Ironlip
11-03-2013, 12:37
Yesterday I was looking at a friend's early '03. It's an original finish 201XXX SN range with a 05 (no month) dated SA barrel in great shape. The stock is a reused rod bayonet version with the S marked plug, a single reinforcing screw and the straight line on the left by the receiver. The inspector cartouche is GRG; one I'm not familiar with but Brophy shows him working between 1908 and 1910. The handguard has the sightline clearance notch, can't remember if it has spring clips. All of that makes sense to me as I assume this is a rod bayonet receiver that might have its original barrel that was rebuilt into a 30-06 caliber rifle some time between 1908 and 1910.
What I don't get is the presence of a block circled P proof stamp. I can see no evidence of an earlier script P, the stock does not appear to be sanded or refinished and both the P and the GRG stamps, while very clear are not recently added. The stamp I'm talking about is shown on page 573 of Brophy.
My early original rifles - 1908 no bolt stock Rock Island and 1911 NRA Springfield - have script P's. I never thought block P's showed up before about 1915 or 1916.
Any thoughts about this?
What is the earliest you've seeen a block circled P proof stamp?
What I don't get is the presence of a block circled P proof stamp. I can see no evidence of an earlier script P, the stock does not appear to be sanded or refinished and both the P and the GRG stamps, while very clear are not recently added. The stamp I'm talking about is shown on page 573 of Brophy.
My early original rifles - 1908 no bolt stock Rock Island and 1911 NRA Springfield - have script P's. I never thought block P's showed up before about 1915 or 1916.
Any thoughts about this?
What is the earliest you've seeen a block circled P proof stamp?