I tend to agree this appears to be the gun's original guard. If it had an earlier brass fowler style guard, there should be two small empty pin holes where the earlier guard was attached with pins through the stock...similar to how the ramrod pipes are attached. However, this guard is anchored with wood screws going through the guard's front and rear extensions, and I cannot see any indication of old pin holes from an earlier guard [we need a view from the side of the guard to see any mounting pin holes]. I would leave the iron guard on the gun as its original guard...unless you can find old mounting pin holes to indicate it, in fact, had an earlier brass guard. Shelby Gallien