Quote Originally Posted by jmoore View Post
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 M1icon cartouche stamps, etc.)
My 1942 cLong Branch was removed from the packing crate in May 1970 coated/soaked through and through with cosmo and it is my opinion that the magazine number was VERY deeply struck at the time of manufacture. Original purchase price $29.95 w/ammo $2.00 per box of 20. Those were the days!