Strange cartouce by buttplate tang M1873 65583

[John S.]

Any idea what this marking is?
New listing on Joe Salter site. Looks pretty standard other than this, and addition of steel pistol grip.

65583.jpg (62.11 KiB) Viewed 1098 times

Full series of photos:
https://www.joesalter.com/category/prod ... eld-Armory

[Dick Hosmer]

I have seen that mark (or one VERY similar to it) in the normal cartouche position. Wasn't there a brief period when neither Allin nor Porter stamped a few guns?

Also of note, that is a case-colored type 1 block - ODD.

Despite your comment of a week ago, that serial range (60-80k+/-) DOES have some interesting "transitional" variations, when you figure that the following features each only existed for very short period, but with some overlaps: Long-comb stock with narrow inlet, high-arch block without eagle/arrows, narrow low-arch block, gas-escape change, etc.

[carlsr]

I have a rifle in the 64000 range with a medium u on the lower barrel band. I had changed it to a small u as I thought it was incorrect.
While talking to Al one day I had mentioned the medium u and he said it was correct for that serial number range. Apparently there was a period where the medium u was used. I promptly changed it back.