Meaning of Asterisks

[whcoyote]

I am looking at a pre-war K98k that is all-matching except the bolt, which matches itself. The rifle has an asterisk on the right side of the receiver behind (or to the left of - whichever you prefer) the three inspection stamps. The bolt has an asterisk on the underside of the bolt handle root.

What do these asterisks mean and is there any connection between the two?
Bob

[Hambone]

Bob, conventional wisdom is they are rejected parts that were corrected and re-used. Other theory is that they are steel lot hardness inspects, though there is a hardness punch mark that shows that.

[yellowkid]

I'm sure mike/bruce can add to this but, its on all the "C" stocks used by MO adjacent to the "C" on the comb.And i have an "L" block byf 44 and the MO made stock has one too next to the standard WAa135 on the bottom. that stock has a flaw in the wood that perhaps failed an initial inspectkon but passed on a second look? so could the asterisk be an internal inspection mark that was done on sub contracted wood "C" stocks and internal stuff that failed first round as suggested above?