Just because it was so called Bought new" at some dealer, who knows where or when the dealer got it and how they offered it up for sale...could have been on consignment, a special order, we used to get guns in the shop and if too many of them looked alike or the same, we made changes, added grips or sights or whatever it took to "make the sale",,,this being said back then there was a "plating company" across the street and down for the factory and who knows maybe someone special ordered "after the fact" ( original build) and desired plating, no problem to sent it out get it done,,,same for grips, if the customer wanted stags or something who knows how far the factory ( or Mr Ruger) bent over to please them...he sure did for his friends and writers.......and thats the Gospel, NOT Ruger Lore....yes , a letter may help BUT for anything custom or special order I doubt it....if only the guns could actually talk, not "bark" or go bang....... 8) :roll: :wink: