Curious Markings

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

Just received the nickle plated, 5 & 1/2", .45 that I ordered (through my dealer) from USFA last week.  It is, as we have come to expect, perfect but I noticed something that I have never seen on a USFA gun before.  Inside the hammer channel, just below the rear sight and above the firing pin hole, the following has been stamped;

       T2
        2

Serial number of the gun is 262XX.  has anyone else run across this?  I assume that it is a batch number of some sort but it does not match the batch number on the loading gate.  Any ideas?
CJF

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

FOLLOW-UP:  Well, it's not a batch number.  Took the grip frame off and found the three digit batch number, that matches the loading gate number, on the frame. Curiouser and curiouser 

[Grogan]

Yep!  I have...

I'll have to look and see exactly what mine's markings are.

I did notice some markings, just where you descirbe.

I'll check and get back here with what I've found.

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[mike454]

I had the same question on this board a while back http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,22416.0.html . Been meaning to call USFA to get an answer. Glad to see mine aren't the only ones marked this way.

[Fox Creek Kid]

It's the Terminator T2 Model. You know, the liquid metal guy. 

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

Well that's it!  Fox Creek Kid has provided us with the definitive answer.
Just wondering why USFA has started doing this.  To date, they have been almost religious about stamping their guns the same way as the 1st generation Colts.  To the best of my knowledge, Colt has never marked their guns in this manner.  So why this sudden departure from "tradition?"
Maybe this is all part of some sinister plot to cause mass confusion among our ranks.

[Grogan]

I went and checked...

and BOTH my fairly recently acquired USFA SAAs have this.

My Standard SAA in .32-20 is marked U2
                                                        0

and my Sheriff's Special is marked T2
                                                   7

[Banjoman]

The three numbers/letters indicate the lot # of the steel used in the frame, the pallet #, and the position on the pallet during the machining process.  The pallet holds 12 pieces of frame material.  If, in the inspction process, we find  frames that are out of spec, one of the things looked at is the pallet and it's integrety.   If an out of spec frame is consistently coming fom a pallet, the pallet position # can tell us if it's coming from the same  position on the pallet.
Gary

[Capt. John Fitzgerald]

Another mystery solved!