Sorry for the long delay since the previous posts, these rifles were in the back of a safe & I just kept putting off getting them out, they were behind my Model 4's among others. Comparing these was a 'when I get time' project and I finally got a little time.
I also looked through the catalogs because I had remembered seeing something about the peep sight being an option for a time -
- #15 first with the Junior Special and the description mentions 'ivory bead front sight', mine have Lyman's
- #16 ~1907~ still only has the peep sight
- #17 shows barrels sight in the picture of the standard 1904, peep on the Special
- #24 says "can be supplied with either peep- or open sights"
- #35 the same as #24
- #40 ~1911~ no more mention of the peep sight.
I do not have pictures of a really late production 1904 (by then cataloged as the 04) that had "REGULAR CARTRIDGES" stamped under the 22 S, L & LR and the serial number on the side of the receiver, I had worked on one for a friend and I must not have taken pictures.
I do have pictures of the peep sight and both an early and late barrel sight and some variations of the barrel stamp -
Both of the 1904 Junior Specials appear to have had the original finish removed (unless it were some kind of oil), they are not sanded down much but do show some coarse sanding marks and some dents show signs of being sanded over, but the checkering is still quite good.