Mike
Interesting letter for several reasons. I believe that explains the Deeley forend on a serial number that is a few years earlier. It is interesting that your gun was shipped just 6 days after order. The 1880 10 gauge I have was ordered and shipped in a few day period late in the year even though the serial number is sequential with guns ordered very early in the year and shipped significantly later. Also like yours, the order book shows that it was ordered as a Damascus gun but it actually shipped with Parker laminate barrels. That coupled with the significant number of D graded guns I have seen discussed that left the factory with Parker laminate barrels has led me to believe that they used the barrels interchangebly. The reason there aren't more examples would be that they just didn't make a lot of the Parker laminate barrrels.
It seems it may have been a common practice to stock completed actions and parts and then assemble guns quickly when an order came in. sometimes after many months or more. I find it telling that both our guns were sold as Damascus but finished very quickly with Laminated barrels at discount prices. My gun, which looks exactly like a $150 dollar grade was discounted $25. Maybe that's how they moved out the remaining Parker laminates.
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