I have a 358 FW that was bought new by a close (local and lifelong) friend’s father. He now lives in the same house his father grew up in, where the gun resided since it was purchased new. I ended up buying it from him a few years ago. The father has passed, but I spoke with him about the gun many years ago (before I bought it and long before he or I knew it had collector value) and he told me it was the first rifle he bought brand new. He went on to say that he just “had to have” the 358 chambering once he heard about it, and that pushed him to order his first brand new rifle. He told me through the years that he grew to regret the decision because he had trouble finding ammo for it locally.
It’s an early low-comb variation.
Anyway, I believe it is 100% correct and will check the “358” stamp when I get home tonight. I don’t know if the “5” is even or below the level, but whichever way it is, I’m certain it was stamped that way at the factory.
This man owned the rifle since new AND didn’t particular seem to like it, let alone put a value on it high enough to warrant any fakery or forgery. So it ought to be a good representation of what a factory stamp for an early 358 FW should look like.
Last edited by jsgwoodsman; 12/13/18.
