MH Cavalry Carbine Question

I am sitting in front of a MH Cavalry Carbine that looks kosher:

Correct small cocking indicator, correct radiusing on receiver front, front band looks good, clearing rod present, "sold out of service" double arrows on butt adjacent to the traces of the original butt roundel marking and on forward LH side of receiver.

There is a tiny arrow pointing down from Crown on RHS. Cannot see any colonial markings.

My query involves the date: 1888.

I am a Lee Enfield kind of bloke, so my question is: Is this date real?

Digital camera has brain-fade, so no pix yet.

I can't tell you whether the date on the subject carbine is real, but can say that is a legit date for production. Pics would help eliminate any uncertainty you may have. Fakery has gotten quite good in that the web is a two edge sword where info on fakes can be exchanged....and those making such can become educated and improve the quality of their bogus goods. The latest trend is to take lesser value commercial rifles/carbines and apply Brit military markings....which is a case of an authentic firearm becoming a fake. Seems like a lot of work when there are so many other easier dishonest ways of making a living, but there are enough of them showing up that their existance can't be denied.