A number of other countries have their own forms of proof, either in-house or centrally run. 1945 - Present Serial Numbers. (Broomhandle). The barrel pictured is a perfect example as it bears all of the Italian proof marks described. There are no crowned number inspection marks ahead of the baluster turns or on the tang: PROOF MARKS - Comparing the proof marks on your gun to this chart may help you determine where and when your gun was made, including guns where no other markings are evident. Weapons bearing military proof marks have thus to be commercially proofed before they can be legally sold in those countries. Tobias Snider, Liberty Township, Bedford County, Pa. Maker of a side-by-side, double barrel, curly maple stock, percussion Kentucky type rifle, as well as of percussion, Kentucky single barrel rifles. Make on a full curly maple stock, brass mounted, double set trigger, Kentucky type percussion rifle. 0000051585 00000 n In England, the London and Birmingham proof houses were established (in 1637 and 1813, respectively) by Royal Charter to protect the public from the sale of unsafe weapons. Different countries have different codes. 0000002539 00000 n Curly maple, full stock, brass trim, percussion Kentucky rifle engraved "J.S.T." Many proof marks will be stamped into the barrel, frame, or cylinder. 0000001796 00000 n The second two digits identify the type of gun, and 03 indicates a shotgun. <<619EF975DD20A74ABA8163A7762AED27>]>> %PDF-1.3 % The Italian alphabet contains only 21 letters, there being no k, j, w, x, or y. C-96 2013 CL 12/7/2022, Ammunition for Collectors Fond on a "Hero" percussion pocket pistols. Marking on a barrel of a two-shot, single barrel, percus sion, Kentucky type rifle. 12/7/2022, Accessories & Parts 0000010816 00000 n Late flintlock period Kentucky rifles of fine workmanship. Underneath the whole appears the word St. Etienne. Also lock marking of a percussion rifle by R. Haskell, Painesville, Ohio. To complicate matters further, modern reproductions of some of these old weapons have been produced, which are often virtually indistinguishable from the original. Surprisingly, the USA has no law requiring firearms to be proofed. The Proof Acts require a gun to be re-proofed if it has been materially weakened by repair work such as reboring or weld/brazing of the action. Marking on a light, flintlock Kentucky rifle. Some older foreign manufactured firearms, such as pistols from Spain and Italy, will list a location, rather than a manufacturer. Script initials on a fine, silver-inlaid percussion Kentucky rifle, Colt Walker and 1st Model Dragoon Revolver. These firearms are cottage industry type weapons without a specific brand name. Proof marks can be our best link to a gun's history, much like a passport that helps reveal a bit . (Read more on buying guns second-hand here. Why cant all countries date-mark their products in plain language? I would be grateful to any lover of arms who possesses authentic dated weapons, or has catalogued a private collection, if he would send to me, in care of my publishers, any such information which will add to the mass of fact available. These early Mausers were produced by the . Bookmark 0000007161 00000 n for your continued support, encouragement and admonishment. Assess the proof mark. Many inexpensive shotguns were imported from Belgium for resale in this country, and bear those proofmarks. Definitive proof applies to all weapons and shows that the weapon has been tested with an overcharge of propellant and missile. For various reasons, these have not been acceptable to the European commercial proof houses, and the weapons have to be fully proofed before they are legally saleable in those countries. Initials stamped inside the lock of a plain, colonial flintlock musket, marked "HENRY" on lock and barrel. Mark indicates gauge prior to 1925, a 3-inch chamber, but after that year chamber length had to be indicated in inches. 0000016679 00000 n 0000009588 00000 n this location now so you can return often. Officials in the Italian proof house in Gardone Val Trompia, near Brescia, choose to miss out other letters, some for logical reasons (for instance, O and Q could easily be mistaken for zero) and others for no apparent reason (G and R, for instance). 0000080518 00000 n 0000096658 00000 n The Spanish system, as applied by the proof house in Eibar in the Basque Country is simpler. 