Perhaps you are right, I don't know if there is clear evidence. I was just going off what Dick Hosmer replied about his rifle having the 1896 sight and cartouche, but no other 1896 updates. His rifle serial number is 118 less than mine. At that time they were making about 120 rifles per day. So it is likely his was made a day or two ahead of mine. I'm just trying to just figure out why the cartouche is 1896. It may be a completely made up, altered gun with no significance of whatever dates are on it. But I am not going to challenge Dick Hosmer.