Rod Bayonet Stock Serial Number?

[GWS]

My old shooter '03 has a rod bayonet stock. Under the buttplate, the number 5512 is stamped. Could this possibly have been the serial number of the original receiver? It has one of the early ground down Krag buttplates with matching asssembly numbers on the plate and cover. Unfortunately, the cartouche is long gone so I don't know what year it is actually from. A few pictures will help explain what I have. Thanks.

495154951649517

[RCS]

I don't recall a serial number under the butt plate, but it is possible to be a serial
number.

My rod bayonet stock came from the CMP but what I to be interesting is the marking
on the top of the buttplate, which I am told is the following:

Troop H
8th cavalry
trooper 18
You don't see many unit marked 1903 buttplates and this is a 03 buttplate, not a
ground down Krag. 49518495194952049521

[GWS]

RCS--Thanks for the reply, your marked butt plate adds an interesting item to the history of the rifle. There is a small difference in the two stocks here, mine does not have the plugged hole for the upper band. According to the Ferris/Beard book "Production and Alteration 1905-1910" this was done only to the altered 1905 modification rifles and not to the altered rod bayonet stocks. page 19, photo at top. I'm not 100% sure of what that means in the time difference of these 2 stocks, but I think your stock maybe slightly later in mfg. than mine. Maybe John will help clarify this.49522

[RCS]

GWS, Also interesting is that Troop H, 8th Cavalry went into Mexico in 1916.

Certain you are correct about the stocks, mine is still single bolt high wood.

it was on a low number rifle from a veteran group turn-in to cmp, the stock
was removed and later sold.

[GWS]

Certain you are correct about the stocks, mine is still single bolt high wood.


RCS- I'm not at all certain about this, after re-reading a good part of the book today I think the altered 1905 stocks were made into rifles before the rod bayonet rifles were disassembled and modified for the 1905 bayonet. Then a short bit later, they were all modified again for the 30-06 cartridge. Clear as mud right? Still, they turned out to be pretty sweet shooting rifles and I feel lucky to have one with so much history behind it. My stock ended up with both stock bolts.

49523

[RCS]

my receiver came from the cmp auction around 2011, must have been a
veteran organization turn-in, The receiver must have been refinished at
some point in time. I did install a SA 6-16 barrel with a nice bore.

I use an chamber insert to shoot 32 ACP, 32 S&W and 32 S&W Long at
pistol range.4952449525