Originally Posted by LRF
Originally Posted by CJF
.......

Lastly, for some reason the marks closest to the barrel flats suggest the rifle spent some time in India or points further east. .......

CJF, I would be interested in more info on why you think what you said in your comment. That mark you speak of is very smeared and hard to see exactly what it is. If you think you know or can find a picture of it that would be helpful.
To me the history of an old gun is as interesting as the gun itself

LRF, totally fair question. I think I am wrong.

Below I've highlighted the proof that did not look right to me, and seemed perhaps to be Hindi script, particularly the barrel pictured on the right in the pic below. But I think we're seeing only the right half of the full mark on your gun. I should have first ruled out the more obvious possibility -- that of a poor stamping, before suggesting less likely possibility.

Below are London proofs and the mark I think shows only the right half on your gun.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

If this is the mark, the downside is it doesn't really help with dating the rifle.