I am one of the lucky ones...maybe 8 years ago an avid collector was selling a Custer Era carbine (18,XXX serial ). It looked to be in VG condition and the only change to the carbine was the stock was a 1877 replacement. The original '73 stocks had a long wrist area that was prone to break. They shortened the wrist on many of the issued carbines at that point.The 1877 stocks also had provisions for a cleaning rod in the buttstock, a necessity sorely missing and needed at Custer's battle. I have only test fired it, deathly afraid of cracking that 130 year old stock.
