I found this one a long while ago while doing a GB report and set it aside meaning to get back to it and never quite did. This auction was for a '2I' series letter gun. I've long thought these guns were refurbs with the 2 prefix added long after the original S/Ns were stamped since *all* the other S/N's stamped on the gun are simply 'IXXXX' instead of '2IXXXX' like the receiver, but there is still no concrete evidence one way or another I fear. This stock didn't even come close to matching the receiver but the S/Ns on the stock did catch my eye. The original 151809 S/N is clearly a 1/5" w x 1/10" h font from a ghost or 3 mil /26\ gun. The second stamped number is the same as the first, but the fact that it's there at all is very interesting. The old number is somewhat hard to read and apparently that was enough to justify the identical number restamp in this case. Aside from 'new' parts of the wrong era showing up on a refurb (blank stocks included), you don't typically see concrete signs like this of Chinese refurb practices. Where the Russians were meticulous in matching stocks to guns and reserializing them, the Chinese (aside from individual examples like this one) never seemed to do this wholesale. If the weapon was functional in good working order, that appears to be all that mattered. It could be that the Chinese weren't the ones who did this and instead it was whoever received them as aid (this gun is supposedly a Grenada Capture). I suppose it could be bubba having fun with his $9.99 Harbor Freight numeral punch set too, but the fact that it doesn't match the receiver S/N of the gun it's on and it still has the hang tag indicating it's a "Grenada capture" from 1983 lead me to think likely not. I wish I'd have saved the actual GB ad, it was interesting.
Anywhoo, it's something I very rarely encounter on a Chinese gun & I thought I'd share. thumb1
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2I9492_stock.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2I9492_receiver.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2I9492_receiver_cover.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2I9492_bottom.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2I9492_tag.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2I9492_tag2.jpg)
Seeing that both stock numbers are different then the receiver serial... I dont think it will give us any insights as to why the 2 was added.
I was just going to mention that this was from a supposed Grenada capture...but then I read your full post......hhhmmmm......
I saw that rifle.... I thought it was interested too....but to me it looks like a Chinese letter gun with an added 2. That definitely looks like an "I" to me.
Oh I think it's certainly a letter I gun. The 2 prefix letter guns pretty consistent in their "2" S/Ns only being on the receiver, check out these ones. (click to enlarge)
2H:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2H3455_receiver.jpg) (http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2H3455_receiver_cover.jpg) (http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2H3455_magazine.jpg) (http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2H3455_bolt_carrier.jpg)
Another 2I, yet a '1" in on the bolt carrier:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2I5993_receiver.jpg) (http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2I5993_bolt_carrier.jpg) (http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2I5993_trigger_group.jpg)
Oddball '1' instead of 'I' replacement stock too:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2I5993_stock.jpg)
2J:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2J2051_receiver.jpg) (http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2J2051_bolt_carrier.jpg)
Oddball 2X, check out that jacked up receiver, that's one heavy strike on the S/N with the 56 type Chinese letters being there with a /326\ arsenal stamp. Quite the oddball here.
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2X0537_receiver.jpg) (http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2X0537_receiver_cover.jpg) (http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2X0537_RSL.jpg) (http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2X0537_magazine.jpg)
But the darned stock looks just like a letter stock should look
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/Letter_guns/2X0537_stock.jpg)
I don't know, like LC says, there's not enough data to make much of a conclusion, but the small pool I see shows these guns are all over the spectrum with not a one in pristine condition (that's why I think the 2 is a sign of refurb). The double stamped stock was the original thing that drew me to the carbine in the OP, but the 2<letter> series are interesting enough in their own right. thumb1
Could very well be an early idea at marking a refurb. dntknw1
RM, here's another I block letter gun with a 2 prefix...
http://www.gunbroker.com/item/602849882
Kool! Neat to find one more of these oddballs. thumb1
One of these was actually on the list already... Guessing RM added it? I just added the other.
I probably added it a while ago, guns get flipped all the time. dance2
Found another gun on GB that is similar to the OP with respect to the stock replacement.
Here's a little 2 mil /26\:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T26/2365324_receiver.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T26/2365324_magazine.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T26/2365324_top.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T26/2365324_trigger_group.jpg)
Pretty straightforward, six digit parts with a 7 digit receiver exactly like a 2 mil /26\ should be.
Then you get to the stock:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T26/2365324_stock3.jpg)
Last four only, huge font. Clearly a replacement stock from a refurb done in China. Interesting.