Winchester mis-stamped "Flaming Bomb"

shooter10

Bert, after owning this Winchester Trench gun for over 15 years, I have never noticed the top Flaming bomb is double stamped. I didn't notice it until the latest discussion about M 97's. It is Cody lettered so I know it is real and everything else on the barrel is correct. Have you or anyone ever seen this stamp like this? Bert, this might be a pic for one of your upcoming books?



The flaming bomb on the receiver is even and right:

charliemeyer007

Looks like a stylized hula girl to me. Hand stamping perfectly every time is an art, same a scribing bearing trees.

There's a war on; does a bad stamp cause a safety issue like say excessive head space.

Bert H.

What is the serial number on this Trench Gun? The "U.S." marking on the receiver frame looks suspicious to me.

shooter10

Bert, this is the one you researched for me 12 or 15 years ago.#596,xxx something like that) Dec 1944 i am pretty certain. Its at the back of the safe. I went ahead and ordered and got the Cody letter years ago. The bottom of the barrel is marked "43" or maybe "1943" (been years since I checked it) I just never realized the bomb stamp was two halves till I looked closer at these old pics. My "U.S. Winchester Trench and Riot Guns"... by Joe Poyer has the letter sizes that match mine and the "U.S." looks similiar to on page 14.
I was just curious if you had ever seen a stamp in two pieces like this?

Bert H.

The serial number should be 956xxx, which would make it a 1943 production gun. Winchester did not manufacture any Trench Guns in the year 1944. Production of the WW II Trench Guns was wrapped up in August of 1943.

Misstamped ordnance markings were not uncommon, as they were hand stamped by the government inspector.