My in the white story goes like this. Many years ago I had a small muzzleloading business I ran out of my home. I took my set up to the local rendezvous, and shoots, and sold guns, tents, tinware, you name it. I sold several trade guns made by North star ( when Curly was still alive, not, North star west), and at least a couple of them were in the white. Years later I was asked by one of my customers widows to liquidate his muzzleloading collection. One of the guns in that collection was the .20 gauge trade gun I had sold him. It was still in the white, even though it had been shot quite a bit. He contended that some trade guns were sold that way, and the finish we see today is the result of long term handling, and oiling. I tried to continue his experiment, but couldn't stand it after a while, and finished the metal and wood.
Hungry Horse