Hello and thanks, DRYDOCK:
The original in the Missouri State collection is interesting.
Please provide us with more detail on the location of the leather washer.
There are at least a couple SSS members that have the over-rotation problem that could benefit.
And, for what it may be worth, think about this, please:
The CHIAPPA Spencer RIFLE I handled and photographed at Tayler's last May was serial number 16E04495.
I know of a recently delivered CARBINE with serial number 16F04XXX.
Taylor's indicated to me recently, before I knew of the 16F number, that the factory simply used "assigned blocks of numbers" that do not relate to production variations, etc.
Here are two recent ones, approx. a year apart with serial numbers that would perhaps indicate a few HUNDRED produced.
Is is even remotely possible that there are that MANY selling? If so, we hear about only a few, here.
Thanks, again, Kevin