You're in good company because BQ hadn't seen one either. Marty looked at it more logically: Why would an obviously Winchester made barrel on a Winchester carbine have some honkie looking fake ordnance stamp? No stamp at all was better than that one. Marty was right and they came out of the woodwork. He knew that there were several different dies in use all different in some slight way, why not another? He worked with me on a Winchester he had that was close, maybe 100 guns off mine and it was quite a bit different. When there are 1000 guns a day being built, chances are real good that lots of people are doing a lot of different things. And hundreds of thousands of parts in those bins.
---------- Post added at 11:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:37 PM ----------
I looked at it in another way: Why remove later much improved parts to be replaced with parts that don't work as well and may be worn out? I share your views on the carbine. I recall always seeing the same VC tax collector in his hammock by the bridge. With his carbine. He'd wave to us and we'd wave back. A lighter more handy weapon is hard to find. Love your split window.