Winchesters with restruck "MX" serial numbers?

[KevH]

I ran across an Winchester 1892 SRC at show today that looked like it had been to hell and back. The gun's receiver appeared to have been buffed at some point and where the factory serial number would be was a restruck number with an MX prefix. The price for the gun was fairly cheap for an 1892, but I didn' like the non-factory serial number and passed (although I know the dealer).

I did an internet search when I got home and see a few posts on various forums inquiring about fairly beat up old Winchesters with restruck "MX" prefix serial numbers. Anyone know what the story is on these or where they're from?

The condition of the gun looked like most of the surplus Israeli stuff that's come over in the last fifteen years. I perused the gun and couldn't find any import markings anywhere. I realize the gun has no collector value, but I'm curious who was restamping serial numbers and why.

[Griff]

HPefully, MIke D. or Sixgun will know. New on me. I heard that Winchester would add a "W" or "X" as a suffix after they'd rebuilt a gun.