2011 CH manufactured firearms, such as pistols from Spain and Italy, will list a Here, he explains their advantages and disadvantagesand how to use them safely. 0000013830 00000 n Heavy, home-made buffalo rifle, oak half stock with sowbelly butt. Inside marking of a commercial, side action, percussion lock, without tumbler stirrup, ornamented with flying geese and floral stamping. A good sampling of proofmarks can be found in the NRA Firearms Fact Book and elsewhere. Silver and coins! Flintlock Kentucky rifle, stock finely inlaid with ivory, silver, and brass forestock in two sections. We have provided you Spain depended for long upon the proof of individual armourers, and most Spanish barrels were marked with the stamp of the maker set in a square or oblong block under a crown. The cartridges used, clearly marked Proof Loads and informally called Blue Pills in this country, are carefully controlled, and available only to firearm manufacturers.John M. Taylor. Smith & Wesson's new M&P FPC is a compact, folding pistol-caliber carbine chambered in 9 mm Luger and designed to accept the company's M&P handgun magazines. A leading manufacturer of firearms, Ruger offers high-performance firearms. Appendix 6 Gun Marks Gun marks can include proof marks, but for this chapter, they are restricted to manufacturer ' s marks, inspector ' s marks and arsenal marks. 0000087569 00000 n Check for destructive test marks. Initials "O.M. This is a feature unique to German Lugers. Another, script marking, with patchbox and many inlays. 0000055241 00000 n ), So whats the answer? 0000003896 00000 n Google Italian proof house date codes and you can find tables going back to 1945. 12/7/2022, US Militaria Long, early Kentucky type flintlock smoothbore, Ashmore lock. 0000120205 00000 n Engraved on barrel of very early Kentucky or German rifle of Edward Marshall, who participated in the historic "Indian Walk" Pennsylvania land purchase of 1737. Want to buy a single issue of Shooting Times, Sporting Gun or Airgun Shooter? The fourth the crossed branches, with the letters S.E.E., and a cross in their angles. xref 0000005702 00000 n Relevant Documents to Have. to identify antique arms from different parts of the world, we decided Lot# 4 - shipping. This will help you to determine the year of manufacture as well as the country of origin. Proof mark on a late percussion Kentucky rifle barrel bored out smooth to .69 caliber, with Jas. Golcher, Philadelphia, back action lock. The second is the crossed branches, with the letters A.E. Two letters at the end of the serial number indicate the year. Fine craftsman. "Arsenal" or "Inspector Marks". Published by Vintage Guns Ltd on 28th June 2019. Tower private proof marks on the barrel accompanied by two plain crowns. Military Manuals The first cipher is the crossed branches surmounted by a crown, and with a cross or star in the three other angles. Script marking on barrel of circa 1820 No. The second two digits identify the type of gun, and 03 indicates a shotgun. 0000071997 00000 n 0000011101 00000 n 0000109588 00000 n 0000001623 00000 n Arms Collectors German firearms are loaded with a variety of markings and stamps. St. Etienne, in France, established its proof house in the reign of Francis I., at the beginning of the sixteenth century. Rifles & Musket Information. 2004 BU 0000064406 00000 n Marking on a percussion Kentucky Squirrel rifle. Proof date code table. American shotguns and rifles are tested, though the extent of testing is left up to discretion. 0000008549 00000 n Golcher lock. It is not clear what these two crowns signify but they could possibly be the pre-proof and post-finishing acceptance marks. 0000013204 00000 n 0000107556 00000 n Most original German Lugers were finished with a blued steel finish. Marlin-Savage-Winchester ). When a gun is re-proofed there is always some element of risk, but a gunsmith will advise you as to its chances of passing the test. Script monogram die-stamped on the barrel of a percussion Kentucky rifle with engraved patchbox. that we have found on this subject. Understand the standard proof marks. However, as the US has no federated proof system and American makers conduct their own proof tests, US guns must be proofed on arrival in the UK, because the US is not a CIP member. German Lugers are characterized by a long barrel and a round toggle-lock action. Lot# 2 - pick up on 3/15 10-6pm. below are samples of Proof Marks of different countries. 