SGT Rock-Go to this web site(US Military Knives Bayonets Machetes) Enter, then scroll down to the Repo ID page. Once there go to the "M3" section and scroll down to the different Case examples. Might want to check out all of them. On my guard marked M3 the stamp is horizontal to the ground looking from the front. You'll have to decide what you have, but I think you have a Repro. Sorry! Good luck. Skip