YEP, The proof house got heavy a few years back. Prof law here in the UK states that it is illegal to sell or offer for sale any gun which is not in proof. It used to be that the guns would be sold to RFD holders in the Trade so they could be rescued.
Unfortunately a few bad apples used this as a loophole to ship out of proof guns to the US, where there is no proof law protection and therefore a deal of public ignorance about the safety and usability of these guns. Result was that responsible dealers got slapped along with the cowboys and now a lot of nice guns, which may be salvageable are cut before hey can be released to anyone, regardless of Trade status.
So, now if you bid at auction on stock action and forend lots, you will be given cut barrels, as in the photos above.
