Interesting Trapdoor..Named...

[rockisle1903]

Picked this up on a whim...What are the chances this is his rifle...
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/eftown.htm
He was in charge of Ft. Leavenworth from 1890-1894
The name stamp is all one, not individual letters...Comments welcome..Thanks for Looking..Mike4145241453414544145541456

[rockisle1903]

Here are a few more....I forgot to photograph, but the circle P is below the pistol grip...Thanks again, Mike
4146141457414584145941460

[Dick Hosmer]

Who knows? One clue might be the (P) since it is below the grip it was either put there after the grip was on, or was struck low, knowing that the grip WOULD be put on. Either smacks of "special handling" (RHIP) courtesy. Also, a private is unlikely to have had a custom stamp made. You'll likely never know for sure, but it's probably worthy of further digging. Nice find!

[Fred]

From when he was a Colonel at Ft. Yates, Dakota Territory? Look near the bottom of this list...
Note the reference of the 12th Infantry and the 7th Cavalry...

https://books.google.com/books?id=EkZHAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA88&lpg=PA88&dq=E.+F.+Townsend,+7th&source=bl&ots=VoaQyTSZ3n&sig=vN5vzfdYlNAWRbxH52s7sGzxYD0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjVkamLsofVAhUrjFQKHZPpD0UQ6AEIITAC#v=on epage&q=E.%20F.%20Townsend%2C%207th&f=false

[rockisle1903]

I found this the other day , it mentions. the 7th and the 10th in 1891 at Ft. Leavenworth..
https://books.google.com/books?id=lyoVDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA49&dq=e.f.+townsend+ft.+leavenworth&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiUl5-utofVAhUnl1QKHY_bCEsQ6AEIPTAE

[madsenshooter]

I'd sure like to have one of those pistol grips for my thin wrist Krag!

[Dick Hosmer]

I don't think they would fit, Bob.

[robh5]

I have the exact same markings on my 1888 as rockisle1903's rifle above. The only difference is under the small 7 mine is stamped 872 and the comb is painted I 72. Was wondering what these stand for? Thanks.

[Dick Hosmer]

A great many M1888 rod-bayonet rifles saw "militia" (later became the NG) service during the Span-Am war and the later troubles in the Philippines. Such troops often marked their weapons, a practice forbidden in the regular army. Most common locations are side of butt, rear of comb ahead of buttplate, top of wrist.

The markings USUALLY, but not always, took the form of "small number/letter/larger number", thus 1/B/27 would mean First (insert State) Volunteer Infantry, "B" Company, rifle/rack #27.

Variations include the following:

(1) Painted, using a stencil. White, black and red most often seen.
(2) Burned with a die and left plain
(3) Stamped with die and left plain
(4) Stamped and filled with paint, white most common
(5) Hand carved

A monograph could be written on this by someone with a GREAT deal of patience, and a GREAT deal of time to spend for no reward. Thousands of TDs are listed in the SRS books with unit designations. Some of those guns are known. Many marked guns appear at shows, and on Gunbroker. With a LOT of time, some patterns would emerge, allowing owners of un-listed guns to make a very good guess as to where their rifle was issued, just based on style of this marking.

While I'd ASSUME that all rifles in a given COMPANY would be marked the same, that is not a given - and there is NO guarantee that all rifle in a given regiment would be stamped identically as to format.

An interesting challenge for a trivia maven, but not one for me!

[robh5]

So could the large 7 branded on the left side of the stock, as on the above rifle and mine maybe be an Infantry number? Thanks.