Let me have a last go at dating the gun - waiting for FAB:
-- Manufrance - must be post 1885.
-- Ideal? If so must be post 1887.
-- Chambered in mm? We have theorized that in 1889 Saint-Etienne changed to using cm for chamber length so this is an anomaly discussed above. I personally think there should be a decimal between the 6 and 5.
-- It is stamped with the "Cycles" address so must be post 1892.
-- Proofed PJ so probably between March 1896 and 1900 when PT became standard.
-- There's a problem of the SN 4297 which would date to February 1890....if that's a SN and if it's an Ideal....
Gene, you are confusing me. Clearly, it is not an Ideal. Why are you bringing Ideals into the discussion. There is good anecdotal evidence that Manufrance used separate serial number sequences for different models of guns until after WWII.
