IHC receiver stamping question

[jks55]

Hi,

I wanted to know what you guys thought about the stamping on this IHC receiver. Doesnt look as crisp as most ive seen. Is this normal production variation? Weak roll stamping? Or altered in some way? rest of rifle looks very good.

thanks

[jks55]

Heres two more stampings. the original post above has a serial number of 452XXXX, the one with the red background below is 453XXXX and the other one below is 454XXXX. The 454XXXX has an RI in Rifle similar to the above stamping, yet the 453XXXX (in between the 2) is a much cleaner stamp. Wonder how often then roll stamp dies were changed out?

[FlyJS41]

The few original finish Harvesters I've handled seem to run the gamut from crisp to muted. Your first pic, to me, looks like it's just honest wear. This is a field grade for comparison:

[jks55]

FlyJS41,

Wear from handling the rifle? Or wear on the roll stamping that made the marks in the receiver?

The first picture i posted is a field grade as well.

Is the worn down stamping less-desirable than a crisp? Or does it matter?

thanks

[FlyJS41]

I was referring to service wear. Unfortunately, I don't know enough about Harvester's manufacturing specifics so I'd be guessing at how long they'd use their dies for the roll marks.

IMHO, the wearing from service use shouldn't decrease collectibility. If the receiver has been media blasted and refinished, then I'd say it's definitely less desirable.

[FlyJS41]

Here's a SA/IHC Gap Letter that looks original. Even this stamping is of various depths:

[FlyJS41]

A blasted and re-parked roll stamp:

[jks55]

definitely doesnt look like the sand blasted / refinished one. the top picture just seems like it was the last rifle stamped with really old/worn stamps prior to a new set being used. All the lines are just fat/dull vs thin/deep... like a dull pencil vs a sharp one. look at the picture with the red background. that occurred after the first one i posted. But then, look at the other picture. looks like after a while, the stamps are starting to wear again near the RI in rifle.