Don't forget the .32-20 guns had their own serial number sequence and that their stocks would fit the .38 HEs with no problem. It's not clear to me whether the three reported legible digits would come at the beginning or the end of the penciled number.

Jeff, sometimes rocking the panel back and forth under a bright light will create reflection highlights on the graphite that will paint an image of a barely legible number on your retina.

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David Wilson