I had to dig my gun out of the safe this morning to verify that my gun has a pair of birds on each side. I knew the circle vs oval distinction, but the number of birds on each side had been overlooked in my readings.

My interest stems from the fact I have a No. 3 10ga with oval engravings, along with two quail and two woodcock. In addition, the barrels are stamped with a 3. My letter from Mr. Stubbendieck several years ago returned with a No 2 designation.

From a collectors standpoint, is this gun a No 3 or a No 2? Is the gun you mentioned considered an A-1 or an A-2 by the majority of the community?

I suspect many buyers would consider it to be of the lower grade...until they themselves decided to sell.

Personally, I see this as nothing more than a mistake, likely by the original recorder. I've also wondered if a letter from Cody would see the same "2" in their pencil marks, or would someone else perhaps read the handwriting as a "3"?