I have a Sharps Borchardt from S. Dakota that has a series of script “L” s on the bbl, under the forearm,near the receiver.  It is a musket.
Always wondered about them and rereading Sellers book on Sharps I see on page 270 he describes a couple rifles with this mark after the serial number that were made for J. P. Lower of Denver.  Know it is a stretch but he sold lots of Sharps and maybe he marked this one himself.

I wonder if this rifle came from him.  If not, anyone else seen these markings and does anyone know what they mean?  I’m aware there are lots of marks under the forearm of of old single shots that defy meaning.

I just checked with a friend about his Borchardt rifles because of some information he recently shared with me. I thought I would pass it along in case it helps.

The first rifle is a military rifle that was in very poor condition he acquired many years ago and made a 38-55 Schuetzen rifle out of it. 

The action has all the normal markings on it. The barrel has four script L's in front of the forearm/spring hanger and two to the rear of it.

The second rifle came to him as a custom varmint rifle in .222 Rimmed, and remains the same.

The breechblock has the same script L in the same location as Old-Win's. In addition the receiver has the same script L on the bottom just in front of the trigger where an early serial number would be. There are no other markings on this receiver.

All of the script L's are the same on both rifles.

That should help muddy the waters.

JerryH

I believe I've seen a JPL round cartouche in a circle on the buttstock on some of the Lower Borchardt's too. Easier for Lower to apply in the shop than the barrel roll stamp.

I don't think the stamps related to LL Hepburn subject were regarding Borchardt rifles. I believe that topic related to Hepburn and Rolling Block rifles.