It took some digging to narrow the range for those 96 Cadet rifles, since the remodeled stocks were in some cases put on model 92 rifles that were in for rebuild.  I think Mallory may have mentioned a range beginning down in 17,000 or so, which would be a 94 marked receiver.  The consensus now is that all 400 cadet rifles had 1895 receivers, and 4 more museum pieces were made on 1896 receivers.  I agree, sounds like you have a real early 96 carbine in a sporter stock.