Bob, thanks for that info.
I remembered that the 0000000 rifles may have been board guns that were assembled later. This idea had been discussed earlier on one of the Garandicon sites but I couldn't recall the details of that thread (boy, I sure do miss my memory).

I do not recall if I wrote down any info on that 0000000 cutaway but I do remember that it, too, had a 1944 barrel on it. May have also been 2-44.
I still have Pete's catalog with the cutaway in it but it is across town from me. When I get a chance, I'll go by and get it and see if the description provides any interesting details .

Is it possible that the 0000000 rifles were manufactured in 1944 as training pieces, some as board guns and some as cutaways? Or maybe, the cutaway was just a board gun that someone else made into a cutaway. Maybe there were only two 0000000 rifles made-- a board gun and a cutaway.