I suspect that this knife was assembled wrong at the factory. I see no evidence that the knife has ever been apart, and most newer 301s I've seen have the spey on the same pivot as the master and the sheepsfoot on the opposite end. But this one is more like a traditional stockman (and like the older 2-spring Buck 301). If anything, the error makes it more noteworthy in my book.
Assembly mix-up aside, and considering how little I use the spey on most standard stock knives, I suspect I'll be giving this knife a ride in the near future.
If that exact blade arrangement were flipped around, as they are on most modern 301s, the spey would be accessible and easier to open riding the outside spring (closer to the scale) although it might run low for some. I don't have a micrometer to confirm but I *think* the spey and sheepsfoot and corresponding springs might be the same thickness. The master doesn't have bear trap snap so it's not hazardous to lift the master without half stops which IIRC stock knives don't traditionally have.
