According to Baron Engelhardt's article on French proof, the crown over F was the normal St Etienne black powder proof, with "poudre forte", for arms in the finished state (1897 on)--so F for either forte or finie would make sense. (Paris proofhouse equivalent was the Paris coat of arms--sailing ship in a shield--under a crown.) Superior black powder proof: crown over S, St Etienne; normal proofmark repeated twice, Paris. According to JC's text, either of those were replaced by the PT/PJ etc mark if proof was with a smokeless powder.

General Journee has some scathing remarks concerning the loophole left by the French government for gunmakers to avoid official proof.

Last edited by L. Brown; 01/05/10 11:13 AM.