Faint
 

I recently purchased a 1917 Artillery rig. The proof on the board stock is VERY FAINT. Anyone have some pics of what they should look like? Thanks very much to whomever replies, Mike

Here you go Mike.
Norm

Thanks
 

Thanks Norm! The crown is barely visible, and the letter underneath? An "M"? "N"? The stock is in good shape...but literally has hundreds of tiny handling marks. Mike

Hi Mike ,
Your mark could only be a DWM Crown/Gothic S, like mine, or an Erfurt Crown/Gothic G (much rarer).
Norm

Norm, or anybody,

I have come under the impression that only Erfurt LP08 stocks would be inspection stamped; that DWM stocks, as with the rest of their contract delivery work, would not?

--Dwight

Here some stamp , from the forum and my collection :
/

Hi Dwight,
Do you have any evidence to support this view?
Regards, Norm

Crown "M" sounds like he might have a navy stock.

It would be hard to mistake a Navy stock for an Artillery with that stock disc in the middle!

Nope, wish I did. Only logic...


--Dwight

If I remember correctly it is because Crown G stocks often come with Erfurt proofed stock iron screws.

Could be that stocks were not "made" by DWM, but by a sub?
Then the Stocks would have been inspected separately.

No "count" but there are way to many C/S stocks to be Erfurt produced; and not enough "un-marked" to be DWM. JMHO.

The stock is numbered to the pistol, 1107h, DWM 1917. (Still has fine tune front and rear sights). The crown is barely able to be made out (In certain light), and there is a pressure mark, (dent) right below it, I guess it will always be a mystery! I had a similar rig in the early 1990's with great proofs on the stock, but also had the name "Buxton" carved in it in 1 in letters. Oh well; these guns have been in the trenches of WW 1, brought home by ship in duffle bags, and have generally hung around for 101 years in my case, part of the fun of collecting.