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As a collective effort on the Verney-Carron Heliduplex line, myself, Wildcattle, L.Brown and Ellenbr have come up with a list of French gun terms and their translation. (thanks to WC for doing a lot of the heavy lifting). I'm copying the list below for reference to assure it doesn't get lost. It is presented without the masculine/feminine articles le, la, les etc. for ease in ordering the terminology.

================================ French - English ================================

A

Abîmé(e) - spoiled/ruined/damaged
Acier m - steel
…Acier chocolat - excessively soft steel (Belgian trade vernacular)
…Acier damas (also "damas") - damascus steel
…Acier revenu - tempered steel
…Acier trempé - quenched steel
Alésage -boring (barrels)
l’anglaise bouquet - English rose (engraving term
Argent m - silver
...Vieil argent - old silver
Ailes f - side clips
Alliage - Alloy
Âme du canon f - bore
Amorce f - primer
Amortisseur m - pad (as in buttpad)
Ancien - old
Anson et Deeley; Anson m - box lock
Arabesque f - scroll (engraving)
Arme f - weapon
Arme de poing f - hand gun
Arme d’épaule f - long gun
Arme à percution centrale f - centerfire gun
Armé - cocked
Armurier m - gun shop owner
Armurerie f - gun shop, not a maker, historically a body armor vendor
Arquebusier m - Gun maker (abbreviated as "Arqr")
Artisan, artisane - artisan (male, female)
Avantage (à droite, à gauche) - cast-off, cast-on

B

Baguette de nettoyage f - ramrod, cleaning rod
Banc d’épreuves m - proof house
Bande f - rib
…Prolongement de la bande - extension of the rib (to the receiver)
…Bande ventilée - ventilated rib
…Bande a tenon d'accrochage s'encastrant dans la bascule - doll’s head
…Band de visee - ventilated rib
Balle f - bullet or slug
Bascule f - receiver/action
…Bascule ronde - round receiver
Basculeur m - tradesman putting the action together
Bec m - heel
…Bec de Crosse - heel of the butt plate
Bille acier f - steel shot
Bois m - wood
...Bois de noyer - walnut
......Noyer blond - blond walnut
...Bois d'érable - maple
Boite a Fusil - gun case
Boitier m - housing
Bouche f - muzzle
Bouchon de canon - bullet starter (muzzle loader)
Bouchon de percuteur - Firing pin bushing
Bouquets (gravure à) - rose engraving
Bourre - wad
Bourrelet--rim (of shell)
Brasé - brazed
...brasé sur - brazed on
Bretelle - sling
...Bretelle à enrouleur - retractable sling (like on a Ideal)
...Brettelle retractable - retractable (built in) sling
Brevet - Patent
Breveté(e) - patented
...Breveté(e) SGDG - model patent ("sans garantie du gouvernement")- Patented Without Guarentee of the Government". French distinction that designates a technical patent in the U.S. sense, as opposed to trademark and the old design patent number system that dealt only with name and shape.
Brisure, à - Breakage
Broche - pinfire
Bronze - bronze; (copper and tin alloy)
Bronzage - barrel blacking
Brosse - gun cleaning bore brush
Busc - comb (for a stock)

C

Cale - wedge (in a double rifle), or spacer between barrels
Calibre - caliber
Canon - barrel
...Canons frettés - sleeved barrel set (externally sleeved or jacketed, built-up barrels)
...Canons juxtaposés - SxS double barrel
...Canon lisse - smoothbore
...Canons miroir - mirror finish bores
......Canonnerie miroir - ditto
...Canons mixtes (Arme à) - cape gun
...Canon monobloc - Barrel set made in one block of steel
...Canon poli - honed barrel
...Canon rayé - rifled barrel
...Canon rayé dispersant - Rifled spreader barrel (usually Euro woodcock guns)
...Canons superposés - over/under
Canonnier - barrel maker
Capuche - metal piece surrounding the Deeley forearm push button
Carabine - rifle, carbine
Carabine de salon - indoor rifle
Carabine de jardin - light rifle, rook rifle
Carnier - Shotshell pouch
Cartouches à plombs - shot shell
Cartouches à balle - slug shell
Cartouche de rechargement - reloader
Chambrage - chamber(ing)
Chambre - chamber
Chêne - Oak
Chargette - powder measure
Chasse - Hunting
Chasse (m) sous Bois - Upland woods hunting
Chevrotines - buck shot (large shot 2 - 000)
Chien - hammer
…Crête de chien - hammer spur
…Chiens extérieurs - external hammers
Choke - Choke
…Cylindrique - cylinder choke (synonym: lisse)
…Demi choke - Modified choke
…Plein - full (as in choke)
Chromage - chromed bores
Chromé(e) - chrome plated
Ciselures sur les coquille - shell motif on fences (engraving term)
Clé - key
…Clé Beringer - type of underlever also called Pontet-Serpent
…Clé de bascule - top lever key
…Clé devant pontet - underlever (Lefraucheux).
…Clé d’ouverture - opening key
…Clé longueur - side lever
…Clé sur le dessus - top lever key
Coffret - case (to put the gun in)
Contre-platines - side-plates
Convergence - regulation (shotgun or double rifle)
Coquille - action ball (fences)
...Coquilles de la Bascul - fences
. .Coquilles ciselures - shell motif on fences (engraving term)
Coquille de fusil de chasse - empty shotgun shell casing; Husk or Hull
Corne - horn
Corps de platines - side plates
Cran de sécurité - Safety catch
Crête de chien - hammer spur
Crochet - barrel lump
...Crochets d’attache - barrel lump
...Crochets ajustés en queue d’aronde - dovetailed lump
...Crochet du canon - same
...Crochet encastré - dovetailed lump (embedded)
...Crochets rapportés - non integral lumps
Crosse - stock
...Crosse anglaise - English stock
...Crosse à joue - stock with cheek piece
...Crosse de borgne - crossover stock
...Crosse demi-pistolet - round knob grip stock
...Crosse pistolet - pistol grip stock
Crossier - stock maker
Creusot? - hammered? (Perhaps referring to a town known for forging.
Cuir - leather (for the sling)
...Cuir surpiqué - double layered sown leather
Culot - Brass base of the shotgun shell
Cuivre - copper
Culasse - standing breech or bolt
Culasse mobile - movable breech (i.e. on a Darne)
Cylindrique - cylinder choke (synonym: lisse)

D

Damasquiné - damascened
Dans l'état - original
Dans son jus - original, never modified or restored
Déboulé (m)? - in the wild?
Demi-armé - half cocked (for hammer guns)
Demi-bloc - chopper lump
Détente - trigger
...Double détente - double trigger
...Monodétente - single trigger
......Monodétente sélective - selective single trigger
Devant - forearm
. .Devant à pompe - Pump gun forearm
D'occasion - used
Doré - gold filled
Double détente - double trigger
Double verrou de fermeture - double locking bolt
Douille - Shotshell husk
Drageoir---rim cuts. Syn: feuillure.

E

Ébène - ebony
Écouvillon - cleaning rod and implement
...Écouvillon en laiton - brass barrel (cleaning) brush
Écusson - shield (on a stock)
Éjecteurs automatiques - automatic ejectors
Éjecteur/extracteur a grand développement - ejector contact point on the hull is over 1/4 of the circumference. Normally high-end guns only.
Emouler de Canons de Fusil- Barrel Grinder/Polisher (archaic
Enfoncements - dents
Entaillage - inletting
. . un entaillage droit - straight inletting
. . a bascule entaillee - insetted action
. . double entaillage - double inletting
Épaisseur - thickness
Épaisseur des parois du canon - Barrel walls thickness
éponge - bore cleaning swab
Épreuves - proof
...Banc d’épreuves - proof house
...double épreuve - double proof
...triple épreuve - triple proof
...épreuve ordinaire - version of normal proof
...épreuve ordinaire - modern day "triple proof"
Érable - maple (wood)
État - condition
...État mécanique - mechanical condition
...État moyen - so so condition; medium condition
...État mauvais - bad condition
…Pas en bon état - not in good condition
...État neuf - new condition
Étranglement - choke
Etui - Gun case; gun slip
Express (also double "express") - double rifle
Extracteur - extractors

