Posted by Mike Poindexter on July 5, 2008, 12:44 pm
Field grade regular frame 12 with Cody letter, s/n 178914, started July 1939, shipped November 1939 to Richmond VA. Does not have the single sighting plane rib. Has 3- 5/16" lightening holes milled in the bar of the frame on each side so that you can see the cocking rods. Don't see a picure of anything like this in Brophy's book, haven't read Houtchins'yet. Was this a standard practice in later Hunter Arms production? The forward screw would interfere on the featherweight frames, it appears to me. The bridles, hammers, mainsprings and sears on this gun are nicely polished to about 280 grit, but not engine turned. The inside of the lock plates is not polished at all. Again, standard pre-war finish on a field grade? My postwar 1947 FWS field grade has what appears to be a stamped bridle, and unpolished springs and sears, and no lightening holes cut into the receiver. Have pics but have never posted them through external urls before. Thanks in advance for your interest.