If it locks-up tight, functions properly and there weren't any visible signs of weakness, I would try something akin to
http://www.polywad.com vintager or low pressure like 2-piper notes. But if the gun is from the last 19th century, it was proofed/proved with black powder and that might be best to begin with. The triggerguard does look leftover from the pinfire era but I will note that ALFA listed similar pinfire Belgian doubles in 1911 and I'm sure central-fire also. But this Lefaucheux action's top rib has a German firearm merchant's name but is devoid of any German marks from what I see and the Belgian-German proofmark agreement as per the 1914 didn't occur until then. There's a "3" in the inside of the forend and it with the "3" between the "WR" and the "1504" may be an assembly number to maintain order. These were price point weapons made in a cottage industry at a time when either both the manufacturer or finisher/firearms merchant had their name on it or just the firearms merchant. Some may disagree, but early on Belgian markers had a policy of supplying the masses with weapons that seem to have very few identifying marks and allow the finisher/firearms merchant to roll stamp their name on the rib. That's why in 1853 the Perron and the inspector's mark surface to show proof of a tip-down reciever and strength of the receiver/definitive proof testing assurance. So when a finisher/firearms merchant received all the weapons to be finished/embellished they had to be disassembled. Therefore, to avoid confusion and keep order, the assembly numbers were used. Sometimes the assembly marks were Arabic and sometimes Roman numerials. This was very true for pistols. I would guess the tube steel to have originated from John Cockerill's firm but could be marked Acier Fondu or Guss Stahl(cast steel).
Kind Regards,
Raimey
rse
