Miller,
As you say, I also prefer a splinter, but, as you also noted, it makes no difference in my shooting which front wood a gun has.
I have the box mine came in, and it was mismarked as to the guns actual choke combination. I actually have two boxes from European guns that have incorrect choke configurations for the guns they contained. The Richland is actually MOD and IM MOD, a usable combination for me. My Italian guns all have the choke marked on the tubes. The box said it was MOD and FULL.
In that era, European gunmakers could probably assume every American wanted beaver tails, white lines, pistol grips, recoil pads, and MOD and FULL chokes. A lot of guns came that way.
We now live in different times. Then, you could get a gun that has true charcoal case colors, sparse, but, well executed hand engraving, well done checkering, also by hand, that didnt cost a small fortune.
Nobody serves that market today. I find it lamentable.
Best,
Ted
