Earliest M1873 Serial Number I’ve Ever Seen

[Hammer]

I bought a cadet length / style rifle on the Bonham Skinner’s Auction site just to get its 706 three digit serial number receiver and I’m curious if anybody else has a first or second month production receiver?

It has a very nice stock whose buttstock and buttplate were narrowed down to cadet size. It has the number 36 on the side of the buttstock and has SJC 36 on top of the narrowed cadet buttplate, and has the number 36 stenciled on the end of the buttstock underneath the buttplate (pictures below). It also has the cadet type Stacking swivel upper barrel band, and cadet type trigger bow with no sling swivel.

It has an outstanding bore and I’m looking forward to shooting it !

I’m assuming it was made by one of the commercial companies in the 1880s or 1890s that Al Fresca describes on page 184 of his Springfield.45-70 book. I had a long time trapdoor collector look at it and he’s confident it’s not a Bannermans but may have been made by one of the more quality focused commercial companies.

[Hammer]

I forgot to mention that this cadet style rifle has this WM inspectors cartouche on the buttstock under the buttplate, as well as the number 36. I can’t find any information on who WM may have been or which armory or commercial company he may have worked at.

And here are some pictures of the number 36 that’s on three different places on this rifle.

Anybody seen this WM stamp before?