0000077398 00000 n in script on octagonal barrel. Colt M1860 .44 and M1873 S.A. .45 Revolvers. Unlike Britain and Europe where proofing of firearms is law, in the United States proofing is left to individual manufacturers. Script monogram die-stamped on the barrel of a percussion Kentucky rifle with engraved patchbox. Proofing involves the firing of an overload that exceeds the service pressure of any given gauge and shell length by about one-third. Decoding these proof marks is very useful in determining the age and history of the gun. A number of other countries have their own forms of proof, either in-house or centrally run. firearms. 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. In the U.S., American-made guns tend to be more desirable and more valuable than others, especially from the flintlock era. 0000003320 00000 n These marks are customarily the cipher of the gunsmiths' guild and the mark of the State or city. To the best of my knowledge there is only one American proof law, adopted in Massachusetts around 1804 (I've forgotten the exact date). Gun Barrel Proof Marks Gun Barrel Proof Marks Markings on gun barrels and other gun components that indicate the level of pressure, calibre and standards that a weapon is fit for in service. The Though not American gunmakers, listed as marking likely to be found on American made rifles. The letter P superimposed on the bottom of a W surrounded by an oval is the familiar Winchester proofmark, Remington uses REP within a box, etc. proof marks. 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. When they were made, all British guns had to be subjected to proof testing (they still are) to ensure that they were fit for purpose. Army & Navy Percussion Double Action Revolvers. 0000006511 00000 n A short film inside the Purdey Barrel-making Shop. Curly maple full-stock, octagonal barrel, flint lock Kentucky rifle. Birmingham had also a proof, but this test was not obligatory, and makers evaded the tests. 2013 CL 0000042008 00000 n Smith & Wesson Model 3 Russian 2nd and 3rd Model .44 Revolver, Smith &, Wesson Model No. Lot# 4 - shipping. 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. To subscribe to the magazine, visit NRA membership page here and select American Rifleman as your member magazine. 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. 0000001540 00000 n How are guns proofed and how do you tell? Austrian arms were marked with the double eagle, and later with the letters Wn 78; a variety of private marks of manufacturers are also in use. 0000074288 00000 n To be sure, American-made shotguns are plenty strong, almost to a fault, and following proofing are stamped with the individual manufacturer's proofmark. Script initials on barrel of late Kentucky .28 cal. Stamping inside lock of early flintlock Ken tucky rifle. Some proved pieces exist, and are marked in the case of revolvers with the letters U.S., in the case of other arms with the letters V.P. Thank you for Serial Numbers. PROOF MARKS: BRITISH PROOF MARKS - ENGLAND, cont. Proof - The test-firing of a gun with an extra-heavy load, at an official establishment, to verify the safety of a gun, which is then marked with formal stamps showing, among other things, the loads for which it is intended. 0000009920 00000 n It is not clear what these two crowns signify but they could possibly be the pre-proof and post-finishing acceptance marks. 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. 2007 CB evaluating historically attributed firearms. Arms Collectors 2000BN Measuring the bore diameter and chamber Lot# 1 - welcome, pleae read auction det. Understand the standard proof marks. Many countries have specific exemption from their firearms legislation for weapons which are ' antique'. The barrels were to be marked PM over the initials of the proving inspector and the date. be reproduced, in part or in whole, without the written permission of '. source of Manufacturer Serial Numbers. 0000001623 00000 n 0000005284 00000 n The majority of those operational proof marks had no sense and meaning in a short scale production period and are senseless for future research. marks tell the country of origin of the weapon. 0000117775 00000 n Items England and Wales company registration number 2008885. individual armorers and inspectors used their own unique stamps in some Military History 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. Stamped inside hand-forged lock of early flintlock Kentucky rifle by I. P. Beck. Most original German Lugers were finished with a blued steel finish. These firearms are cottage industry type weapons without a specific brand name. 0000001896 00000 n Stamped factory percussion lock on boy's Kentucky rifle. Q&A Probably abbreviation for one of the Pennsylvania Angstadt family. Austrian. Yk1wJuYdBY"dS =\ =bz_$[om^+eh,*({5)JIZDf? Curly maple, full stock, percussion Kentucky rifle. Military Manuals At one time, the situation was simple, with an antique being considered to be anything over 100 years old. ", cut in pewter fore-end tip, both sides. 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. Information, NRA determination. Saillevillean E. reversed set in a square stamp (as shown below). 