JamesCollier, Are you sure you're not a victim of your own inexperience? I've known Simpson for 38 years and i don't think "taking" customers is part of his business strategy. He offers a 3 day inspection period, did you not notice the barrel during that time? Gets back to inexperience.
Before I'd put Simpson down I'd ask on this site and Jan Stiil's if anyone has seen this on a banner before. Banners can have some oddities.
I had a 1939 Banner a number of years ago, s/n #34w, that had an Eagle/6 Simson stamp struck plainly on the side plate along with the 34. I was sure it was a replacement. I searched and found a side plate with a 34 on it and replaced the E/6 one on the gun, thinking how lucky I was. Fortunately, I saved the E/6 plate because I later read that although unusual, E/6 stamped parts did appear on some Banners. I still have that 34 marked side plate I incorrectly used to replace the E/6 plate. That was over forty years ago. I still don't think anyone has satisfactorily explained how Simson marked parts got onto Mauser Banners. At least an s/42 barrel is Mauser made.
Jack
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