While conducting a monthly 10% inventory of my Retro Essential Strategic Warstock, I came across these markings on a D stock.

Any idea what these might mean?

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I believe those are H&R stock markings.

Generally replacement parts from Freud?? Precision I believe.  I've heard of them coming on Colts but never seen them on a Colt personally.  Late 70's early 80's production same as some of the replacement part triangle HG's that are still rather common in original package.    H&R (no straw hole) are number and letter in a circle where straw hole should be not on the sides of the straw hole like OP's.

@Cdenmark Why would they be making “D” replacement stocks in the late 70’s or early 80’s?  I have those same markings on stocks that were removed and stored in the late 60’s. So, do H&R stocks NOT have a drain hole?  You wouldn’t happen to have a photo of an H&R stock would you?  I guess I have never seen one, because the only no-drain black stocks I have seen have been early type “C”s.

Tom, You never seen Freund?? spelling?  Pricision replacement parts still in bag with mfg dates on them like OP's..  Earliest I believe is 1979 and latest was 1983-84.  Thought with all the furniture you go thru,  funshows etc. you would have seen plenty of them.  Freund??  plant was in your neck of the woods.  They were govt contract to replace the broken stuff and possibly OEM also.  Not uncommon or wasn't back then to use existing available inventory instead of trashing.  IThe equipment they used probably same stuff from early Colt sub contract truth be known, but I honestly don't know on that.  Pretty sure Lionel still has some Freund Precision HG's NIW with 80's dates on them. Stocks weren't as common. I've seen plenty like OP's not many like one in my picture. Got a few on personal stuff and a few members contact from time to time showing theirs.  

H&R's were done same as old type C an earlier as you mentioned. . Might still have some dated bags from HG's laying around with just don't know where to look right off thinking HG's have letter or number by heat shield.  Don't have any to look at all have been used or sold.  

H&R marking pic. Never had a Freund  stock NIW but have had NIW Freund?? mfg PG's, A-1 with 1980's date on wrap.  Never paid any attention to markings. All my H & R's are no straw hole type D and type E.  


With a little more thought the Freund?? numbers and letter from late 70's- 80's aren't as crude as OP first example IMO.  Freunds' had nice and sharp letter  / numbers like new molds were used.  Added more insight couple posts down.

Thanks everyone for all of the great insight.

Here are a couple more D stocks that I have.  The markings are raised.

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And here are two E stocks.  Would these be H&R?

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OP they look correct to me.  What's number on bottom pic?  Only ever seen 2 & 3. Since you have pics I'll delete mine.

Tom.  We know H&R had at least two different sub contractors for PG's.  The one's identical to C inside Colt & probably came from same place with mold numbers crudely put in identical mold inside grip an awl scratched (manually)  letter on top by screw hole and those with better looking mold numbers above and below on PG.  Checkering is different on the two also.  Could easily be the same for the stocks.  The crude marked like OP match the crude PG's and the better mold PG and stocks like mine & OP's type E's..  Would make sense or does to me with a little thought based on parts we have in hand.  

Never had enough Hg's to draw any conclusions on those personally.  If I could get in Numrich stock pile for a few hours could probably get a better handle on those too.  Seen numbers and letter or both on HG's by heat shield but never really gave them much provenance thought when examining.  Some could be the crude marked and some with better mold markings.  GM sure made it easy with NATO cross for lack of better term.

Figure on the type E's,  H&R never met actual weapon contract because they couldn't source the parts in a timely fashion and would have had parts ordered / left over with milspec change to trap door.  How many could they have even made,  2-5 K max 200-2K minimum?  Not to mention war & govt spending was coming to an end or quickly winding down at the tables during this time frame.  Americans were fed up and we had the heroin connection,  all they really wanted anyway if you ask most any Vietnamese from back then.  Two sides of the fence and two different opinions on why we were there to start with..  Communism or drugs?  Couldn't tell American tax payer we were rally just protecting golden triangle once France was booted..  

Worth a contract look if you got the time,  only talking 1970-72 ish for dates.  What were there  4-6 different furniture sub contractors back then for all three mfg's?  Wouldn't NSN been same regardless of weapon mfg? None of that stuff was ever made in house that I'm aware of.  I don't have the time or see good enough now days to research much of anything any more.

The bottom E stocks are 1A and .A

What do you think about the D stocks with the raised "dots."

1A makes sense,  mold number, first mold.  I really don't know on the dots.  I have seen them before but best guess is sub contract replacement parts and not Freund mfg.  Need to talk to someone who still has a bunch of that stuff still in package with who for different mfg's printed on them for true provenance IMO.  Was all bought up and re-used it so kind of a tough one today.  IRA bought tons of that stuff surplus and was shipped out.  I do think I still have some bags and wraps as I didn't throw much of that stuff away.  Nobody cared back then about who, when and what only in last 15-20 yrs or so.

Does anyone have a photo of the markings on a TYPE “D” H&R stock? I am familiar with their type E markings, but I guess I have never seen a type D H&R stock, thanks.

Tom,  I got at least a couple   I'll see if I can't pull one apart and take a pic for you.  I keep my retro firearms off site due to VA politics / insurance so might take a few days to get a ride and such.  Holiday too.  Would think plenty of people here have them.  Is odd not the first H&R stock in H&R / GM sticky and only 1 GM.   Two months ago no one here even knew a H&R type E even existed including yourself if memory serves.  Three posted today alone.  Pretty sure I know where a GM is also but I don't own it.

Thinking on it I believe the most the packaged stocks I had were re-pack from Charley's and were type E out of Hawaii.   The only type E I even own today is the H&R & only reason I have that is, back when, we had GM & H&R backwards and I had it with my GM stuff.  Everything else stock wise I have now is type D or earlier and I hid H&R & GM on most all my AR's retro included.  I only had that one was to put a bunch of weight in it.

I will agree with you that it doesn't make much sense to mfg type D for replacement parts after milspec change to type E.  unless just using old stock which would have been that,  old stock.  See if you can get in touch with HKShooter and ask what is on the back of his H&R clone.  We bought these stocks from same place basically at the same time just different geography.  Think it was a barn find 55 gallon drum full of them and guy came here asking what he had and we both got him to sell us the stocks with numbers & letters on them.

So did H&R actually use Type E stocks in their rifles?  Someone told me that they only used Type D stocks.

I was under the impression that both GM and H&R solely used Type D stocks for their entire production runs, despite concurrently produced Colt rifles wearing Type E stocks during supplemental GM/HR production.

That was my understanding as well.  

Thanks!