On the rib of the original guns, there is a patent date of 1881. The breech modification has a 1891 date. With the modified Diana, the step disappears. Then a few years later, under the Bayard trade name it appears again. It kept coming and going. I think it was meant to deter fakes as time went on, but can not back that up.

My Diana is currently in for restoration. When it is done in a few months I will post some pictures of it. It is an early gun.

Pete

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