0000003880 00000 n 0000129535 00000 n arsenal marks, you will find other marks or stampings. Possibly John Eberly, gunsmith under William Henry I, Lancaster, Pa., 1729-1786. Birmingham did not establish its proof houses until 1813, and though another Act was passed in 1815 to strengthen the former, the laws were not stringent enough, and the Birmingham proof was not recognized as sound until much later, when the Act of 1855, still unsatisfactory, and the eventually satisfactory one of 1868, was passed. 0000009527 00000 n Late period flintlock Kentucky rifle with lock by Henry Parker. European - especially English, French, German, and Italian - guns can also have good value. Late flintlock period Kentucky rifles of fine workmanship. There are a number of Q. Script marking on barrel of circa 1820 No. You might also like to read how to steel proof a Spanish side-by-side. The table below can be used to see if your gun was proofed in London or Birmingham. Script marking of a circa 1820 Penna. Remington Beals .36 and .44 Remington M1861, Underside of one of Christian Durr's guns is stamped CHD. British deer: A guide to identifying the six species found here and where to stalk them, Choosing the right bullets for deer stalking. visiting our on-line listing of manufacturers identifying marks, Winner, Nippes & Co., Nippes, Daniel, and Steinman, John. 2/3/2023, Edged Weapons The second two digits identify the type of gun, and 03 indicates a shotgun. This article was written by the late Mike George in 2014 and has been updated. Information courtesy of The Blue Rifles & Musket Information. Z=1; Y=2; X=3; W=4; V=5; T=6; R=7; P=8, N=9; and M=0. Marking on barrel of fine relief carved Kentucky rifle circa 1800-1810. Large letters "G.W." (Read more on buying a gun at auction.). Tullea three spiked crown or mitre above a capital E (as shown below). This can be caused by corrosion, wear, excessive cleaning with abrasive material, or the deliberate removal of metal, for example, when a gun is rebored. 2/3/2023, Mauser Pistol Thomas Holdup Stevens, U. S. Inspector of Contract Arms (ship's cutlasses) in 1816 at the plant of Nathan Starr. Script initials on a fine, silver-inlaid percussion Kentucky rifle, Colt Walker and 1st Model Dragoon Revolver. Everything, Longarms Flintlock Kentucky rifles. Examine the shape of the gun. ), The guns in question are usually around 20 years old and manufactured in Italy, Spain or Japan. to share our findings by this means of communication. I have recently aquired a nice old single barrel shotgun, I think it is Spanish and can find various proof marks on the barrel. In the U.S., American made guns tend to be more desirable and more valuable than others, especially from the flintlock era. Applies primarily to guns made outside the U.S. Information courtesy of The Blue Book of Gun Values by S.P. Proof Marks - Ballistics - Bev Fitchett's Guns 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 Bev Fitchett's Guns Survival (current) FREE Military Tough 6-in-1 Tactical Survival Knife Free 2nd Amendment Gun Rights Silver Coin Marking on a percussion Kentucky target rifle. 0000008059 00000 n 0000002659 00000 n 0000016410 00000 n At present, these include Austria, Belgium, Chile, Czechoslovakia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom. 0000131632 00000 n The standard proving of weapons rose out of the need for protection on the part of the public against unreliable weapons, and it was also a means of protecting the armourer guild and good craftsmen against outside competition with cheap imported arms. Marking inside the lock-plate of a Kentucky type flintlock pistol. Golcher, Philadelphia, back action lock. U.S.A.Most pistols exported from the United States are not proof marked in their country of origin. 10/25/2022 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. 2011 CH It is also a good idea to have relevant documents when carrying a gun while traveling: Copies of your valid concealed carry permit (s) A copy of the Firearm Owners Protection Act (FOPA) Copies of 18 USC 926A code regarding interstate transportation of firearms. Flintlock Kentucky rifle. 0000067053 00000 n country requiring that weapons sold within the respective country, and In use from 1868-1925, this mark was used to show a single final proof with loads designed for temporary or provisional proof. (Read more on buying guns second-hand here. 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. 1998 BL M1917 Enfield Parts Markings (from M1903.com) M1917 Enfield Sling Instructions M1 Garand Disassembly and Parts (from CivilianMarksmanship.com) Cartridges and Ammunition International Ammunition Association CartridgedCollectors.org Miroku of Japan, who make the traditionally-styled break-action Brownings, have adopted Brownings date coding system in their serial numbers. Marking in script on Pennsylvania made Kentucky rifle. Golcher, Philadelphia, back action lock. 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. 0000147394 00000 n percussion Kentucky rifle with back action lock by Moore, Henszey & Co. 2017 CS. PROOF MARKS: BRITISH PROOF MARKS - ENGLAND, cont. Older double guns will primarily carry Belgian or British proofmarks. Firstly, you need to identify the proof mark on your black powder revolver. Armourers marks are quite distinct from proof-marks, and comprise the private marks, ciphers, stamps, or signatures of the individual armourers or gunsmiths. Initials "O.M. Percussion locks marked "J. C. M." 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