F

Fabricant (also abbreviated as "Fabt") - maker
Fausses-platines - side-plates
Faux axes de platines - false side-plate pins
Faux-corps - false side plates; i.e. contra-platines
Fermeture en “T" - Jones underlever also known as "T" Anglais
Feu central, arme à - centerfire (gun)
Feuillet(s) - sight leaf
Feutrine - baize (gun case)
Finition - finish
…Finition argent - silver finish
…Finition blue - blued finish
…Finition canon de fusil - gunmetal finish
…Finition chromée - chrome finish
…Finition nickelée - nickel finish.
…Finition noir - blued finish
Forage - bore (barrel)(boring)
Forgé(e) - forged
Foudre(s) - 4 lightening bolts - St Etienne proof mark for guns finished when proofed 1923-39
Fournie - not sure (concentrated perhaps?)
Fourreau - Leg-o-mutton case
Frères - Brothers
Frette - monoblock;
Fusil - firearm (normally a shotgun but also a military rifle)
...Fusil à broche - pinfire gun
...Fusil à canon scié - sawed off shotgun
...Fusil à chargement par la bouche - muzzle loader
...Fusil à chien - hammer gun
...Fusil de chasse - shotgun
...Fusil juxtaposé - double gun
... Fusil juxtaposé artisanal Français - Artisanal French double gun (quite often maker not known)
...Fusils lever-action - lever action gun
......Fusil à levier de sous-garde - ditto
......Fusil levier sous garde - ditto
...Fusil à percussion - muzzle loading, percussion rifle
...Fusil à piston - percussion gun
...Fusil à pompe - pump gun (also "branlette" in French hunting vernacular)
...Fusil à silex - flintlock

G

Gachette - sear; trigger
Gachette interruptrice - safety sear
Gâchette facile - trigger happy
Garnisseur - tradesman assembling barrels, ribs and lumps
Gerbe - pattern
Gerbe de Plombe - shot pattern
Graveur - engraver
Gravure en pointes d’epinee - thorn point engraving
Gravure(s) - engraving(s)
Grenadière - sling swivel
Grenailles - smaller shot (in a shotgun shell) (4-9)
Goupille - round pin
Goupille de charnière - hinge pin
Guidon - front sight
... protège-guidon - sight hood
Guilloché(e) - ornamented with geometric design
...Vis guillochées - ornamented screws

H

Hausse - back sight (originally adjustable type)

I

Illisible - illegible

J

Jaspage - case coloring
Jaspé(e) - case colored
Jaugé - guage
Jaugé à - gauged, measured at
Jaugé de chambre - chamber measuring gage
Jeu - play (in the sense of movement)
...Jeu dans la bascule - (play in the receiver)
...Sans jeu - without play
Joue - cheekpiece
...Joue allemande - German style cheeckpiece
Juxtaposé - side by side

L

Laine d’acier - steel wool
Laiton - Brass: alloy - 70 parts copper; 30 parts zinc
Lefaucheux à clé - type of underlever
Levier - Lever
Levier d'armement - cocking lever
Levier de sécurité (ou sécurité) - safety lever
Levier de sécurité (ou sécurité) à la poignée - grip safety
Levier de sous garde - cocking underlever (Winchester type)
Levier sous la longuesse - underlever
Levier à volute - type of underlever
Lisse - smooth (as in smoothbore). Also sometimes a syn. for cylinder bore.
Longuesse - forestock
Longuesse à poussoir - Anson forend (forestock with pushrod release)
Longuesse-sous-main amovible - underlever
Loupe d’accrochage - doll’s head
Lunette - scope

M

Maniable - easy to the hand/handy
Moitié armé - half cocked (for hammer guns)
Mono-canon - single barrel
Monodétente - single trigger
Manouvrable - handy
Monteur à bois - stocker
Moulé(e) - molded
Muni - fitted

N

Nickelé(e) - nickel plated
Noix - Hammer axis
NY d'Imphay? - (some sort of alloy?)

O

Oeilleton - peep sight
Or - gold
...Or fin - fine gold
Doré - gold plated or gold applique
Oreille - Sideclip
Organes de visée - sights
Orné(e) - ornamented
Ouverture par clé devant pontet - underlever
Ouverture sous pontet - underlever
Oxydation - oxydation

P

Paire - pair of guns
Pente - drop
...Pente au busc - drop at comb
...Pente au talon - drop at heel
Percussion centrale - center percussion, center fire (hammer gun)
Percuteur - Firing pin
Pièce d'armurerie - piece of firearms manufacture ???
Pierrage - honing
Pique - pitted
...Piqûres - pitting
...Petites piqûres - light pitting
Planchette - back sight folding leaf
Plaque de couche - butt plate
Plaqué(e) - plated
Platine - side lock
...Platine Holland - front lock as made by H&H or others
...Platine arrière - back lock
...Platine avant - front lock
...Platine démontable - hand removable sidelock
...Platine encastrée - embedded locks
...Platine rebondissante - rebounding lock
Plein--full (as in choke)
Plomb - lead (shot)
Poids de la détente. - trigger pull
Poignée (f) - pistol grip, grip
Poinçon - stamp
...Poinçons réglementaires - legal stamps
...Poinçons d'épreuve - proof marks
Poire à poudre - powder horn; powder flask
Poli(e) - polished
Polisseur - barrel grinder
Polissage en long - longitudinal honing
Poncée huile (Crosse) - sanded with oil finish (stock)
Pontet - trigger guard
…Pontet-Serpent - type of underlever also called Clé Beringer
…Pontet à volute - trigger guard with volute in front
Portée - range (as in shooting distance)
Poudre - powder (gunpowder)
...Poudre blanche--smokeless powder
...Poudre pyroxylée - smokeless powder (French)
...Poudre sans fumée - smokeless powder
...Poudre Vive - smokeless Powder ( Belgian)
Poussoir - push rod (forestock)
Propre - clean, nice

Q

Quadrillage - Checkering
Quadrilleur - Checkerer
Queue d’aronde - dovetail (old French for"swallow tail")

R

Rallonge de crosse - stock extension
Rayé à chargement par la bouche - muzzle loader rifle
Rayures - striation or shallow rifling
Réamorçoir - shotshell priming tool
Recuit - annealed
Recul - recoil
Relevé - cocked
Relime - steel parts shaping (by chisel or file)
Relime soignee avec filets - double line with breaks (engraving term)
Relimeur - tradesman shaping the action and other parts
Repoussé en - decoratively hammered
Revenu - Tempering
Ressort - spring
…Ressort à lames - Coil spring
…Ressort spirale - spiral spring
Restauration - restoration
Réticule - Reticle (scope)
Rinceaux - leaves and branches (engraving)
Rosaces - rosettes (engraving term)
Rouille - rust
...Rouille légère - light rust

S

Sabot - butt pad
Sabot - sabot projectile
Scène de chasse - hunting scene (engraving)
Sécurité - safety
Sécurité à la poignée - grip safety
Sécurité dès qu'elle est arméee - safety automatically on when cocked
Serré - tight
Sertissage - crimp/crimping
SGDG - see Brevete SGDG
Similor - alloy; 100 parts Red copper; 12 parts zinc
Soudure - solder
…Soudure d’argent/à l'argent - Silver solder
…Soudure à l’étain - Tin solder (lead and tin mixed)
…Soudure de cuivre - Copper brazing (red coper, old silver, antimony, zinc, etc.)
Stéphanois - from Saint-Etienne region
Successeur (also abbreviated to "succr") - Successor to
Souplesse de la gâchette - trigger pull
Sûreté - safety

T

"T" Anglais - Jones underlever also known as “Fermeture en T"
Talon - heel
Talon de crosse - upper point of the butt plate
Tempérage - tempering
. .Procédé de trempage - tempering process.
Tete de Poupée (f) - Doll's Head
Tirant de Crosse - Stock attachment bolt
Tire-cartouche - extracteur
Tirette - action rod
Tombac - alloy; 16 parts copper; 1 part zinc; 1 part tin
Tonnerre - place where the ignition happens
Trempé (past tense from verb Tremper) - quenched - hardened
Traité thermiquement - Heat treated
Triple verrou Greener - Triple lock of a double Purdey bite and a Greener 3rd
Triple verrou Purdey” - Triple lock in case of a Purdey nose 3rd bite.
Triple verrou - triple lock
Triplette - 3-gun set
Tromblon - blunderbuss (or bad shotgun)
Tube - barrel tube
Type anglais - English style

U
Usiné - machined

V

Valise - Case
Verrou - lock, also bolt
Verrou de fermeture - closing bolt
Verrou vertical - rising bite
Verrouillage - locking system
Vernis - varnish
Vis - Screw

================================== English - French ===================================

Here is the first cut of English to French double-gun terms. it's easier to go from an acquired language to a native language (in this case French to English) than vise versa. Plus the two languages are structured differently. French is more US Military - think, "trousers, cotton, padded, OD, 1 each" vs "one pair of padded cotton olive drab trousers" so if you have a hard time finding a term, find the noun and it may be a sub entry. And I'm not sure I actually know all the English gun terms the pros use or are interested in. Finally for the French nouns, without the articles it's not real Frenc and for the adjectives - they will vary according the modified noun M or F. So welcome all corrections.

