[QUOTE=Rick the Librarianicon;114407]One thing that surprised us when we opened the two crates was that the rifles were not totally engulfed in straw, as we had been led to believe. As best I can figure, the rifles when they were packed in "bigger numbers in the UKicon, must have been packed in straw and grease. There were just the few flecks and pieces of straw (no wood shavings) on the rifles when we opened the crates.

Rick,

It appears that different types and quantities of packing materials were used in packing these rifles. Some of the first crates I saw open at Loren's were quite stuffed with this filler, but, never enough to prevent stock dings, unfortunately. I thought it was straw too, until I looked at it more closely and discovered it to be finely cut wood shavings. You can see some wood chips stuck to the rifle in the beginning of this thread. Not to say there wasn't any straw in the crates you opened, but, I think you'll find those thin strands of material stuck to the rifles in the photos you graciously posted are really very fine strips of wood. Not that it really matters.

Thanks much for posting the photo of the markings with the shipping address on top of one of the crates. This confirms the information I gave a very sceptical John in November of 2008, that these crates of rifles, had indeed, gone to Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

Best regards,

Terry