I'm wondering if by about 1881 Reilly didn't start sub-contracting for barrels and actions and finishing them in house. In 1881 his military sales revenue streams from Green Bros, Comblain, etc., and possibly his cutlery business (bayonets, etc.) had dried up (though he was still equipping the Yoemanry militia). He was now bringing in guns in pieces from Liege and assembling them. But something led him to begin selling off the rack about 1881...and he jumped his serial numbered production up from about 650 a year where it had been for 15 years...to over 1,000 a year - 3 a day. The Scott actions, Whitworth barrels, coupled with very traditional Reilly stocks and engraving on 27853 and 27854 might be an indicator.
By the way, after reading the motto for Clan Urquhart, pretty sure Frank is not one of them.
Here was the source of the confusion over the Serial Number. 27553 stamped on the water table. 27853 on the barrels...and on the extension behind the trigger guard (you can see the beginning of a 5" there). The SN on the forearm is unclear because the middle number is obscured by a brad: This is not the first time I've seen confusion over contradictory stamps on Reilly....SN
19286 being another (see Reilly line for a post and comment):