English-French double-gun terms

A

Action (receiver) - bascule
Action ball (fences) - coquille
Action rod - tirette
Annealed - Recuit
Artisan - artisan
Artisanal - artisanal
Artisanal French side x side (unnamed) - Fusil juxtaposé artisanal français
As is - Dans l'etat

B

Back sight - hausse
Barrel(s) - canon(s)
…barrel, single - mono-canon
…barrel, double/SxS - canons juxtaposés
…barrel, externally sleeved - canon frettés
…barrel, honed - canon poli
…barrel najer - canonnier
Barrel assembler - garnisseur
Barrel lump - See Lump, Barel
…Barrel, rifled barrel - canon rayé
…Barrel, rifled, spreader - canon rayé dispersant
…barrel set made in one bloc of steel - canon monobloc
Barrel blacking - bronzage
Barrel wedge/spacer (double guns) - cale
Blunderbuss - tromblon
Bore - Âme du canon
Bore (barrel) - forage
Bore brush - Brosse
Bore swab - éponge
Box lock - Anson et Deeley; Anson
Brass - laiton
Brazed - brasé
...Brazed on - brasé sur
Breakage - brisure, à
Breech/bolt - culasse
…Breech, movable (Darne) - culasse mobile; Culasse a mouvement linéaire
Bronze - bronze
Brothers (as in a company) - frères
Brush, barrel cleaning, brass - Écouvillon en laiton
Bullet - balle
...Jacketed bullet - balle blindée
Bullet starter (muzzle loader) - bouchon de canon
Butt pad - amortisseur
Butt pad - sabot
Butt plate - plaque de couche


C

Cape gun - canons mixtes (Arme à)
Carbine - carabine
Case coloring - jaspage -
Case colored - jaspé(e)
Case, gun - coffre; feutrine; baize
Case - valise
Cast - advantage
…Cast off - advantage à droite
…Cast on - advantage à gauche
Cartridge - etui
Caliber - calibre
Centerfire gun - arme à percution centrale.
Chamber - chambre, foudre(s)
Chambering - chambrage
Checkerer - quadrille
Checkering - quadrillage
Cheekpiece - joue
…German style cheekpiece - joue allemande
Chisling - relime
Choke - choke; étranglement
…cylinder choke - clindrique; lisse
…modified choke - demi-choke
…full choke - plein
Chopper lump - demi-bloc
Chrome - chrome
Chrome plated - chromé(e)
Chrome bores - chromage
Clean (state of condition ) - propre
Cleaning brush (brass, barrel) - Écouvillon en laiton
Cleaning rod - baguette de nettoyage;
Cleaning rod and implement - Écouvillon
Cocked - armé
Cocked - relevé
Cocking lever - levier d’armement
Coil spring - ressort à lames
Comb (for a stock) - busc
Condition - état
…mechanical condition - état mécanique
…new condition - état neuf
…so so condition - état moyen
…medium condition - état moyen
…bad condition - état mauvais
…not in good condition
Copper - cuivre

D

Damaged (ruined; spoiled) - abîmé(e)
Damascened - Damasquiné
Dents - enfoncements
Deely firearm push button metal piece - capuche
Doll's Head - Tete de Poupée (f)
Double barrel SxS - Canons juxtaposés
Double locking bolt - double verrou de fermeture
Double rifle - express; double express
Double trigger - see tirgger, double
Dovetail - queue d’aronde
Drop - pente
…drop at comb - pente au busc
…drop at heel - pente au talon

E

Ebony - Ébène
Ejectors - éjecteurs
,,,automatic ejectors - éjecteurs automatiques
Engraver - graveur
Engraving - gravure
Engraving, (rose) - bouquets (gravure à)
Engraving, leaves and branches - rinceaux
Engraving, hunting scene - scène de chasse
Escutcheon plate - pièce de pouce
Extractors - extracteurs; tire-cartouche

F

Fences - coquille; coquilles de la bascule
Filing - relime
Finish - finition
…silver finish - finition argent
…blued finish - finition blue
…gun metal finish - finition canon de fusil
…chrome finish - finition chromée
…nickel finish - finition nickelée
…blued finish - finition noir
Firearm - fusil
Firing pin - percuteur
Firing pin bushing - bouchon de percuteur
Fitted - Muni
Flintlock - Fusil à silex
Fore-end/stock - devant
…Deely pushbutton fore-end - devant à pompe
Forestock - longuesse
…Anson fore-end - longesse a poussoir
…Forestock push rod - poussoir
Forged - Forgé(e)
Front sight - guidon
Front sight hood - protège-guidon

G

Gold - Or
…gold filled - Doré
Gauge - Jaugé
…Chamber gauge - Jaugé de chambre
Gauged - Jaugé à
Grip - la poignée
Grip safety - Sécurité à la poignée (see safety)
Gun - fusil
…Artisanal French side x side - Fusil juxtaposé Artisanal Français
…Flintlock - Fusil à silex
…Hammer gun - fusil à Chien
…Lever action gun - Fusils lever-action; Fusil à levier de sous-garde; Fusil levier sous garde
…Percussion gun - Fusil à percussion; Fusil à piston
…Pump gun - Fusil à pompe; branlette
…Shotgun - fusil de chasse
…Side by side - fusil juxtaposé
Gun case - coffre; feutrine; baize; Boîte a fusil
Gun maker - arquebusier (abbr: “arqr”)
Gun shop - armurerie
Gun shop owner - armurier

H

Half-cocked - demi-armé
Half-cocked - moitié armé
Hammer - chien
Hammer axis - noix
Hammer, external - chien extérieurs
Hammer spur - Crête de chien
Hammered (metallurgy) - Creusot? (Coll?)
Hand gun - arme de poing
Handy (maneuverable) - maniable; manouvrable.
Hardened - Trempé (past tense from verb Tremper)
Heel - talon
Hinge pin - goupille de charnièr
Honed barrel - canon poli
Honing - pierrage
Horn - corne
Housing - boitier
Hunt/Hunting - Chasse
..Upland woods hunting - Chasse (m) sous Bois
Husk (empty shell) - coquille de fusion de chases

I

Illegible = illisible


J

Jacketed (bullet) - blindée (balle blindée) (blindé means "armored")

K

Key - Clé
Key, top lever - Clé d’ouverture; Clé sur le dessus

L

Lead - plomb
Leather - cuir
…double layered sown leather - cuir surpiqué
Leg-o-mutton case - Fourreau
Length of pull - longueur épaule
Lever - levier
…cocking lever - levier d’armement
…safety lever - levier de sécurité
Lever action gun - Fusils lever-action; Fusil à levier de sous-garde; Fusil levier sous garde
light/rook rifle - Carabine de jardin
Lock (bolt) - verrou
…closing lock - verrou de fermature
Lock,side - platine
…Lock, front (H&H) - platine Holland; plainte avant
…Lock, back - plantine arrière
…Locks, hand removable side locks - platine démontable
…Locks, embedded - platine encastrée
Locks, rebounding - plating rebondissante
Locking bolt - verrou de fermeture
… Double locking bolt - double verrou de fermeture
Locking system - verroullage
Long gun - Arme d’épaule
Lump, barrel - Crochet; Crochets d’attache; crochet de canon
Lump, barrel, dovetailed - Crochets ajustés en queue d’aronde
Lump, barrel, dovetailed (embedded) - Crochet encastré
Lump, non integral - Crochets rapportés