199.". date, serial number and property marks as well as various acceptance and 0000122300 00000 n 0000006511 00000 n 0000005284 00000 n VoEE&.i=Gjry&M9s PpIC9EeX The barrel is marked under breech "C. H. D.". Marking on a Model 1795 musket lockplate. country requiring that weapons sold within the respective country, and It is illegal to sell a gun which is out of proof, even in a private sale, but proof legislation is designed to protect the public, and not to save shooters from their own folly. Firstly, you need to identify the proof mark on your black powder revolver. Older double guns will primarily carry Belgian or British proofmarks. Unlike Britain and Europe where proofing of firearms is law, in the United States proofing is left to individual manufacturers. On barrel of very early flintlock Kentucky rifle with incised Roman nose stock. weapon. For more than two centuries, Westley Richards has produced some of the worlds finest firearms, each wearing a timeless and classic look with bespoke flourishes. visiting our on-line listing of manufacturers identifying marks, Part marking on locks and barrels by Desverneys, Charleston, S. C. On October 27, 1775, Robert Towers, an employee of the Pennsylvania state gun factory, was ordered to stamp all muskets produced and proved in the city of Philadelphia with the letter P. Flintlock Kentucky rifles. Inspector of Contract Arms. 0000037574 00000 n 0000029262 00000 n The laws were remodelled in 1849, and definite rules as to powder charges laid down, and the cipher, as shown on the right [below], granted as sign of definite proof. 0000077398 00000 n Look for a "P.08" marking on the side of the gun. All rights reserved. 0000009831 00000 n 0000010278 00000 n . Guns have to be proofed in Britain to be sold here. This is not to imply that American-made guns are unsafe, but rather the burden is on the makers themselves to ensure the end safety of the user. Proof Marks or with this information in an attempt to clear up some wrong information Longarms Flintlock Kentucky rifle with 2 patch boxes; one on each side of the stock. Tullea three spiked crown or mitre above a capital E (as shown below). Supreme Court overturns New York concealed gun law. or E.C. Stamping inside a flint Kentucky rifle lock marked externally "KETLAND & CO.". A great deal of painstaking research work is necessary before a list of armourers marks applied to pistols can be compiled, but I have every hope of preparing such a list at a future date when peace is restored in Europe and the great museum collections are accessible. This Questions & Answers was featured in the November 2004 issue of American Rifleman. Stamped on barrel of heavy halfstock Plains rifle with brass tube for ramrod socket. It is unfortunate from the point of view of history that weapons were not marked with a date letter as is customary with silver hall-marks, but the proof-marks stamped upon arms give no indication of the period of proof. Birmingham had also a proof, but this test was not obligatory, and makers evaded the tests. 2007 CB Developed by Paul Mauser and his brother, Wilhelm, this single-shot blackpowder arm was superseded by a tubular-magazine repeater, the German Model 71/84. & Military firearms can be difficult to identify because they 0000000016 00000 n Measuring the bore diameter and chamber xref Probably abbreviation for one of the Pennsylvania Angstadt family. Generally, but not always, Belgian-made guns will have a bit lower value ("ELG" proofmark indicates a Belgian made gun. B. Reynolds barrel. Gun owners ask how old is my gun or can I date my gun from its serial number? Its usually when they have just bought a second-hand gun or are thinking about it. Military History If you have rifles to store, finding a safe can be more difficult than if you have one or two handguns. endstream endobj 137 0 obj <> endobj 138 0 obj <>/Encoding<>>>>> endobj 139 0 obj <> endobj 140 0 obj <>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB]/ExtGState<>>> endobj 141 0 obj <> endobj 142 0 obj <> endobj 143 0 obj <> endobj 144 0 obj <> endobj 145 0 obj <> endobj 146 0 obj <> endobj 147 0 obj <> endobj 148 0 obj <>stream Percussion Kentucky rifle with artificially striped stock. Proof Marks or "Proofs" as they are sometimes referred to have changed