Stock Marking Question

[EinsteinTaylor]

With the great knowledge being provided on my Inland thread, I thought I'd see if anyone might have some insight into a mystery that has me stumped.

I have a Standard Products 2,509,xxx with an Underwood barrel. Not an import, but a total mixmaster nothing really stands out as special, but I still like to understand the history of the gun.

To the mystery...
It has a low wood, O cut Inland stock marked IO in the sling well. If you hold at at just the right angle in just the right light, you can make out part of the crossed cannon cartouche on the right side but to call it faint would be an understatement. It's obviously been through a rebuild as it has the P on the front of the pistol grip and a Z on the bottom(but no P on the bottom).

My research indicates the Z is likely the arsenal inspector. The odd part is that I can't find an arsenal stamp anywhere on the stock. My understanding is that it should be on the left side, between the pistol grip and sling well and it's just not there. I found what might be another extremely faint marking on the left side of the pistol grip. I'm almost certain it's just my eyes playing tricks on me as it is tiny, like 1/4" at most and seems to just be one letter, either an R or a B which doesn't match any known arsenal stamp. I'm pretty sure at this point my eyes are just seeing stamps where they don't exist.

What are yalls thoughts? I can see why the cartouche might be so faint after a vigorous sanding and refinish at the arsenal but every arsenal stamp I've ever seen tends t be rather obvious. Did they ever just get forgotten and left off, or maybe put in some oddball place I haven't looked?

Information

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[INLAND44]

No, the cartouche is in the right place for an Inland, and many of them are faint today because of sanding and staining. My Inland stock Ordnance mark is the same - if the light is not right and if you're not looking at the right angle, you might miss it. Of course they weren't originally that way at all. This is not mine - it's one of the most 'mint' ones I've seen.



If your SP Carbine has been refinished, possibly the stock it was in at that time got replaced with the stock it now wears which is why there's no rebuild mark. I don't think the 'Z' is an arsenal inspector. Possibly that stock was out of the USA for awhile and got a non-U.S. mark. In any event, the carbine has a story and it's always entertaining to ferret it out.

[EinsteinTaylor]

The cartouche is there. Just almost invisible. I'm just puzzled by the lack of arsenal mark.

It has the P on the front of the pistol grip, the adjustable site, and most telling, the bayonet stud barrel band and the rifle is a whole mix of parts.

All of those things tell me it had to have been through the arsenal but I'll be damned if I can find the stamp.

[EinsteinTaylor]

***double post***

[INLAND44]

The rebuild mark was always put on the stock only. The stock can be changed at any later time. So, no rebuild mark. Also, carbines were routinely updated in the field with the new parts - they did not have to be turned in for a rebuild to get the bayo lug or adjustable sight. Even Parkerizing could have been done at other levels of maintenance. 'Rebuild programs' only happened a few times so millions of carbines may not have a rebuild mark. And it's always possible it just got sanded off later.

[EinsteinTaylor]

I hadn't considered field upgrades. This mixmaster is my shooter. Fun little piece.

[imntxs554]

I purchased a Inland Stock marked IO in the Sling Well for my '45 Inland Hand Stamped and the Ordnance Wheel changes when you use Light or the Stock is at a angle. The Stock when I got I could tell it had been Sanded so, I didn't expect it to show more of the Ordnance Wheel. When you use light or tilt it then you can see more of the Wheel. Just thought I show it cause it amazes me even though it was sanded you can take a picture at a angle and most of it appears.

[RASelkirk]

I purchased a Inland Stock marked IO in the Sling Well for my '45 Inland and the Ordnance Wheel changes when you use Light or the Stock is at a angle. The Stock when I got I could tell it had been Sanded so, I didn't expect it to show more of the Ordnance Wheel. When you use light or tilt it then you can see more of the Wheel. Just thought I show it cause it amazes me even though it was sanded you can take a picture at a angle and most of it appears.

I've got a 6.9m '45 Inland hand-stamp, the stock has no rebuild/arsenal markings at all and it appears to have never been sanded. Has IO in the slingwell and that's the only marking on the entire stock. Would that be unusual?

Russ

[new2brass]

I think the government stated that rebuilds done out of country were not to be marked.

[imntxs554]

I still have the Stock that came with my '45 Inland Hand Stamped and it has a Ordnance Wheel on it along with a Nice size split in the Channel.