Hello everyone, Im a 70 year old hunter up in Montana. I own or have owned three side by sides and three over unders. A 1907 Lefever, a 1869 Parker GH I inherited from my father in law(his grandfathers gun) and an LC Smith featherweight. All three guns are 12 gauge. The O/Us are a 12 ga Citori, 12 ga Ruger Red Lable Sporting Clays and a sweet 20 ga early 70svWinchester 101.
My question is regarding a Fox Sterlingworth pin gun with some issues that I found in a local shop. Overall the gun is ok and seems to work well with snap caps, safety works, each trigger trips the hammers, ejectors eject. The barrels have been reblued but done well, the barrel stamping is clean and distinct and the bores are shiny.
The main issue is the lever is definitely left of center and kind of hard to open. The action feels tight to me, but everybody makes a big issue about the lever being right of center, or centered. Can a good gunsmith fix this if its a problem?
The other issue is purely cosmetic, but basically ruins any collector value. The 30 barrels ring like a bell and it has double ivory beads, but at some point, somebody milled the rib down about 3/16 for about 6-7 forward of the action. I have no idea why, maybe to mount a scope or something though there are no threaded screw holes. The machined section is dimpled so it doesnt reflect. I assume the only way to make it look original is to find a donor rib somewhere?
The guy is asking $500.00, Im thinking of offering him $300-$400, if I could feel good about the lever issue and the gun was a safe, tight shooter, Id be happy.