M

Machined - Usiné
Maker - Fabricant (Fabt)
Maple - bois d’érable; érable
Mirror barrel finish - Canons miroir; Canonnerie miroir
Molded - moulé(e)
Monoblock - frette
Muzzle - bouche
Muzzle loader - Fusil à chargement par la bouche
Muzzle Loading rifle - Rayé à chargement par la bouche


N

New - neuf
Nickel plated - nickelé(e)

O

Oak - chêne
Old - ancien; vielle
Original/never restored - dans son jus, dans l'état
Ornamented - orné(e)
Ornamented in geometric design - guilloché(e)
Ornamented screws - vis guilloché(e)
Oxydation - oxydation


P

Pad - Amortisseur
Pair (of guns) - paire
Patent - brevet
Patented - breveté(e)
…Model (engineering) patent - breveté(e) SGDG
Pattern - Gerbe
...Shot parer - Gerbe de Plombe
Peep sight - oeilleton
Percussion gun - Fusil à percussion; Fusil à piston
Pin (round) - goupille
Pin (hinge) - goupille de charnière
Pinfire - broche
Pinfire gun - fusil à broche
Pitted - piqûe
Pitting - piqûres
…light pitting - petites piqûres
Plated - plaqué(e)
Play (movement) - jeu
…Play in the receiver - jeu dans la bascule
…without play - sans jeu
Powder measure - Chargette
Primer tool - Réamorçoir
Proof - Épreuves
…Normal proofed - épreuve ordinaire
…Double proofed - double épreuve
…Triple proofed - triple épreuve
…Superior proofed - épreuve ordinaire
…Proof house - Banc d’épreuves
Proof mark stamps - poinçons d'épreuve
Pump gun - Fusil à pompe; branlette

Q

Quenched - Trempé

R

Ramrod - Baguette de nettoyage
Receiver (action) - bascule
.. .Receiver, round - bascule ronde
Regulation - convergence
Reloaded shell - cartouche de rechargement
Restoration - restauration
Reticle (scope) - réticule
Rib - Bande
...Rib extension - prolongement de la bande)
…Rib, Ventilated - bande ventilée
Rifle - Carabine
…rifle, indoor - Carabine de salon
…rifle, light/rook - Carabine de jardin
Rifled barrel - Canon rayé
Rifled spreader barrel - Canon rayé dispersant
Rifling - rayures
Rising bite - verrou vertical
Rod, action - tirette
Rook/light rifle - Carabine de jardin
Round Pin - goupille
Rust - rouille
…light rust - rouille légère


S

Safety - sécurité; sûreté
…automatic safety - sécurité dès qu'elle est arméee
..Safety lever - Levier de sécurité
..Grip safety - Sécurité à la poignée
Safety catch - Cran de sécurité
Safety lever - levier de sécurité
Safety sear - Gachette interruptrice
Saint-Etienne citizen - Stephanois
Scope - lunette
Scratches - rayures
Screw - vis
Scroll engraving - Arabesque
Sear - gâchette
…Safety sear - gâchette interruptrice
Shell - Catouche; Etui
…shot shell - Cartouches à plombs
…slug shell - Cartouches à balle
Shot - bille
…shot (small) - grenailles (4-9)
…shot, buck - chevrotines (2 - 000)
…Steel shot - bille acre
Shotgun - fusil de chasse
…sawed off shotgun - Fusil à canon scié
Shotgun shell husk - Douille
Shotgun shell pouch - Carnier
Side by side / SxS - Canons juxtaposés
Side clips - Ailes
Side lock - platine
…Font lock (H&H) - platine Holland; plainte avant
…Back lock - plantine arrière
…hand removable side locks - platine démontable
…Embedded locks - platine encastrée
…rebounding locks - platine rebondissante
Side plates (false) - contre-platines; fausse-platines
Sights - organes de visée
…front sight - guidon
…back sight - hausse
…back sight folding leaf - planchette
…peep sight - oeilleton
Sight leaf - feuillet(s)
Silver - Argent
…Old silver - vieil argent
Sleeve (external) - frette
Sling - bretelle
… Retractable sling - bretelle à enrouleur; brettelle retractable
Sling swivel - grenadière
Slug - balle
Smoothbore - Canon lisse
Solder - soudure
…silver solder - soudure d’argent/à l'argent
…tin solder - soudure à l’étain
…coper brazing - soudure de cuivre
Spring - ressort
…coil spring - ressort à lames
...Spiral spring - ressort spirale.
Stamp (embossed) - poinçon
…legal stamps - poinçons réglementaires
…proof mark stamps - poinçons d'épreuve
Standing breech/bolt - culasse
Steel - Acier
…Damascus steel - Acier damas ou damas
…Quenched steel - Acier trempé
…Soft steel - Acier chocolat
…Tempered steel - Acier revenu
Steel Shot - bille acier
Steel wool - Laine d’icier
Stock - crosse
…English stock - crosse anglaise
…Stock with cheek piece - crosse à joue
…Crossover stock - crosse de boring
…Round knob grip stock - crosse pistoles
…Stock shield - écusson
…Stock extension - rallonge de crosse
Stock maker - crossier; monteur a bois
Swallowtail - queue d’aronde
SxS/double barrel - Canons juxtaposés

T

Tempering - Tempérage; Devenu
Tight - serré
Trigger - Détente; gâchette (Coll).
…double trigger - Double détente
…single trigger - Monodétente
……selective single trigger - Monodétente sélective
Trigger pull - souplesse de la gâchette; poids de la détente
Tube - tube

U

Underlever - Lefaucheux à clé;
………………Clé Beringer;
………………Clé sous pontet
………………Clée longueur
………………Levier à volute;
………………Levier sous la longuesse
………………Longuesse-sous- main amovible
………………Ouverture par clé devant pontet
………………Ouverture sous pontet
………………Pontet-Serpent;
…Jones underlever - Fermeture en "T"
Used - D’occasion

V

Varnish - vernis
Ventilated rib - bande ventilée

W

Wad - bourre
Walnut - bois de noyer
...Blond walnut - noyer blond
Wood - bois

X


Y


Z

--------------------------
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/18/17 11:58 PM
With this list one could browse French double gun websites and pretty well understand what is being offered. This one might be the most popular:

http://www.naturabuy.fr/Fusils-Juxtaposes-cat-127.html

In reading the ads the posters tend to run sentences or phrases together. Have patience. There are some good things there.
Posted By: 67galaxie Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/19/17 12:20 AM
Thank you very much for this
juste un autre Belgique tacot - just another Belgian clunker

cintre mural - wall hanger

"petit chien" - gets you an automatic 2 minute penalty in a hockey game
Posted By: Bob Cash Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/19/17 12:48 AM
I don't know quite how to say it but there is a very important term
when it comes to the French and guns...

How do you say "I Surrender" in French ??
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/19/17 01:13 AM
Pretty silly and irrelevant post since we're talking professionally about double guns. Gene Williams
Posted By: GLS Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/19/17 01:22 AM
Gene, thanks. Gil
Posted By: Bob Cash Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/19/17 01:29 AM
Recently seen at a gun show.
A sign next to a French military rifle,
"For Sale, Never Fired, Dropped Only Once".

Posted By: PeteM Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/19/17 01:32 PM
Gentlemen congratulations on a fine idea and the collaboration it required.

May I ask if you are open to having a link to it on my website?

Thanks,
Pete

Shotgun Jones,

Is that French or a Dialect? Here is what I find...
juste un autre Belgique tacot - just another Belgian rattletrap.

Pete
Thank you for the work and assistance for exploring French/Belgian gun websites.

So many are ignorant of the quality of weapons to be found there. The only unfortunate thing is I have yet to see as easy a path to import guns from France as there is for guns from the UK.
Posted By: canvasback Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/19/17 10:48 PM
Thank you so much for your efforts.
Originally Posted By: old colonel


So many are ignorant of the quality of weapons to be found there. The only unfortunate thing is I have yet to see as easy a path to import guns from France as there is for guns from the UK.


It's not bad at all- just comes down to who ya know. smile

Two guns and two sets of barrels so far, and ain't done yet. Oh and Argo, don't tell anyone about that auction site or how magnificent the French and their guns really are: let the detractors muse about their myths.

Mike
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/20/17 01:00 AM
Pete...link away...that's why we put it here. We'll be adding to it.
Posted By: Tim Carney Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/20/17 01:14 AM
Merci, mes amis.

