Somewhere, someplace, I read about during the 1890's and first two decades of the 20th century, that imported gun barrels, if not finished up, were on the free list, or subject to greatly reduced tariffs, for American tariffs because there weren't any made in the United States.
Which would explain provisional proofs and maker's marks for Belgian barrels you see on so many old side by side shotguns, from many different makers.
Maybe somebody else, has that information. As I remember it, the tariffs for finished barrels were quite steep, and in an era when labor was cheap and steel was expensive, it made quite a difference in the cost of making a double gun.
When my Lefever I grade gets back from having the chokes opened, I'll report on the barrel markings and serial numbers on it.
