Oddly enough, lowest serial numbers don't always indicate the "start" of something. They are often just rifles that were finished late, and so the accepted from factory date is later than higher serial numbered rifles.

This happened on almost everything. So, these few takedown rifles we've seen under 70.xxx might represent early examples - or they might represent rifles that were made 6 months after the 70.xxx's rifles. Without seeing dates in the ledgers, it's almost impossible to tell.

The earliest public announcement of the takedown option that I've ever found was June, 1906 - which would be right at the 70.000 number. Obviously they'd have made some earlier, so those lower ones may be early ones. But.. maybe not. It's so often about dates rather than just serial numbers.

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