Just a possible addition. Having dealt relatively recently with the St. Etienne proof house, believe you need to note two terms:
"epreuve ordinaire" which is self-explanatory, and
"epreuve superieur" which seems to have replaced triple proof.

Best, Tim
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/20/17 02:24 AM
Thanks Tim - I've added the two. I read these gun ads regularly and always find variants. I'll change, replace, add, au fur et mesure.
Posted By: pooch Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/20/17 12:37 PM
This is a keeper, those of you who have contributed to this post are to be saluted for your hard work.

There is some real quality in the guns from France that goes largely unappreciated in this country
Posted By: Ken61 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/20/17 12:46 PM
This thread needs to be in the FAQ section. There should also be similar threads for German and other language's gun terms.

Regards
Ken
Posted By: Rockdoc Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/20/17 09:40 PM
As an enthusiast of French double guns I really appreciate this thread and the work people here have put into it. Thank you!

Steve
Posted By: PeteM Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/20/17 10:58 PM
Originally Posted By: Argo44
Pete...link away...that's why we put it here. We'll be adding to it.


OK, I have started working on it. It will take me a few hours. My site is hosted by Yahoo. Got an email informing me that they have sold off that part of the business. Unfortunately, they promoted their own product called "Site Builder". Well nothing understands Site Builder. I am going to convert the site to Word Press in the next few weeks. The site is not that busy, only about 26,000 hits a year. The great majority are coming from search engines. So a lot of curious folks out there. I am sure your translations will attract a few more.

Pete

Posted By: L. Brown Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/21/17 10:14 AM
We do need to straighten out the canons frettes definition. It's one of those that requires more than a couple words. "Sleeved" doesn't really do it, as we understand "sleeved" in English--which is cutting off old barrels and fitting new ones into the chambers. "Canons frettes" can also refer to the original barrels, as in the design of perhaps the single most popular French shotgun of all time: the Manufrance Robust.
Posted By: keith Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/21/17 01:42 PM
Thanks for the information Gene. I assume you mean ellenbr (Raimey), not "Elenorbm", when you are giving credit to contributors to this list. I find it simply amazing though, that Gladys Kravitz, I mean old colonel, and wannago-whining have not jumped in to criticize off-topic thread diversions like this:

Originally Posted By: Bob Cash
I don't know quite how to say it but there is a very important term
when it comes to the French and guns...

How do you say "I Surrender" in French ??


Or, for that matter, off topic thread diversions like this:

Originally Posted By: Bob Cash
Recently seen at a gun show.
A sign next to a French military rifle,
"For Sale, Never Fired, Dropped Only Once".


Even this wasn't enough to stop Bob after the first offense:

Originally Posted By: Argo44
Pretty silly and irrelevant post since we're talking professionally about double guns. Gene Williams


And still nothing from the self-appointed thread moderator Gladys??? Hmmmmmm. One can't help but wonder whether there is some hypocrisy and selective civility going on here... maybe some more proof that Gladys and wannago-whining & Co. were actually more intent upon enabling and protecting anti-2nd Amendment trolls like King Brown in their very recent personal attack threads???

Also, it wasn't very refined, civil, and mannerly to perpetuate the idea that the French are cowards. A better example of spineless cowardice would be to mock Replacement, who contributed to the recent personal attack threads by attempting to drag my daughters into it:

Originally Posted By: Replacement
I can't wait until someone mentions Keith's daughters


I know, I'm not supposed to notice or mention these things. Nor am I supposed to mention, their collaborative effort (I'm not supposed to know that... let the PM's begin again!). That entire off topic thread personal attack thread was deleted by Dave, but the hypocrisy lingers like the stench from a fresh turd.

Kind Regards,

Selby Lowndes smile
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/21/17 03:23 PM
Larry, good question. Here is French wikipedia's explanation which I think solves the problem - it should be translated as "externally sleeved or jacketed, built-up barrels" or some such?

Canon frett

Canon de marine BL de 16 pouces Mk I, dont on peut apercevoir une partie de la frette cot culasse

Tube frett

Comparaison entre un tube en une pice et un tube frett
Un tube de canon frett est compos de plusieurs lments, contrairement un tube forg ou fondu en une pice. Les frettes sont des anneaux poss sur le tube d'un canon pour le renforcer. Le frettage ralise une compression du tube central et la mise sous tension du tube extrieur.

Comparison between a tube in one piece and a tube frette. A cannon tube frette is composed of several elements, in contrast to a tube forged or foundered in one piece. The Frette are rings put on a barrel tube in order to reinforce it. The frettage creates a compression of the central tube and puts the exterior of the tube under tension.

Le frettage du tube consiste le renforcer contre la pression intrieure quil subira au dpart du coup. En principe, le ou les frettages, des anneaux, sont poss chaud. tant donn que leur diamtre froid est lgrement plus petit que le diamtre extrieur du tube central, elles crent, en refroidissant, une prcontrainte de compression qui rduira d'autant leffet de lextension du tube au dpart du coup. Vu cette prcontrainte du mtal, on obtient une rpartition plus gale des sollicitations dans lensemble tube et frette, ce qui permet une conomie de poids par rapport un tube en acier massif pouvant rsister au mme choc d laugmentation foudroyante de la pression.
The frettage of a tube consists of reinforcing it against interior pressure to which it is subjected in firing. In principle, the frettage(s), the ring(s), are emplaced when they are hot. Their diameters when cold are slightly smaller than the exterior diameter of the central tube, creating, upon cooling a precondition compression which reduces the effects of the expansion of the tube upon firing. Because of this pre constraining of the metal, one can obtain a more even distribution in the tube and frette together which permits an economy of weight when compared to a tube from a steel billet, which can resist the same shock due to the sudden increase in pressure.

Pour des pices dartillerie de petites dimensions et avec le perfectionnement de lusinage pour des pices plus grosses, il est devenu possible de remplacer les frettes de faible longueur par des frettes en une pice, appeles jaquettes ou manchons. Un avantage de ces jaquettes consiste dans le fait que le tube extrieur massif pour effet de rduire les vibrations de lensemble au dpart du coup.
For artillery pieces of small dimensions and with the prefectioning of its use for larger pieces, it became possible to replace frettes of smaller lengths by frettes in one piece, called "Jackets" or "sleeves". An advantage of these jackets consisted of the fact that the massive exterior of the tube can reduce the vibrations of the whole upon firing.



Here is the "frette" or external sleeve on a Manufrance:

Posted By: Bob Cash Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/21/17 03:40 PM
Apologies to any who found my attempts at humor distracting or offensive.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/21/17 04:14 PM
Shelby...good Southern name by the way....my mother's family lived in Lowndes County Alabama for 150 years... I suspect this gun vocabulary thread will become a standard reference document for many here and abroad once google starts popping it up. I just haven't been able to find another similar list anywhere. Bob's "jokes" were neither original nor funny, and will be seen by the people accessing the list for the next 10 years as at best ill-mannered.

As for your personal beef with others on the board, perhaps it's time to let things go and practice forgiveness. It is Sunday. We are all Americans.

