Want to load .45-70. Need brass. Where to look?

[wombat13]

I could not get the iphone to focus on the SN and my eyes can't focus really close. It sure looks like there is a digit at the end that has been peened by the hammer and I can't make it out. I'd like to determine the manufacturing date.

I pulled the photo of the SN. I know the convention seems to be to blur out some of the numbers. The SN is 203XX?. The question mark is for what looks like a partial number, but has been peened by the hammer. According to oldguns.net, any rifle with a 203XXX SN was manufactured in 1883, but the receiver is stamped Model 1884 as above.

 

[AJC1]

Take off any wood and soak it in mineral spirits. There is zero possibility of damage and is what it was designed to do.