US 1917 barrel manufacture initial crossed out

[EddieB]

I seen an image of the manufacture initial on the top of a US 1917 barrel crossed out and can not find anything online about why this was done. Is this common?

[MAC702]

It means not to use water if it catches on fire.

[EddieB]

[jamie5070]

That's a new one to me. As down on the 1917/P-14 forum

[EddieB]

I have never seen that as well. Was hoping someone would have herd about this before. Thanks for the feedback.

[browningautorifle]

You don't suppose this an accidental damage that has happened in the hundred odd years since it was made? Just an accidental smash that has left this mark? It just happened to have crossed the "W"?

[EddieB]

That was the first thing I though as well. Noticed that other long scratch on the barrel and figured that might be it, but.... the line looked to "straight" to be accidental. Nice to know at lease the two of us are looking at this the same way.

[ssgross]

the line looked to "straight" to be accidental

I was wondering accident too, but in addition to being straight, is is also pretty deep, deeper then the stamp, perfectly perpendicular to the bore axis, and with tapered edges showing the mark was straight down as opposed to following the curve of the barrel. All that says to me it was cut straight across by the edge of 60deg file, or perhaps punched with a cold chisel. Looks more cut with a file though. Contrast this with the dash in the date, which was roll stamped.

Could it have had some flaw or blemish not worthy of the W, but then used anyway out of production necessity?

[browningautorifle]

I spent a long time in the infantry and saw all kinds of things happen, everything you handle is steel or heavy. When you handle several weapons at once or have them loaded together damage can happen. It's not possible to be definitive, it's not struck out. There's no reason or logic. What, they decided it CAN'T be a Winchester barrel any more, it was disowned... Just happenstance damage.

[ssgross]

Just spitballing. I suppose also plausible is Bubba dropped his dremmel on it.