Carbine stock questions

[Mark H]

Since trap buttplates were authorized in 1877 is it a safe assumption that all model 1884s should have one? For example this listing in Gun Broker

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1001717318

Now the seller does mention that the stock might be a replacement but that just might be a nice way to say aftermarket. Also if I read my Waite/Ernst correctly no carbines were made in the year this serial matches to , 1890. Every time a see a model 1884 without a trap buttplate I think something is off.

Also, I read on this web site that dated inspector stock markings Should agree with the serial number production date or at least close

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1006390301

This listing shows an inspector date of 1886 with a serial number from 1890 so that makes me wonder what up.

What do y’all say

[Dick Hosmer]

First example - front sight is incorrect (look at #2 which IS good, and note differences in placement, base and blade) that immediately puts the entire gun in question. Even though the stock tip profile (which trips up a GREAT many Bubbas) looks good, it still may have been fooled with. Did you ask if the butt had holes? If not, it's bogus, ALL carbines after 1877 had butt-traps.

Second example appears to be the better choice, by far - the only issue being that the stock is dated ahead of the gun. The good point is that that is a believable carbine number from the last group of 5000 made in 1889. My example is 452770. There could be several legitinmate explanations for the mis-match.

Finding a true virgin after almost 150 years, and many owners, is not easy What all boils down to is that we all have to decide how much irregularity we can live with. Common guns we want to be near perfect - but, for example, the M1882 28" barrel TRB 197404 that I just restored looks GREAT from two feet away, and I'm thrilled because I don't have the $30,000 for a real one. Everything else is somewhere in the middle