lug along with the last three of 011, on both barrel sets.
According to the Serialization book, 85314 was indeed a grade 7 gun, but had Whitworth steel barrels, yet both sets of barrels have Titanic Steel marked ribs.
Both barrel sets mate perfectly to this receiver and I have hang tags for both sets that I fully believe are authentic Parker tags.
So now I have a new question. Did Parker recycle barrels? If not, where are the original barrels and who would have used grade 5 and 7 barrels on a grade 3 gun?
I've taken photos and will post them shortly.
|
Threaded Mode