Question for Win 71 wisemen

[big bear]

Got a new bottle of snake oil, the old one"misfiled" in the cave. So I was cleaning, and wiping down some old rifles and noted two letters just in front of the lever hinge, loading gate side of the receiver on my Win 71 short tang...DB..., called a buddy who has a Winchester 71 and lo and behold his has the same two letters stamped on his. Anybody know what the letters are about? Now I guess I'll have to dig out my 94 and see if it has any letters stamped there. Looking forward to any info.Thanks

[big bear]

My buddy called a friend and one of his had a DB also and his other, an older short tang standard did not have a DB , but a faint I or 1. So DB on standard and deluxe 71's in the 40,000 serial range and an I in a 38000 range standard. Had to do chores so checking my 94 will have to wait till Sunday,gotta work tomorrow but then again$$

[Gun Smith]

My 71 has an "A" foward of the hinge, and a sideways "W" over "74" in front of the trigger. What's this all about?

[Leverluver]

"O"............ do I here a bid for a negative?

[Boreman]

Interesting find on the M-71's,never paid any attention,so I checked,here is what I found on my M-71's. I have no idea what they are for. Inspector marks,maybe?????
1) '37 Deluxe LT has a "5" on the loading gate side at lever hinge.
2) '39 Std LT has an "&" on the LG side and "J" on the other.
3) '52 Std ST has "DB" on the LG side

[Bullet Bob]

"DB" stands for "Dead Buck".

[Sixgun]

Most all Winchesters have these marks. Even my early 1886's have 'em. Nothing more than inspectors marks or other worthless information that don't mean nothing to nobody except inside factory information.

One time a buddy of mine raced over my house with a very nice 1886 in 40-82 that he paid some serious money for. He was all excited and needed my opinion. Upon checking it out, I told him, "Gary, you got robbed, this thing is refinished by the factory---see that little "R" next to the lever? It means "refinished". " Well, his jaw dropped and he near started to cry. I did not have the heart to keep it going so I told him the truth---its just a letter.-----------------Sixgun

[geobru]

Sixgun said: I told him, "Gary, you got robbed, this thing is refinished by the factory---see that little "R" next to the lever? It means "refinished".

Sixgun,
Did he ever talk to you again after he recovered from the heart attack??

[kimwcook]

Caveat Emptor applies to everything. BTDT.

[brucew44guns]

My LT deluxe, #40XX, has on the left side of reciever in front of hinge the number 7 stamped in the metal, nothing on loading port side. It stands for the number of elk you are supposed to kill with the rifle before you die, I am not there yet

[Sixgun]

Sixgun,
Did he ever talk to you again after he recovered from the heart attack??

Yea, he still talks to me, but only out of necessity when he needs info on guns or ammo. I oblige him as he owns an auto body business. ----------Sixgun

[Dave B]

Just checked the safe, mine has FR. I was hoping for DB. Thought it would have been nice of Winchester to place my initials there for me.

Dave B