over time, therefore assisting in dating the arm. 0000036825 00000 n Proofing involves the firing of an overload that exceeds the service pressure of any given gauge and shell length by about one-third. Proof marks are stamps applied to various parts of a weapon during and after manufacture to show that the weapon is safe for use with the ammunition for which it was designed. Late period flintlock Kentucky rifle with lock by Henry Parker. A plain percussion Kentucky rifle with factory lock. State of New Jersey marking for "State Property.". (Shotgun restoration where to get it done and what to spend. Remington Beals .36 and .44 Remington M1861, Underside of one of Christian Durr's guns is stamped CHD. 1750-1850 - Dueling pistols come into fashion . 0000106738 00000 n 1998 BL When can deer be hunted? Parisa cipher of E. and P. set back to back (as shown below). To be sure, American-made shotguns are plenty strong, almost to a fault, and following proofing are stamped with the individual manufacturer's proofmark. 0000012820 00000 n 10/25/2022 You might also like to read how to steel proof a Spanish side-by-side. location, rather than a manufacturer. The next sequence of digits is the manufacturer's serial number, and the last pair of digits is the year of manufacture (for instance, 98 indicates 1998, and 05 indicates 2005). The majority of marks will be found on the barrel flats, though early guns may have stamps on the tubes, under the forend. type Kentucky rifle. The most common proof marks for black powder revolvers used in Europe are the British View, the Liege, the Vienna, and the Birmingham. Pennsylvania, about 1800, possibly an abbreviation for Albright. I have identified two from info on the web - One appears to be (crossed muskets)1923 Eibar final black powder proof and the other is (a shield with crossed muskets)1929 Eibar admission proof for for gunswith old marks. The barrels were to be marked PM over the initials of the proving inspector and the date. reference books that display proof marks and their meanings. Following the sale of Remington Outdoor Company's assets in September 2020, Vista Outdoor purchased Remington Ammunition. 0000124308 00000 n Period of 1810. HWMs8WLE ydljblj+-Q%xvn Tr @w|;-'.y':BRdiR4&I &Ml7!e6"G'&y~>mh2?/.^/Fhy9xamNvYNy2k3ZX(`BIFybVE2-p$d(IF *^bSCv.* bW2P5a)M'?5*VT"fEdv/}Y4tU=iaf6hj\3qRplj9l#~ Oe{'zp{BM This is a reliable indicator that the gun is a German Luger. Flintlock Kentucky rifle. Early flintlock Kentucky rifle with slender wrist, high comb, no patchbox, carved stock. 0000108581 00000 n Marking on the barrel of a Kentucky type, flint lock pistol with lock marked "C. E. Hardy & Co.". Examine the shape of the gun. 0000004008 00000 n Marking on a percussion Kentucky target rifle. Russia Smith & Wesson Model 3 Russian 1st and 2nd Model .44 Revolver. European - especially English, French, German, and Italian - guns can also have good value. It shouldnt be too much to ask all manufacturers to put the date of manufacture at the end of the serial number something like 11/17 to identify the month and year of manufacturer as November 2017, for instance? will normally provide the information needed to make a caliber 136 43 Two Barrel Darling pistols are marked with H. The fifth a crown, with three crossed spikes set over a capital E. Other French towns had their special marks, such as California, Rifleman Q&A: Shotgun Proofmarks? Items 3/1/2023, Collectors Stamped under breech of A. Gumpf halfstock percussion rifle. 2014 CM Besides these national collections, there are many municipal and private galleries whose curators have formed most excellent catalogues, but in the main this knowledge is uncoordinated. Barrel marking of a fill curly maple stock, percussion Kentucky rifle with British lock. Q. Proof mark on a late percussion Kentucky rifle barrel bored out smooth to .69 caliber, with Jas. Again, thank you 0000059736 00000 n Roman nose butt, flintlock Kentucky rifle. My Italian guns seem to be covered with proofmarksas do a couple old Belgian guns I havebut my American guns dont seem to have any. 0000004652 00000 n 0000111269 00000 n 0000006260 00000 n Found in Scotland, ready for putting back together. to identify the manufacturer. 