Steel Lot Code Question for JB

[Jim Tarleton]

I have very early RIA and SA barrels that both have SLC's of C8. I have an early RIA barrel with a SLC of W4 and an early SA with a SLC of W14. I can understand the two armories having lots from the same manufacturer, but is it a coincidence that they numbered the lots the same, or were the C8 lots sent to both armories?

Jim

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[John Beard]

I have very early RIA and SA barrels that both have SLC's of C8. I have an early RIA barrel with a SLC of W4 and an early SA with a SLC of W14. I can understand the two armories having lots from the same manufacturer, but is it a coincidence that they numbered the lots the same, or were the C8 lots sent to both armories?

Jim

Each armory apparently used their own numbering system. The "C" barrel steel lot codes track very nicely between SA and RIA. But, the "M" codes do not. SA was up to "M 21" by the end of 1909. RIA, on the other hand, was only up to "M 10".

The bolt steel lot codes definitely do NOT track. RIA was up to "C 13" by 1913. SA, on the other hand, made it only to "C 8" by early 1918, and never went past "C 8."

J.B.