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I’m trying to find the meaning of the letter B stamped on the forward edge of an 1885 Low Wall buttstock from an 1893 rifle in 25-20 W.C.F. Have checked the internet as well as both volumes of Campbell’s work and also Madis’ big book and found nothing.
Anyone out there have any ideas?
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
I do not believe that it has a specific meaning. The Model 1885 Single Shot is often a really tough nut to crack as it applies to all of the various things found stamped on them.
If your low-wall is an 1893 vintage rifle, it was not made in 25-20 W.C.F. If the barrel is marked “25 W.C.F.”, it is a 25-20 Single Shot. Winchester did not introduced the 25-20 W.C.F. (repeater) cartridge until early 1895. Shortly after they did introduce it, the “25 W.C.F.” marking was changed to “25-20 S.S.”
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Thanks for the reply, Bert. I don’t doubt that the meaning of the “B” has been lost over time but it must have meant something to the person stamping the stock at the time, otherwise it wouldn’t have been done. Perhaps it wasn’t of significant enough importance for a record of its meaning to have been recorded.
As to the caliber, you are absolutely right Bert. This was the subject of a previous thread when I first acquired the rifle over a year ago. After a thorough disassembly and cleaning, which included removal of the bluing on the muzzle, it was obvious the barrel had been relined years earlier.
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-rifles/1885-wood/#p43334
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
I quite often forgot what I may have said or done yesterday, and I most surely can not remember something I posted last year… getting old sucks!
More than likely it was an inspectors stamp, but I very seldom ever find stamped markings in that location (though I have seen several through the years).
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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