Yes, it does look like there is some cracking inside the head, which is causing the poor fit around the upper tang. This is not all that uncommon with theSe guns that have seen heavy use.
The dent in the barrel is repairable by a gunsmith who has the right tools for the job. It is a good sized one by the look of it and should not be shot before repairing.
I can I believe that checkering butchery. There is no repair to that since the carving looks very deep. Is it was just normal checkering mistakes, they can sometimes be corrected, but not that. This is another example of the many guns I see on the internet while perusing listings. I just shake my head and wonder what they were thinking.
It looks like that work may have been end a long while ago based on the dark color of it compared to the rest of the stock.
I do not want to comment too much on value of the gun vs. price paid. All I can say is that these can be found in better shape for the same money.
Positives that I see are relatively good metal condition. Does not appear to be any heavy rust or pitting.
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B. Dudley
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