'Local Boy' - I am kind of happy with how my improvised '98 to '96 stock turned out. I really love the look of Italian walnut Krag stocks and wanted to get the cut-down model 1896 'Range Ready'.

A bit of a mystery or puzzle has been how some model 1896 stocks have late 'cartouche dates' (An Acceptance Cartouche dated after model 1896 Krag rifles were out of production).

IMHO - This displays that, if correct stocks were unavailable, Armory 'stockers' with their tools and talent, could have easily altered used model 1898 stocks to fit model 1896 rifles, undergoing recondition.