This was in with some other traps. Did USDA buy some of these at one time? Thanks for the help.

I remember when they came out back in the 80's a gov't man saying he ordered some for his job,I believe that was in Colorado.Don't know how many other states ordered some.I m no expert on this subject,but they weren't standard issue.

Someone could have done the stamping themselves as a ploy to counterfeit it for more money as a collector trap since the chain has been altered.

I bought a bunch of traps from a retired government trapper and he had some Montgomery #2s marked just like that. I wonder if only traps bought under a contract were stamped or did individual government trappers also mark their traps? The chain had been altered on just about every trap he had.