I worked for RIACO. for a while and noticed those kinds of stamps on stocks that were restocked/restored. I found they are probably stamps of a modern day restocker to show the gun wasn't all original and was restocked. I'd take a good look at your stock and see if it is legit.

  Has anyone of you Forum readers even come across a Maynard rifle, or any other brand of rifle or shotgun, that has had either the butt stock and/or the butt plate mechanically stamped with a die that reads " A.W. May " ?

My only lead thus far is the name " May " like in the May Department store retailers who just might have sold sporting goods, including firearms similarly to Sears Roebuck stores did.

C.M.M.

  Hey Chuck,

        That's a great help and I suspect that you are correct with your information.  The rifle at one time was in the western U.S. and may have passed through the hands/shop of "R.W. May"

      At the moment, my Maynard is at my gunsmith having final touches done to it, including the barrel head spaced using Mr. John Bly's 1873 brass headspace rings, so I won't be able to verify what you've told me until Monday.

  I will take my magnifying glass with me for a closer inspection.

  Thanks again Chuck, and I'll definitely let you know the results next week.

  Creedmoormatch

Quote:


Thanks for that Rich --

This is stamp in the wood on the bottom side just past the lower tang mortice towards the butt plate and is "block Roman" letters.

I don't believe it resembles the military inspector marks that I have even seem.  When I have the rifle back home from the smith. I will take a close-up photo and put it up here.

C.M.M.

I just noticed this thread today.

This relates to the JM inspector's cartouche.
(First photo scroll over to the far right side)

I have a Smith carbine with the same 'JM' cartouche. Based on what I found John Maggs, active in 1862, during the American Civil War, accepted firearms and accessories on behalf of the Federal Army. 

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The JM cartouche on the Horse Solder Maynard carbine.
(Scroll to the far right side)

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David

Note;

There was a thread somewhere on the Forum regarding a superb Maynard carbine dated 1865 that was offered for sale by The Horse Soldier in Gettysburg. (Apparently it sold very quickly)

The JM cartouche on that Maynard carbine was very clear and looks identical to the JM cartouche on my Smith carbine.