doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Grandpa's Belgian Shotgun

Hello!
My first post here, hope somebody knows the answer to my question

I have 2 shotguns that were made in Belguim. According to my uncle one was bought at action and the other belonged to my Grandpa. My Grandpa passed away in 1970 and apparently owned the gun for many years.

From what I have pulled together so far the stamps on the barrel indicate that the first gun is a "f" date code = 1967, 12 gauge. If this is correct then this gun must have been the one bought at auction. Please take a look at the pictures and let me know if you agree with these findings.

What is the stamp below the "f" is it "star over AD"?
What is the 4 over AD on the bracket?

Thanks!

Hello
and
Welcome on your first posting

Looks like a *AD to me

The cursive f without the underline puts it a 1927

Looks like your gun had a re-proof/superior proof by *T

This should be helpful

http://www.shotguns.se/html/belgium.html

Here is mine


Mike

Wow, I didn't see that one coming!

I saw the two "f"'s in the chart but missed the underline on the 1967.

So, mine could be a 1927 then...
star T is Laenen Clement who worked from 1952-1986.

This means these barrels were made in 1927, put on a shelf for 25 years or so, then re-inspected after 1952?

Good start,
As to use, they were used from 1927 forward
and then maybe a repair and reproofed
or someone just got a wild hare and wanted an updated proof
for more modern ammo.
Chambers are still 65 mm or 2 1/2 inch
http://www.rstshells.com/rst_classic_shotshells_shotshells.htm
Mike

Thanks very much Mike,

I have one more question about your gun, the star above AE or AC, is there a chart for those inspectors?

I will take pictures of the other one tonight and post some pictures, it is older and is a 10 gauge.

I have not found a chart for these folks, as you can see
from the chart, many of the inspectors wished to not be
identified

Hopefully some of the others on the site will chirp in tonight
as they are much more knowledgable.

Looking forward to the 10 gauge pictures

Mike

Inspector's marks are not reliable for dating a Belgian gun.

PeteM's list shows 'AD' as Alexandre DuPont who was active from 1923 to 1970
http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20den/a%20dupont%20alexandre%20gb.htm
Or it could be the barrel maker who I cannot identify
http://docs.google.com/document/d/17yCstxftvWXpFdSru4JKbRIE1-Q8OqXgJs66tEXntqw/edit

The barrels are Twist but carry Smokeless Proof in keeping with the 1927 date. Under no circumstances should the gun be fired without an evaluation by a double gun specialist.

"Or it could be the barrel maker WHOM I cannot identify." Any man of letters such as you seem to be here, as one may discern from a close and careful reading of your rather well documented and somewhat informative replies herein- might also be expected to posses skills in both grammar, syntax, and basic English language structure and composition. Perhaps you have been of recent in the famed Nutmeg State, wherein a certain DFP writer and contributor has a penchant for adding the apostrophe on the ending of his written nouns, preceding the letter s- indicating of course, the possessive tense, a faux pas that might misdirect the reader. RWTF

Huh??


Mike
P.S. Totally agree with Drew, have the gun inspected before ANY firing

As some have already stated.

The gun was reproofed at sometime. Perhaps more than once.

The *AE and *AD are old Controller of proof marks, pre-1924. The proof house in Liege has stated the documentation for these early marks has been lost.

Please understand, the Controller never touched a gun. He ran the proof house.

The date stamp f is 1927. The chambers are 12 ga 2.5" It is smokeless proofed, NOT for current ammunition pressures. The bore is 18.5 mm. The gun is choked, but they stopped giving the dimensions for the choke after 1924.

The numbers up on the barrel 1.??? is the weight of the barrels in kilograms at the time of proof.

The AD on the rib is Alexandre Dupont. He may have only supplied the barrels. The 4 is just a factory batch number.

It would help to show pictures of the entire gun.

You did good in reading the proof marks by the way. It takes looking at a lot of guns to discern all the Belgian marks.

http://damascus-barrels.com/Belgian_Trade_Marks.html
http://damascus-barrels.com/Belgian_All_Proofmarks.html

Pete