fab500 forwarded an article on the Manufrance Proof House which clarifies the proof mark arrows above.
1). As speculated, they are indeed for a Manufrance run proof house
2). They could only be used on guns sold within France. The Official Saint Etienne Proof House was the only one recognized abroad.
(there are metallurgy terms which I have a hard time with - welcome help).
Here is the article with a rough translation:
These proof marks are deliberately quite different from those of the Official (Saint Etienne) Proof House in the way that they have an unequivocally distinctive character
Furthermore, the Manufacturer (MF) decided to make a new proof mark at 1300 kg exceedingly hard, which was reserved for models of very high-priced Ideal guns.
In the process, the preliminary proof of single barrels was replaced. In effet there was only the proof of the finished arm, clearly of benefit to the clients. Moreover, as the manufacturer fabricated his entire gun including the barrels the preliminary proof marks which normally separated into respective responsibilities for the barrels and the gun itself, no longer had a reason to exist.
Regarding the regulation process of the Proof House of the Manufacturer, it is exactly identical to those of the official Proof House for which the Manufacturer besides contributed to a very large extent.
It is necessary however to note that the guns intended for export had to be presented to the Official Proof House, the only one recognized abroad.
The choice of a “super-proof” at 1300 kg, required once again that the Manufacturer, reconsider the choice of steel used for creating the action. It is a steel made of “NY d’Imphay” (??) where 5 CD of “steam hammer” (“Creusot”?)?? at 5-6% of nickel which was chosen; the qualities of that steel allowed the reduction of the cost of fabrication since the metal is initially only annealed (“recuit” – new word for the dictionary unfortunately now locked), it is subsequently machined (usiné – another new word) then case-colored hardened at 720-750 degrees celsius to give it its final appearance.
New words for the dictionary:NY D'Imphay? - (some alloy I would suppose)
Creusot? - stream hammered of some sort?
Recuit - annealed
Usiné - machined