And I've been meaning to ask you what sort of grease I could put on the hinge of my St. Etienne 12 bore to help it loosen up a bit more. (and I was referring to Raimey and have fixed the user name...thanks).
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/21/17 04:27 PM
For those interested...here is a pretty good French guy's site I just found with firearms (in general) technical terms in five languages, English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. I think our list of French terms as related to double guns is more complete but this should be an excellent reference tool as well.

http://www.frfrogspad.com/intrglos.htm
Merci beaucoup!
Gotta add this page to favorites smile
Dear authors, may I ask your permission to copy your dictionary to my blog, with proper credit to all the authors?
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/24/17 08:03 PM
By all means please copy and/or link - the list is there to be used. By the way I continue to update the list as I find new terminology and refine others.
Thank you!
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/26/17 08:23 PM
I've added the following terms to the list; please correct as need be and I'll change them


Baguette de nettoyage - ramrod, cleaning rod
Bouchon de canon - bullet starter
Bronze - bronze; copper and tin alloy
Canon de fusil a lme raye - rifled barrel
Chrom - chrome plated
Cuivre - copper
Dor -
repouss en
Ecouvillon - brush
Ecouvillon en laiton - brass barrel (cleaning) brush
maill -
Finition - finish
Finition argent - silver finish
Finition blue - blued finish
Finition canon de fusil - gunmetal finish
Finition chrom - chrome finish
Finition nickele - nickel finish.
Finition noir - blued finish
Fusil canon sci - sawed off shotgun
Laine dacier - steel wool
Laiton - Brass: alloy - 70 parts copper; 30 parts zinc
Mono-canon - single barrel
Nickele - nickel plated
Orne - ornamented
Plaque - plated
Poire poudre - powder horn; powder flask
Poli - polished
repouss en
Restauration - restoration
Similor - alloy; 100 parts Red copper; 12 parts zinc
Soudure - solder
Soudure dargentan/argent - Silver solder
Soudure a ltain - Tin solder (lead and tin mixed)
Soudure de cuivre - Copper solder used in the highest end guns (red coper, old silver, antimony, zinc, etc.)
Tombac - alloy; 16 parts copper; 1 part zinc; 1 part tin
Posted By: WildCattle Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 05:03 AM
Argo, added accents, fixed grammatical errors and added quite a few ones including tradesmen.
There are a few questionable entries
WC-

A

Abm(e) - spoiled/ruined/damaged
Acier - steel
Acier chocolat - excessively soft steel (Belgian trade vernacular)
Acier damas (also "damas") - damascus steel
Acier revenu - tempered steel
Acier tremp - quenched steel
Argent - silver
...vieil argent - old silver
Ailes - side clips
me du canon - bore
Amortisseur - pad (as in buttpad)
Ancien - old
Anson et Deeley; Anson- box lock
Arabesque - Scroll (engraving)
Arme de poing - hand gun
Arme dpaule - long gun
Armurier - gun shop owner
Armurerie - gun shop, not a maker, historically a body armor vendor
Arquebusier - Gun maker (abbreviated as "Arqr")
Artisan - artisan
Avantage ( droite, gauche) - cast-off, cast-on

B

Baguette de nettoyage - ramrod, cleaning rod
Banc dpreuves - proof house
Bande - rib
...Prolongement de la bande - extension of the rib (to the receiver)
...Bande ventile - ventilated rib
Balle - bullet or slug
Bascule - receiver/action
Bascule ronde - round receiver
Basculeur - tradesman putting the action together
Bille acier - steel shot
Bois - wood
...Bois de noyer - walnut
......Noyer blond - blond walnut
...Bois d'rable - maple
Boitier - housing
Bouche - muzzle
Bouchon de canon - bullet starter (muzzle loader)
Bouchon de percuteur - Firing pin bushing
Bouquets (gravure ) - rose engraving
Bourre - wad
Bras - brazed
...bras sur - brazed on
Bretelle - sling
...Bretelle enrouleur - retractable sling (like on a Ideal)
...Brettelle retractable - retractable (built in) sling
Brevet - Patent
Brevet(e) - patented
...Brevet(e) SGDG - model patent ("sans garantie du gouvernement")- low grade, easy to obtain patent
Brisure, - Breakage
Broche - pinfire
Bronze - bronze; (copper and tin alloy)
Bronzage - barrel blacking
Busc - comb (for a stock)

C

Cale - wedge (in a double rifle), or spacer between barrels
Calibre - caliber
Canon - barrel
...Canons fretts - sleeved barrel set (externally sleeved or jacketed, built-up barrels)
...Canons juxtaposs - SxS double barrel
...Canon lisse - smoothbore
...Canons miroir - mirror finish bores
......Canonnerie miroir - ditto
...Canons mixtes (Arme ) - cape gun
...Canon monobloc - Barrel set made in one block of steel
...Canon poli - honed barrel
...Canon ray - rifled barrel
...Canon ray dispersant -Rifled spreader barrel (usually Euro woodcock guns)
...Canons superposs - over/under
Canonnier - barrel maker
Capuche - metal piece surrounding the Deeley forearm push button
Carabine - rifle, carbine
Carabine de salon - indoor rifle
Carabine de jardin - light rifle, rook rifle
Cartouches plombs - shot shell
Cartouches balle - slug shell
Chambrage - chamber(ing)
Chambre - chamber
Chien - hammer
Crte de chien - hammer spur
Chiens extrieurs - external hammers
Choke - Choke
Cylindrique - cylinder choke (synonym: lisse)
... Demi choke - Modified choke
... Plein-full (as in choke
Chne - Oak
Chrom(e) - chrome plated
Cl - key
Cl douverture - top lever key
Cl sur le dessus - top lever key
Coffret - case (to put the gun in)
Contre-platines - false side-plates
Convergence - regulation (shotgun or double rifle)
Coquille - action ball; Shell (as as in sea-shell)
...Coquille de fusil de chasse - empty shotgun shell casing; Husk WC: Never heard or seen that one
Corne - horn
Cran de scurit - Safety catch
Crte de chien - hammer spur
Crochet - barrel lump
...Crochets dattache - barrel lump
...Crochets ajusts en queue daronde - dovetailed lump
...Crochet du canon - same
...Crochet encastr - dovetailed lump (embedded)
...Crochets rapports - non integral lumps
Crosse - stock
...Crosse anglaise - English stock
...Crosse joue - stock with cheek piece
...Crosse de borgne - crossover stock
...Crosse demi-pistolet - round knob grip stock
...Crosse pistolet - pistol grip stock
Crossier - stock maker
Cuir - leather (for the sling)
...Cuir surpiqu - double layered sown leather
Cuivre - copper
Culasse - standing breech or bolt
Culasse mobile - movable breech (i.e. on a Darne)
Cylindrique - cylinder choke (synonym: lisse)

D

Damasquin - damascened
dans son jus - original, never modified or restored
Demi-coquelle - half cock (for hammer guns) (???WC)
Demi-bloc - chopper lump
Dtente - trigger
...Double dtente - double trigger
...Monodtente - single trigger
......Monodtente slective - selective single trigger
Devant - forend
Devant pompe - Deeley pushbutton forearm
D'occasion - used
Dor - gold filled
repouss en ???
Double dtente - double trigger
double verrou de fermeture - double locking bolt

E

bne - ebony
couvillon - cleaning rod and implement
...couvillon en laiton - brass barrel (cleaning) brush
cusson - shield (on a stock)
jecteurs automatiques - automatic ejectors
enfoncements - dents
preuves - proof
...Banc dpreuves - proof house
...double preuve - double proof
...triple preuve - triple proof
...preuve ordinaire - version of normal proof
...preuve suprieure - modern day "triple proof"
rable - maple (wood)
tat - condition
...tat mcanique - mechanical condition
...tat moyen - so so condition; medium condition
...tat mauvais - bad condition
Pas en bon tat - not in good condition
...tat neuf - new condition
tranglement - choke
Etui - Gun case; gun slip
Express (also double "express") - double rifle
Extracteur - extractors

F

Fabricant (also abbreviated as "Fabt") - maker
Fausses-platines - false side-plates
Feu central, arme - centerfire (gun)
Feuillet(s) - sight leaf
Feutrine - baize (gun case)
Fermeture en "T" - Jones underlever
Finition - finish
Finition argent - silver finish
Finition blue - blued finish
Finition canon de fusil - gunmetal finish
Finition chrome - chrome finish
Finition nickele - nickel finish.
Finition noir - blued finish
Forage - bore (barrel)
Frres - Brothers
Frette - monoblock;
Fusil - firearm (normally a shotgun but also a military rifle)
...Fusil broche - pinfire gun
...Fusil canon sci - sawed off shotgun
...Fusil chargement par la bouche - muzzle loader
...Fusil Chien - hammer gun
...Fusil de chasse - shotgun
...Fusil juxtapos - double gun
... Fusil juxtapos Artisanal Franais - Artisanal French double gun (quite often maker not known)
...Fusils lever-action - lever action gun
......Fusil levier de sous-garde - ditto
......Fusil levier sous garde - ditto
...Fusil percussion - muzzle loading, percussion rifle
...Fusil piston - percussion gun
...Fusil pompe - pump gun (also "branlette" in French hunting vernacular)
...Fusil silex - flintlock

