Best to buy with the caveat if having an independent expert examine the gun and give you a report. What to look for:
Barrels: ensure they ring when suspended by the hook. Failure to ring lien a church bell indicates a loose rib, a costly fix. Have them measure wall thickness, chamber depth an check for any hard to see defects or pitting. Wall thickness should be well over .030" with these guns.
Check that barrels are on face, no gap or looseness between barrels and breechface. Take off fore end, hold this juncture up to light while putting hand pressure on both parts. There should be no light or gap, no looseness vertically or horizontally.
Top lever should be right of center.
Check ejector timing.
Ensure screws are not buggered. Telltale sign of amateur work.
These are just a few. These are nice old guns, but they are nearly 100 years old and a lot could have happened to the gun in that time.
