Posted by Bryndon Steele on October 17, 2006, 9:33 am, in reply to "Re: more bad luck"
I read somewhere (and it makes good sense) that the early split top tang is a result of using the same forgings as were used on the hammer guns. Hammer guns came first and didn't have a safety, so when hammerless guns came along and required the safety feature existing forgings were used and simply had the extension added for the safety. Getting new forgings made is very easy today, but I bet it wasn't always so.
To go along with this I know of a Specialty gun made in 1919 with a two-piece top tang. It is a 12ga and is clearly marked on the barrel flats "2 5/8 inch chambers" in the same oval pattern that later 3" guns were marked. I need to go see that guy again and get some pictures of it.