To quote Ted...

"While I'm sure there are people that believe a large treasure trove of information exists/ will be forthcoming in a book about French guns, this ignores the basic fact that France has suffered through two periods of unfriendly occupation right in the middle of the golden age of gunmaking. Records were lost, destroyed, stolen and outright obfuscated during both periods of occupation. I tried some basic research at the libraries in Lyon and St. Etienne when I was there, and almost nothing I could use was to be found. I wish I could tell you exactly who built this gun, where and at what time frame it was built, but, I can't, and anyone else who might is AWOL, at present. Until that guy shows up, we can endlessly speculate about the above, or, delve into some simple facts about low grade sliding breech guns in general, low grade clones, in particular, of which no one should argue that this gun most definitely is, and when quantities of money that involve things like restocking should be thrown at those guns."

Is anyone buying this nonesense? The French lead the way in catalog collecting...There are several books on Darne and Charlin just over the horizon...

As for Ted's denial of any forthcoming book...he missed the boat...twice...the 320 page reference book on the guns of Regis Darne is already in the second edition...the title is...Les Fusils de chasse de Régis Darne...by J.C Mournetas...


then there is the less comprehensive book titled "Le fusil Darne 1974-1979" by L. Forissier. 85 pages ...

not to mention all the other French books where Charlin and Darne are covered in the book but not in the title...

I can't address beag's question with these gale winds of disinformation blowing in....

I don't think they're buying it anymore Ted, but that's only my opinion...

Here's the Charlin patent number that you requested...FR995122 ...I'm pretty sure I found an earlier reference to plume barrels buried in another patent issued to Regis Darne in the twenties

So that everyone can move on...is that the toggle lock axel that you refer to or not? yes or no

Last edited by Robert Chambers; 12/14/07 01:39 AM.