Recently purchased a mildly sporterized 1898  carbine with the intent to restore and use for vintage matches. After some reading this forum and others I don't think it started life as a carbine, wrong s/n range. The only mods done to it are the butt was cut and a recoil pad added,a redfield no drill sight added and a ramp front sight soldered on. I can fix all that if there is a dovetail under the ramp. After removing the stock I found that the index marks don't line up so the barrel might have been changed or cut to carbine size,I don't know.Barrel is 22 1/2 in long to the bolt face and .638 dia. at the muzzle, so do I try to restore or use as is? PS barrel crown looks like it is factory stock.

I must have been having a brain fart last night, its been a couple of weeks since I checked the barrel it is 22 in. plus maybe .030-.040 in. Still to long so it is most likely a cut down rifle. To bad because the stock and hand guard are in pretty good shape except for the missing 1 in.