G

Gachette - sear
Gachette interruptrice - safety sear
Garnisseur - tradesman assembling barrels, ribs and lumps
Graveur - engraver
Gravure(s) - engraving(s)
Grenadire - sling swivel
Goupille - round pin
Goupille de charnire - hinge pin
Guidon - front sight
... protge-guidon - sight hood
Guilloch(e) - ornamented with geometric design
...Vis guilloches - ornamented screws

H

Hausse - back sight (originally adjustable type)

I

Illisible - illegible

J

Jaspage - case coloring
Jasp(e) - case colored
...Jaug - gauged/regauged to (chambers enlarged to)???
Jeu - play (in the sense of movement)
...Jeu dans la bascule - (play in the receiver)
...sans jeu - without play
Joue - cheekpiece
...Joue allemande - German style cheeckpiece
Juxtapos - side by side

L

Laine dacier - steel wool
Laiton - Brass: alloy - 70 parts copper; 30 parts zinc
Levier - Lever
Levier de scurit (ou scurit) - safety lever
Longuesse - forestock
Longuesse poussoir - Anson forend (forestock with pushrod release)
Lunette - scope

M

Maniable - easy to the hand/handy
Mono-canon - single barrel
Monodtente - single trigger
Monteur bois - stocker
Moul(e) - molded

N

Nickel(e) - nickel plated
Noix - Hammer axis

O

Oeilleton - peep sight
Or - gold
...Or fin - fine gold
dor - gold plated or gold applique
Oreille - Sideclip
Organes de vise - sights
Orn(e) - ornamented
Oxydation - oxydation

P

Paire - pair of guns
Pente - drop
...Pente au busc - drop at comb
...Pente au talon - drop at heel
Percussion centrale - center percussion, center fire (hammer gun)
Percuteur - Firing pin
Pice d'armurerie - piece of firearms manufacture ???
Pierrage - honing
Pique - pitted
...Piqres - pitting
...Petites piqres - light pitting
Planchette - back sight folding leaf
Plaque de couche - butt plate
Plaqu(e) - plated
Platine - side lock
...Platine Holland - front lock as made by H&H or others
...Platine arrire - back lock
...Platine avant - front lock
...Platine dmontable - hand removable sidelock
...Platine encastre - embedded locks
...Platine rebondissante - rebounding lock
Plein--full (as in choke)
Plomb - lead (shot)
Poinon - stamp
...Poinons rglementaires - legal stamps
...Poinons d'preuve - proof marks
Poire poudre - powder horn; powder flask
Poli(e) - polished
polissage en long - longitudinal honing
Ponce huile (Crosse) - sanded with oil finish (stock)
Pontet - trigger guard
Pontet volute - trigger guard with volute in front
Porte - range (as in shooting distance)
Poudre - powder (gunpowder)
...Poudre blanche--smokeless powder
...Poudre pyroxyle - smokeless powder (French)
...Poudre sans fume - smokeless powder
...Poudre Vive - smokeless Powder ( Belgian)
Poussoir - push rod (forestock)
propre - clean, nice

Q

Quadrillage - Checkering
Quadrilleur - Checkerer
Queue daronde - dovetail (old French for"swallow tail" which is more accurate than dove tail, actually)

R

Rallonge de crosse - stock extension
Ray chargement par la bouche - muzzle loader rifle
Rayures - scratches or rifling
Relime - steel parts shaping (by chisel or file)
Relimeur - tradesman shaping the action and other parts
Ressort - spring
Ressort boudin - Coil spring
Restauration - restoration
Rticule - Reticle (scope)
Rinceaux - leaves and branches (engraving)
Rouille - rust
...Rouille lgre - light rust

S

Sabot - butt pad
Sabot - sabot projectile
Scne de chasse - hunting scene (engraving)
Scurit - safety
Scurit ds qu'elle est armee - safety automatically on when cocked
Serr - tight
Similor - alloy; 100 parts Red copper; 12 parts zinc
Soudure - solder
Soudure dargent/ l'argent - Silver solder
Soudure ltain - Tin solder (lead and tin mixed)
Soudure de cuivre - Copper brazing (red coper, old silver, antimony, zinc, etc.)
Stphanois - from Saint-Etienne region
Successeur (also abbreviated to "succr") - Successor to
Sret - safety

T

Talon - heel
Tire-cartouche - extracteur
Tirette - action rod
Tombac - alloy; 16 parts copper; 1 part zinc; 1 part tin
Tonnerre - place where the ignition happen
Triplette - 3-gun set
Tromblon - blunderbuss (or bad shotgun)
Tube - barrel tube
Type anglais - English style

V

Valise - Case
Verrou - lock, also bolt
Verrou de fermeture - closing bolt
Verrou vertical - rising bite
Verrouillage - locking system
Vernis - varnish
Vis - Screw
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 11:09 AM
Capital effort on all fronts. I would say that under the term Arquebusier, that the acronym Arq-er, or whatever the most used stamp might be, needs to be associated.

Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 12:07 PM
Another item too in crossing over to the German vernacular with respect to the actual making of the sporting arm, is that the term tradesman would equate to mechanic, of which both designate the effort of the craftsman.

Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 02:43 PM
A few terms the Galloping Bovine's(WC) has dropped from time to time:

pierrage=honing

crochets rapportes= non-integral lumps

successeur = successor to

There are some odd advertising found on Belgian made wares that were for a Germanic target group that I'd like to add. I'll keep going thru the list.

Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 02:49 PM
My memory was faulty & the Belgian advertising is in German:

Amtlich Vierfach Geprft und Eingeschossen mit Strkster ladung Rauchlosen Pulvers


Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: WildCattle Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 03:18 PM
added those...
WC-
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 03:48 PM
Many thanks & how 'bout Frres & SGDG - - Sans Garantie du Gouvernement( 'brevets sont dlivrs sans examen pralable, aux risques et prils des demandeurs, et sans garantie soit de la ralit, de la nouveaut ou du mrite de linvention, soit de la fidlit ou de lexactitude de la description.)???

Shaping up to be a smashing effort & something upon which can be built.

Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: WildCattle Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 03:52 PM
was doing it while you were typing.
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 05:31 PM
Reading my mind or like minds???

CHARGE D'EPREUVE FUSIL FINI

CHARGE NORMALE

CANON FRETTE FABRICATION MECANIQUE

CHOKE PERFECTIONNE

Work in progress......

WC, how do the following terms vary:

Bovin Sauvage

Vache Sauvage

Btail Sauvage

Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 05:34 PM
Can you incorporate any of these terms?


VCF in a cipher
Acier Diamant
Btes S.D.G.D.


Acier Mandrine
Canon Plume
12437
Fon Btee S.D.G.D.

MI-BLOC


http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=427733&page=19


Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: WildCattle Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 06:31 PM
Will do for some of them when I get back in town.
The problem is that some of those are marketing based and not widely used. I would vote against adding them in.
Ditto for the trademarks, different list.
As for as my alias, it is American by nature (name of my property) and I will not translate it.
I think we forgot "levier d'armement" e.g. cocking lever.
M-
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 06:39 PM
Sure, regarding the current list, would it be proper to take the translated values and add them together into a sentence?? These are the bulk of the type marks one is going to encounter in inspecting(smoking over) a French longarm, and I use the term loosely. So there is value in knowing what the phrases represent even if it is just advertising.


No, not prying into the skeletons in your closet, or to your origins as a spook or in the witness relocation program, but the terms all seem to denote Wild Cattle. So how do the terms compare across the board?

Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 11:02 PM
WC, re the three question marks in your corrections on the list:

Coquille de fusil de chasse: As far as I can tell it does mean Shotgun shell husk. Here is an example of a reloading site (cartouche de rechargement). Welcome correction again.
https://fr.dreamstime.com/photo-stock-ca...e-image58620260
There are a number of sites advertising using the brass of a Coquille de fusil de chasse for bracelets...or using the plastic with candles in them to achieve a lighted party venue.

Jaug - gauged/regauged to (chambers enlarged to)??? Here was the sentence from the ad on Naturabuy: "Chambr 65 mais jaug 70. Mcanisme parfaitement fonctionnel, verrouillage ferme. Gravures dcoratives et reste de jaspage." I've found plenty of "Jaug 7.62mm" etc,...which seems to indicate "gauged at" and have found a "Jaug de chambre" which apparently is a chamber gauge. I think that ad means that the chamber is labeled 65 but a gauge showed it was 70. This needs to be changed....welcome a suggestion. "Guaged at" or "measured at" perhaps?