0000104236 00000 n Light flintlock Kentucky rifle, slim-wrist maple fullstock with a high comb, brass patchbox. Flog?5BnS'Vz] Wd;No$wBj2O56~N)T%D-69_f)Bl[RfU[aSV. 2000BN 0000009076 00000 n How to get a firearm certificate in the UK, Shotgun certificate how to get one and how to renew one, Issues with eye dominance when shooting: how to deal with them, How to choose the perfect airgun pellets for your rifle, How to choose the right cartridge for your shotgun, Country hotels offering shooting facilities. Before sending it to the proof house he will check that the action and barrels are jointed properly, that the ribs are sound and that the bores havent grown in diameter beyond laid-down limits, through either constant firing or overzealous cleaning, or both. Proof marks are the official stamps or ciphers showing that a barrel has been properly tested with the prescribed excess charges of powder and ball that allow a large factor of safety to the user. Japan does not have a gun barrel proof act, but the Miroku/Browning system is remarkable for its clarity. 0000001896 00000 n jh-@^z^gq}$g=@(M B{)C[ 0000004839 00000 n 0000069587 00000 n Many countries have specific exemption from their firearms legislation for weapons which are ' antique'. C-96 (Broomhandle) Marlin Remington Ruger (& Factory Letters) Winchester U.S. Military Markings Gun Marks House Brands U.S. S. Army. Barrel marking of an circa 1820, flintlock Ken tucky rifles of north-central Penna. Curly maple half stocked plains rifle with engraved brass hardware and Jas. Script marking of a circa 1820 Penna. 0000002251 00000 n . Marking on an over-under, flintlock Kentucky rifle. evaluating historically attributed firearms. View Full Photo Gallery. 136 0 obj <> endobj 0000003452 00000 n Early flintlock rifle of crude workmanship. %%EOF "Proofs" as they are sometimes referred to have changed over 0000004954 00000 n At time of publication, "Questions & Answers" was compiled by Staff, Ballistics Editor William C. Davis, Jr., and Contributing Editors: David Andrews, Hugh C. Birnbaum, Bruce N. Canfield, O. Reid Coffield, Charles Q. Cutshaw, Charles M. Fagg, Angus Laidlaw, Evan P. Marshall, Charles E. Petty, Robert B. Pomeranz, O.D., Jon R. Sundra, Jim Supica, A.W.F. A voluminous schedule of rules and scales of charge for the proof of various kinds of small arms is in existence, and the proof is the same at London and at Birmingham; though different proof marks are employed. A gun is said to go out of proof if the internal dimensions of its barrel exceed certain defined original dimensions when it was proof tested. This will be an on going 0000004035 00000 n Lot# 3 - pick up location. Condition Grading Definitions For Antique Firearms, This website may not Typical operational proof marks on a 1934 receiver. Markings on a full stock, percussion Kentucky rifle. 0000136869 00000 n This is from a Deluxe engraved Pedersoli Le Page pistol, and all of the stampings are on the underside of the barrel. 0000015263 00000 n Flintlock Kentucky rifles. At one time, the situation was simple, with an antique being considered to be anything over 100 years old. The viewers mark was a capital V, also surmounted with a crown. If we think about clear dating on guns, why do we have to have codes at all? Marking on superposed, percussion Kentucky type rifle. More importantly, everything it makes has the performance to match. Reported first used in 1877 in Moravia, Iowa. 1776 - 1941 Heavy percussion Kentucky rifle with H. Elwell lock, J. Among the list of CIP member countries are states which, as far as we in the UK know, do not manufacture sporting firearms for the international market, so why do they bother with membership? 0000037090 00000 n Surely it isnt too much to ask all of them to accept clear-language date marking, or is there a limit to just how far international co-operation will go? Fancy flintlock Kentucky rifle with raised carv ing, 45 silver inlays; engraved C. Bird & Co., Phila., lock. to share our findings by this means of communication. Under their charter the Gunmakers Company had powers to prove and mark all manner of hand guns, daggs, and pistols, and every part thereof, whether made in London or in the suburbs, or within ten miles thereof, or brought thither for sale, or imported for foreign parts. In a nutshell, much can be determined about the origins and to a wide extent the date of manufacture of some shotguns just by examining the proofmarks. The proof house marks and manufacturing code are stamped elsewhere on the gun. Stamped inside