'FredC' - As always, you bring up interesting points.

I have been thinking about and trying to understand the process, sequence, and rationale of Springfield stamps and marks for years. (British, German, and French ones, too)!

The marks mean something. They were done with a purpose and communicated information to someone at sometime.

I once assumed gun makers stamped metal components when they were 'soft' and before they were heat-treated and finished.

However, final inspection and proof stamps make little sense if they are done before a component is Finished and Correct.

Now, I don't know for sure and freely admit my puzzlement.

Some U.S. Krag markings look like they were done in the back room of a 'Khyber Pass' gun-shop. There are lots of funny hieroglyphics around the magazine opening and on the back of the bolt-handle root, odd 'steel lot' symbols, periodic changes in serial number size, style, and font. Some numbers and letters are very difficult to read 'correctly'. Some stamps appear very primitive given that they were done in a relatively modern 'machine age'. The system appears like it was always changing. Such is the charm of Krags!

I agree with Dick Hosmer. The OP's Krag did not leave Springfield Armory as it is now assembled. SA would never have compromised a Gun Stock by gouging out all that extra wood. It is not a model 1898 carbine. The most interesting aspect of this Krag is the novelty of the receiver!

We have not seen a close picture of the front-sight. So I am not sure if it is a carbine barrel. (This is actually irrelevant. All types of Krag parts were in the hands of surplus dealers). This is a 'parts gun' assembled outside SA.

One thing that impresses me about SA 'markings' is that they don't seem to disrupt or displace the surrounding metal. Oddly, sometimes a SA marking will be inconsistent in its depth. Clarity of letters and numbers is variable.

IMO-Fake marks are noticeable because they disrupt surrounding metal and finish.

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