As I commented several posts back, it doesn't matter to me why the rifle doesn't have a steel buttplate or if it was "special order". The L.O.P. is spot on 13.5 and shows no signs [that I can tell] of having been cut. What I was looking for, was a mint pre-war Model 70 with G&H MOUNT AND ALASKAN SCOPE, that I could hunt and not worry about ruining a major investment. It is obviously not an original gun, but I believe it is an example of one, that has been restored beautifully! At $1275 I haven't seen anything near this quality in many years, value wise and it is in .270 WCF. So far as a letter, that would be "taking coal to Newcastle" as special order or not, it still isn't original an collector quality, so a $60 letter would not make the rifle more valuable unless I planned on selling it, which I don't. Maybe when I request a letter on My Model 21.
