Mike.
I didn't mean to imply that the rear ring area was ground on my rifle. I rechecked the action and noted that it was originally blued, which is still present below the stock line. The surfaces, above the stock line, are in the white. Perhaps left that way after removing the markings and polishing.
Thompson states that the Schutzenbund had the first Wehrmannsgewhr match at the 14th Bundeschiessen, in 1903, which would have been well before WW-1.
Otto