doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Chrome-plated Francotte - pixs

Hi. I found an A.Francotte , crown over AF, stamped 'not for ball', VL&D on the side. The whole nine yards. But two things. 1) It has been chrome-plated. The action, the damascus barrels and all. 2) The barrels have been cut to 18 or 20", I did not take time to measure. I was crying too much.

Is there any way to remove the chrome plating? Annealing? I don't know. Has the metal integrity been screwed up or compromised b/c of the chrome plating?

Can the barrels be salvaged in any way? Can length be added by a good barrel man?

I can get serial, model, etc. tomorrow and post it if it's a salvageable gun. Why can't idiots leave pieces of history alone? Sheeeesh!!


Clarification: I don't own this, it's on a rack at a pawn shop.
Is this sounding like a real, real, deep money pit?

thanks.

I'd run as fast as my legs would carry me. Don't be corrupted by this lunacy. Don't be a part of it. Don't become an accomplice by buying it.

Sounds like there was a pimp who liked upland game hunting. Perhaps Huggy Bear on Beretta.

Actually there was a nickle plated NID available awhile back that was adevertised as a being used on a cruise ship for clays shooting. Perhaps the same thing.

If they gave you the gun I bet you would have three times what it is worth in it before you got done.

Best,

Mike

Ok sirs, here are some pictures. I am suprised they let me even take them. I told them i was researching it. I was being rushed, so apologies for the poor quality and bad lighting. I tried to get as much info. as I could.

Serial # 19283

Anson&Deeleys Patent stamped on the standing breech.

A.Francotte Maker & Patenter - London on the sides.
























It's probably a total loss. It is sad. Thanks for the input and looking.

Can anyone evan tell what model it is?

redoftx.

Quote:
"Actually there was a nickle plated NID available awhile back that was adevertised as a being used on a cruise ship for clays shooting. Perhaps the same thing."

Here's another activity that fell victum to political correctness and the anti-gun crowd.
Jim

Thanks King, I hear you.

You're right Mike, it could get expensive real quick.

Just 2 quick questions though : Can the chrome-plating be removed and what process is it? Did the plating process compromise the receiver metal integrity in your estimation?

thanks.

brownells sells nickel,plate remover. i wonder if the acid from plating would affect the rib solder.there is no cheep way to lengthen/ fix the barrels.

Chrome can be removed/replaced as car restorers do it all the time.
However; King is right. Run away from this money pit as fast as you can.
Jim

Somewhere in America, a pimp is weeping.

The reality is that what you found was a 'CAS special'; one that from the looks of the buttstock's missing chunks may now be in an improved condition from what it was before the bbl. 'bob' & chrome job. Who knows .. or cares? There are unfortunately numbers of guns that suffer from floods, fires, neglect or other substantive degrading influences that we may lump under the term 'attrition'. That is what makes the discerning buyer &/or collector sit up & pay attention when a desirable gun is found in good or better condition. And it is just that, the condition, that causes it to have higher value. Rarity &/or sentiment can sometimes cause restorative costs that are monetarily not justifiable, but the 'patron' derives sufficient satisfaction nonetheless. That's good; otherwise, who would keep the carriage trade craftsmen alive and able to pursue their craft?

Anyway, that gun belongs to some wannabe CAS shooter who is in need of some flash. You can & will do much better to keep looking. The best bang for the buck is still quite likely an early 70's SKB model 100. Find one in decent mechanical condition & restock or have it bent to something close to your needs and you are SET! Andrew McFarlane is one guy who is close [Southlake] & can do that sort of thing within reason.

You have received a LOT of well thot and experiened advice already. Do not regret that one getting away.

Should this read remotely pompous, it ain't meant that way;-)

Best, tw

addendum: There are known instances of acid causing catastrophic failures in hardened steel. Personally, I'd NEVER go there.