doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com St. Etienne 12Ga.

Looks like a pretty basic French guild gun (no maker's name--not at all unusual with French guns). Very odd cheekpiece! That's more of a German thing, usually. The "portee garantie" means that the range is guaranteed, although who knows what the "guarantee" is! The mark on each barrel in front of the flats, where it says "St. Etienne", is single (ordinary) French proof.

You've got yourself a shooter, with appropriate light loads. You might want to check the chokes. They're often very tight on French guns.

I may just have a name but i`m not sure. Their is some sort of name under the reciever in what looks like gold lettering and is MALOT A REIMS

Hello Burch and welcome.

"Malot à Reims" is surely the name (Malot) of the gunshop in Reims [good champagne there,:-)] where it was originally sold. Nice shooter. With a little clean up it should
look up quite a bit.

JC

Sorry you could nt succesfully post it.
The pre-proof was done at 1000kg or 14220 psi
the final proof , 800kg
Barrels were made by Ronchard et Cizeron
65mm 2 9/16 " ( 2 1/2" is 63.5mmm)
Malot, dealer, unknown ?

You have a nice gun, than a GI from the Fifth may have found at Reims City Hall.

O.K so I take it a quailified gunsmith that specializes in vintage doubles, I shoot 2 1/2' or 2 9 1/16 " shells that max at 8900 psi if the gun is safe to shoot. Any other recommendations ?
I`d like to use it for small game and birds so a #4 - #9 lead shot would be the most I would use. Anyone know a gunsmith worth sending it to or maybe one in the state of Florida.

G.G.'s proof numbers are different than Larry's as posted by Doc Drew and copied here by YT. If the final proof is 800 Kilo, should Burch be sticking to pressures below 9000psi? Just asking for clarification (in psi).

jack

of course, that the pressure at the proofhouse. You should use light load, stay under the limit, you have an old gun, nobody have check your barrels...or the lugs...
I do not reload and have doseage for powder A1 and A2, it that means anything here, let me know.
Have the lenght of your chamber checked it is maybe longer than 65, a gunsmith may have worked on it before.
g

After a qualified gunsmith verifies that the gun is sound, I'd certainly stick with loads under 9,000 psi. Moderate velocity, no more than an ounce of shot.

The regular load was for 12ga: 2.20 gr T powder with 32 gr of lead, with wad made of cork and all the old stuff. From a genuine french hunting book from the 50's
I always shot ligh load, lighter than above.
Recommandations? shot first behind a three using a string. You will not be the first one.

So where do I find a qualified smith that`ll inspect it and work on it if needed ?