Harry,
Hope winter is treating you well.
Good advice you give on how to start checkering; you have to wish the person who "practiced" on that 1893 pictured here would have taken your advice.
I feel sorry for the 93 since it was probably very happy, living as a plain rifle in a desirable caliber, until some bubba ruined it. IMHO
I'd be damn happy to own such a "bubba" gun. But then I like cave art, petroglyphs and powderhorns carved by nameless old dead guys.
However it turns out, I'm pretty doubtful I'll post any pictures here.