Originally Posted by
jmoore
The serial number is likely a post WWII armourer's addition, which is perfectly fine. (One of mine has a S/N on the fore stock, the other, no.) Unless there's some other way to identify the stock as being original to the rifle from the factory, the lack of a date mark MAY indicate the wood was replaced at some point. That's why I found the dates of interest for this mfg.
Of course, now some enterprising folk will start adding date stamps to their "S51" stamp sets. (And M1 cartouche stamps, etc.)
