I know that the ATF ones are better, I'm just hoping maybe I can get a good alternative so I wouldn't have to pay as much immediately.

Would be better off in the living history/reenactment section of the forum, as for answering the question go with ATF. Much better quality and wont fall apart on you, HTC in the UK could probably also make you a very high quality piece of kit as well. 

Love the anti Axis.

PM me with what you are looking for.  I have a number of used Krag parts from an estate.

Three of them listed from the same seller. These are interesting as I thought the die for the front of the wings would be recessed into the die, not proud of the die.

Nice save!

Nice finds!

The USA made suspenders and bags from At The Front looks really good. Saw a reenactor with them at a memorial day living history event, they were aged beautifully and looked original.

Why not just leave it alone?  A new or repainted number would not match the rest of the stock.  Might as well just pick a new number if you choose to repaint it.

Thank you so much for your input. It was very helpful. So you think its safe to say that the M3 is 100% autentic? I find it very important to make sure that it is, before considering selling it to the right collector, most likely in Norway.  Even if it looks original, i got a little insecure, since the shaft is plastic / composite and not original. Don`t want to promote something real, that turns out to be a fake replica or something. That would not look good.