There's a lot of why in proof/makers/inspectors marks.
On stamping characters, I have examples of marks on guns that could only be explained as 'reversed *sometihing*'
Although you cannot reverse the character that a punch will render, you can make a punch that will render a reversed character.
I've done it, and I know of quite a few other die makers who've done the same thing, some times on command, some times by a mistake.
It takes the same amount of work to make 'mirror image' punches as it does the other way...
Why?
I don't know.
That character next to the '1' doesn't look like a '1' to me, and it looks to clearly have a radius involved in it's features (I'm using the shadows as a guide there) - but it also is sitting in a field of pits.
Still, we're talking about a set of marks on what appears to be a roach of a set of barrels. With better photos the story could change. My sense it that with better pictures, this set of barrels will look worse.
If the OP (or anyone) has an action that they'll fit them to, they'll start to have some value - but that value won't surface until after a considerable amount of metalwork is thrown at them - only then (and after cartridge/load development happens) will anyone know if they will actually *Shoot*!
There seems to be some undercurrent of speculation around this topic. Does anyone here actually think that this barrel set has historical or other significance or value?
Honest question there, as this barrel set isn't ringing any bells of value for me and I freely admit that there's a lot of 'gun crap' for me to learn...
--Tinker
