Posted by SGT on September 23, 2007, 1:50 pm, in reply to "Re: 21 inch barrels"
Rob: This gun was shipped sometime during Hunter's bankruptcy in the 1917-18 era (many of the records for this period are lost). You will note the seller did not state the barrel length was original; nor does he provide a photo of the muzzles. But even if the muzzles look normal, that does not guarantee originality, as a good gunsmith can do amazing work to include rechoking. The only proof of barrel length originality for a Smith gun would be authentication via surviving shipping ledger records; which again, are lost or incomplete for this period. This is truly a case of "buyer beware"; and at $1250 for a hacked-off Field grade, the seller is "just fishing" for the ingnorate or uniformed buyer on which he can do a snow job. If you are interested in this gun, insist that the buyer furnish proof of originality by supplying a Cody letter. If the barrel lenght can be proven to be original, the gun may be worth the asking; but if he can't prove originality, and the odds are extremely high he can't, then save your cash to spend on an honest gun, and with an honest gun seller.