03A3 stock stamp questions

[dw617]

I have an Oct '43 Remington 03a3 with a 7-44 Remington replacement barrel that I purchase last summer. This rife is very clean, accurate and fun to shoot.

The stock is GI and I believe correct for the rifle, but at one point, someone sanded off many of the stamps. You an can actually feel, and from the right angle see, where the large inspection stamps were sanded off below the magazine cut off switch. I read somewhere that once upon a time it was common to sand off stamps unlike today. I'm curious if anyone has ever heard of this? The stamps on the bottom of the rife are faint but visible. Next to the circle P proof, I have a "H" - Does anyone know what the H stands for?

Thanks

Information

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[Johnny Peppers]

When the NRA/DCM sold the M1 Carbines in the mid 1960's it was very common for the new owner to sand all markings off the stocks and give it a good varnish finish. They weren't collectible at the time, and the stock markings were viewed as something ugly that needed removing. Some of the markings can still be seen almost as ink stampings, as while the wood was sanded smooth, the oil and grime had soaked into the wood fibers in the markings and weren't completely removed.

[Rick the Librarian]

The "H" is a subinspection mark, probably by the person who test-fired the rifle. There is virtually no knowledge who these people were and what the letters stood for. The P, of course, meant the rifle had successfully passed a proof-firing test.