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Excellent Fab....Merci:

(Translation of Fab's comment:
"In 1899 MF developed its 'Hercules Steel.'
Afterwards the quality and finish of the barrels, were stamped with from 1 to 5 palm fronds.
The two documents above give you the inscriptions/stamps found on your barrel following the model number"

Note: The "IDEAL" models referred to above, (9EE, 12ECF, etc). can be dated a bit per this chart of IDEAL models previously published on the dating early French shotguns line; check your model number and you'll be able to identify the years it was built

For instance Nr. 6 on Fab's chart "8E..." was built from 1925-30..with following stamps (see chart for placement at "x"):
a - PT 2 couronnes - foudres (on water table: PT Powder under 2 crowns -double proofed chambers?)(edit - Fab500 established that "Foudre" - lightening - is the in-house proof of La Manu; it has nothing to do with chambers)
b - 2 palmes St Etienne (on barrel: 2 palm fronds ie double proof with St Etienne)
c - PT 2 couronnes - foudres - normal - (on front part of the barrel flats: PT powder, 2 crowns - normal chambers - 65 mm)
d - calibre - demi-choke - (on water table: gauge/bore/cal + 1/2 choke)
e - Pression 1100 kg - (on right barrel flat in front of Manufrance logo: tested pressure 1100 kg)
f - Acier Hercule trempe 5 palmes - (on left barrel flat in front of Manufrance logo: Hercules Steel hardened to 5 palm fronds)

Two new French gun terms for me - both added to the French-English, English-French vocabulary line:
https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=480959
-- Trempé (past tense from verb Tremper) - possibly "case hardened"? (verb normally means to "soak"
-- Foudres - Chambers??: normally a "foudre" is a large cask or barrel for aging beer or wine etc. (edit - Fab500 established that "Foudre" - lightening - is the in-house proof of La Manu; it has nothing to do with chambers). See the French-English vocabulary line.