1892 partial upgrades to 92/96?

[Don_B._in_KS.]

Over the years I have seen a couple (my S.N. 2291 is one) and heard of other M92s that had some of the features of the 92/96, most notably the stock, but that had not been ground for the hold open pin or fitted with the later bolt. On mine the muzzle is still flat (barrel is .020 or so longer than my 96 or 98s measured with a rod against a closed bolt) but has an unstepped/tapered foresight blade and an 1896 magazine gate. My first thoughts involved mixing of parts as a field repair expedient or after the rifles had left government ownership at a time when they were not considered valuable enough to keep original parts in order. Modern fraud is also possible though on this one I don't see signs of a filled repair on the receiver plus it hardly seems worth the effort to do that and then not also do the stock, numbered gate etc.