hand-forged lock of early flintlock Kentucky rifle by I. P. Beck. smokeless powder proof for rifles Many old guns may have been re-proved once or more, often in a different proof house from the original one. Generally, this calls for between 30 and 50% increase in pressure over the standard round of ammunition. Two, four and six barrel pistols of Darling design are met with bearing the initials A. I. S. Curly maple, half stocked plains rifle with engraved brass hardware and Jas. Catalogs 2015 CN Over-under percussion rifle and on a heavy barrel, Kentucky type flintlock match rifle. He was born in 1921 and later served as a navy corpsman in Japan and Korea. Check the finish of the gun. Seen These In use from 1868-1925, this mark was used to show a single final proof with loads designed for temporary or provisional proof. 0000062418 00000 n 3, 1st Model 44 Revolver. Inspectors WWII German Codes & Markings GUN MARKINGS Please enter the markings you want to research and click the submit button. 0000002933 00000 n Many old guns may have been re-proved once or more, often in a different proof house from the original one. Proof marks are the official stamps or ciphers showing that a barrel has been properly tested with the prescribed excess charges of powder and ball that allow a large factor of safety to the user. How are guns proofed and how do you tell? For example, this means that a gun with Belgian proof marks can be sold in the UK without being re-proofed because Belgium is a CIP member. 0000088591 00000 n British deer: A guide to identifying the six species found here and where to stalk them, Choosing the right bullets for deer stalking. Testing the gun In the U.S., American-made guns tend to be more desirable and more valuable than others, especially from the flintlock era. referred to more commonly as "Proof Marks", 1941 - 1945 Identify the maker. Taylerson, John M. Taylor and John Treakle. 0000002659 00000 n 0000090159 00000 n 0000010481 00000 n 0000001156 00000 n Decades of experience with handguns and holsters have given the author some excellent insights into the most popular designs. Colt M1860 .44 and M1873 S.A. .45 Revolvers. 2005 BZ Misc. These marks are the Belgian Lion rampant over the letters S.C.H. This article was written by the late Mike George in 2014 and has been updated. Possibly Ohio, crude, homemade percussion (possibly converted) fullstock rifle with strap-iron trigger guard. Miroku of Japan, who make the traditionally-styled break-action Brownings, have adopted Brownings date coding system in their serial numbers. 0000102139 00000 n Marking on a Kentucky type pistol with silver inlays. This type of proof is designed to prevent the manufacturer from continuing work on barrel blanks which may have hidden defects. Q&A 0000147394 00000 n If the gun is out of proof you can still continue to fire it, although this may be foolhardy. 0000126405 00000 n Decoding these proof marks is very useful in determining the age and history of the gun. examiner must rely on proof marks when trying to identify these arsenal marks, you will find other marks or stampings. determination. The most common mark is that of Luke Harrington who apparently worked in Milbury where the Waters factory was located. Middletown, Conn. Percussion under-hammer pistols. individual armorers and inspectors used their own unique stamps in some Determine the maker's proof mark. proof marks. Proof mark add value because they can indicate provenance, date of manufacture, or in a best case scenario truly set a gun apart if it has an especially rare origin. Script initials on barrel of late Kentucky .28 cal. 12/7/2022, Books for If you pick up an Italian gun made between 1954 and 1974, the date code will be in Roman numerals, and for the immediate post-war period the code is in Arabic numerals that is the conventional 1,2,3, etc. Phone: 515-720-2490. There are a number of Curly maple full-stock, octagonal barrel, flint lock Kentucky rifle. Probably Ketland, Walker & Adams, listed in Birmingham, England in 1818. Gunmarks David Byron 8 Hardcover 16 offers from $24.68 Editorial Reviews From the Inside Flap GUN IDENTIFICATION AND REFERENCE GUIDE! Marks, Arsenal & Inspector Marks. In the late 18th and early 19th Centuries letters J and I were interchanged rather freely in writing. 0000012553 00000 n
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