Iver Johnson Champion - HBTB

[Tarheel59]

We have an old Iver Johnson Champion 12ga that has a hand stamped "HBTB" on each of the major parts - forearm wood, lump under the barrel, as well as the receiver....

Does anyone have a clue as to what this could be, or do you think it is something that someone down the ownership chain has put on it to mark their claim and/or make sure the right parts stayed together when disassembled???

Thanks in advance!

Tarheel59

 

[Dave McCracken]

I've been told IJ used letters, not numbers on their arms.

 

[bushmaster1313]

The man who would know, Bill Goforth, passed away this year.