As a general rule I rate gun dealers (with some exceptions) just about one level above used car salesmen.
Looking at a Woodward offered by a UK dealer last week I was told by the dealer that both sets of barrels "are in proof". Upon inspection by a dealer I trust it turns out that one set of barrels is out of proof. The offering dealer, at various times, quoted the LOP at anything between 14-3/4" and 15-1/4". Pretty gun and maybe someone will buy it, but not me.
Some years ago I was asked by a friend to examine a couple of Fox guns that a friend of his had bought. Upon examination these guns both turned out to be 'composed' gun made of various odd parts with serial numbers erased and re-stamped.
British proofs are a great aid in buying, but they do not address wall thickness. I have a couple lightweight Brit doubles that have wall thicknesses as low as .022, but the guns are well within proof based on the internal diameters at 9" from the chamber at the time of proof, which can vary quite a bit. For instance a Brit 12b is nominally .729" but can vary from .710" to .740". Once you sort out all the various proofmarks and the period in which they were used they can tell you a lot about a gun.
Still, Caveat Emptor
Last edited by Chukarman; 04/23/23 02:47 PM.
