One can guess much from serial numbers, but a large sample is needed to see a pattern develop. A8296 could well be a Type 2. But the 1895 marked butt disc is obviously not original to the 1896 dated carbine.


1895 LMC Type 1, D ring removed, sight cover screws added, serial 2854A
1895 LMC Type 1, D ring intact. serial 5214A ex Canadian service
1895 LMC Type 1, D ring intact, serial 5699A likely ex Canadian
1895 LMC Type 1, D ring intact, serial 5817A likely ex Canadian
1896 LMC Type 2, no D ring, serial 9609A (or as suggested, a type 3 with a sling bar butt replacement)

Canadaicon purchased only 500 LMC arms in 1895, but their serial numbers do not appear to have been sequential as their spread is greater than 500.

---------- Post added at 07:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:33 PM ----------
Quote Originally Posted by browningautorifleicon View Post
Condemned? Or sold out of service?
The twin sisters, being a double capital R back to back is a condemned marking. I guess that a condemned rifle could be converted to a DP, but this one hasn't.

---------- Post added at 07:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:37 PM ----------
Quote Originally Posted by Lithy View Post
As with the DP on mine.

I suspect the Metford rifling had a fair bit to do with it.

---------- Post added at 04:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:21 PM ----------

Just thinking out loud here, but your Type 2 has serial number A9609 whilst my Type 3 is A7452 which leads me to consider two options.

Mine is a Type 2 that has had the sling bar removed in service, or yours is a Type 3 that has had the butt replaced with an earlier version.
For sure, my carbine has a later (higher) serial number than yours. So let's just assume that it is later production. I note that yours has had the sight cover screws added, which, if I recall correctly was an 1897 onwards retrofit. Your wrist strap has several factory rework markings, so perhaps the butt was brought into line with pattern arms when the screws were added by patching the sling bar inletting. That would lead me to suggest that they are both type 2 carbines. Only guess work, I can't back it up.