Demi-coquelle - half cock. I only found this reference once in an ad. I have seen " moiti arm" and "demi-arm"...refering to the half position of the hammer on a single action firearm hammer gun which prevents the trigger from being pulled - sort of a safety for hammer guns. Perhaps we ought to add the two above phrases moiti arm" and "demi-arm and delete Demi-coquelle

Also might add these two:

Relev - cocked
Arm - cocked

Also what does this mean? " Longuesse-Sous- main" amovible -- underlever?


in another day or two I'll super copy your list/changes/additions onto the list on the first page....making it easier to navigate to our final dictionary.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/27/17 11:22 PM
Re Acier Diamant, etc....here is the VC catalog explaining their metallurgy.....those terms look to be proprietary, not generic:



Posted By: L. Brown Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/28/17 12:32 AM
I'd vote against the "advertising" terms because they don't have a consistent meaning. "Acier diamant", for example, means different things to different makers. Usually, I think, an attempt to assign superior quality . . . or at least better quality steel than for an entry-level gun. But note that for V-C in the above catalog page, "acier diamant" isn't the same depending on the type of barrel in question.

A couple more terms:
Chevrotines--buckshot.
Chromage--chromed bores.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/28/17 10:30 PM
Super copied WC's corrected copy to the first page - Added the suggestions also. I disagreed a bit with SGDG and have added clarifications.

I've been reading texts on barrel maker's techniques and other gun manufacturing processes...there are tons of interesting technical terms but no sense in adding them since we're unlikely to run across them unless we get into metallurgy or old plating techniques etc.
Posted By: Beirl19 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 05/30/17 04:31 AM
Oh mate, thanks for your support! That was verry usefull info! since i'm going to France I'm looking for such information. also am searching for French terminology on https://pharmacyreviews.md about drugs and pharmacy as well. these are some important things for me now.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 06/02/17 12:28 AM
I've run across this term a number of times: "LES COQUILLES DE LA BASCULE" (SONT GRAVEES DE FEUILLES DE VIGNE EN FOND CREUX). No doubt Coquilles de la Bascule are the Fences. Added to the first page. If proven erroneous, will change. Thanks.
Posted By: WildCattle Re: French gun terminology - translations - 06/02/17 04:44 AM
I have not had a lot of time to improve the list, but I already had "coquilles" as fences. I most doubt that the other use is Ok. The normal word for it (the shotshell brass) is "culot".
Best regards,
WC-
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 06/06/17 08:06 PM
Here are three terms from ads that seem to best be translated as "underlever.." Would like to know what the jury thinks before adding them:

Ouverture par cl devant pontet
Longuesse-Sous- main amovible
Levier sous la longuesse
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 06/17/17 04:53 AM
I'm interested in a French 16 ga Saint-Etienne Fusil de chasse which mentions "dolls-head". Ok, I know what this is in English but what is "doll's head" in French?.. - Do we have this in our list? Should we create an English-French equivilent?
Posted By: Ken61 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/01/17 12:16 PM
Here's a few more I found in an old Raimey post:

Emouler de Canons de Fusil- Barrel Grinder

Polirer- Barrel Polisher

Regards
Ken
Posted By: WildCattle Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/01/17 02:33 PM
Argo,
I'll look it up in my MF catalog. I can't recall right now.
Ken,
it would be "emouleur" (with an accent) and that word is VERY old.
"polisseur" would be accurate.
Thanks WC-
Posted By: WildCattle Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/01/17 03:22 PM
Well, MF was using at least between 1900 and 1930:
"bande a tenon d'accrochage s'encastrant dans la bascule"
or also
"loupe d'accrochage etc."
"Loupe" (magnifier) makes sense as it describes the shape of the doll's head as seen from the top.
"Tenon" would make sense for a Greener type, but was used either way.

This is quite a mouthful. I'll have to look at other catalogues. The Belgians have something different more than likely.
WC-
Posted By: WildCattle Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/01/17 03:57 PM
In most cases, people use:
"triple verrou Greener" in the case of a double Purdey bite and a Greener 3rd, and "triple Verrou Purdey" in case of a Purdey nose 3rd bite.
"triple verrou" would cover all other mechanisms.
"quadruple verrou" is a more complicated system such as on the Ideal.

The simple doll's head is quite unusual actually.

Another word or expression is:
"jecteur/extracteur a grand dveloppement" meaning that the ejector contact point on the hull is over 1/4 of the circumference. Normally found on high-end guns only.

Best regards,
WC-
Posted By: L. Brown Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/01/17 08:56 PM
Agree with WC on "polisseur" for barrel polisher . . . although I've never seen it used in relation to guns.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/02/17 04:28 AM
Humm...I'll supercopy good firm definitions into the master list on page one. And I'm currently compiling an English-French version of it. But we'll need some good hard definitions to make it work.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/05/17 01:06 AM


Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/05/17 01:18 AM
Pictures are worth a thousand words:









Or check out this:

manufrance_fusil_justapos_robust.pdf
Posted By: L. Brown Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/05/17 11:11 AM
Interesting that while we both refer to the heel of the stock, they use "beak" where we use toe.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/06/17 06:40 PM
Clearer schematics for doubles.















Posted By: canvasback Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/15/17 02:43 PM
Argo, I've just come across "extrieur bronzage attenu l'endroit du pouce".

Pretty sure it has something to do with pushrod ejector but neither google translate nor myself can make actual sense of it. The "bronzage" is throwing me.
Posted By: Tim Carney Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/15/17 03:02 PM
I'll take a stab at it and say, "case coloring eroded where the thumb rests..."

Regards, Tim
Posted By: canvasback Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/15/17 03:18 PM
Tim, I was wondering about something like that but in another part of the description he uses the term "jaspage".

So unless it's some linguistic oddity, if he used jaspage elsewhere, wouldn't he have used it in this case?

Whether I get it or not won't be the difference in buying or not buying the gun but I have been using this glossary of French terms and it has made things soooooooo much better. Google translate and my own school boy French is no match for the esoteric terms contained within double gun descriptions in French adverts.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/15/17 05:59 PM
"extrieur bronzage attenu l'endroit du pouce"

Canvasback, "bronzage" is barrel bluing/blacking....I think the ad is saying the bluing is eroded where the thumb touches it. Wonder if the guy had his front hand thumb on a hot barrel? Or whether it was his rear hand thumb in contact with the receiver somehow? Alternatively, "pouce" also means "inch." Curious...WC?
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/15/17 06:01 PM
Helpful hint: If you're at a loss for the name of some obscure part, to bring up schematics of particular French guns, google search "fusil de chasse schema" and click on image.

I'm going to post the following additions to the master list per the above suggestions if there are no objections:

Amorce - primer
Bande a tenon d'accrochage s'encastrant dans la bascule - dolls head
Band de visee - ventilated rib
Bec de Crosse - heel of the butt plate
Chevrotines - buck shot (large shot 2 - 000)
Cl Beringer - type of underlever also called Pontet-Serpent
Cl de bascule - top lever key
Culot - Brass base of the shotgun shell
jecteur/extracteur a grand dveloppement - ejector contact point on the hull is over 1/4 of the circumference. Normally high-end guns only.
Emouler de Canons de Fusil- Barrel Grinder/Polisher (archaic)
tui - shell, cartridge
Grenailles - smaller shot (in a shotgun shell) (4-9)
Lefaucheux cl - type of underlever
Levier volute - type of underlever
Talon de crosse - upper point of the butt plate
loupe daccrochage - dolls head
Poignee - pistol grip
polisseur - Barrel polisher
Pontet-Serpent - type of underlever also called Cl Beringer
Tirant de Crosse - Stock attachment bolt
triple verrou Greener - a double Purdey bite and a Greener 3rd
triple Verrou Purdey - a Purdey nose 3rd bite.
Posted By: canvasback Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/16/17 08:24 AM
Thank you, Argo.
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/16/17 01:13 PM
Labour of love indeed. What about the term "square shot"? Do not the French peddle a good deal of that?

Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/16/17 02:55 PM
Darn it, first page is now locked; can't make anymore changes/additions unless I can get Dave to unlock it for editing.
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/16/17 03:12 PM
Ah, just grab it & make a new post:


A

Abm(e) - spoiled/ruined/damaged
Acier - steel
Acier chocolat - excessively soft steel (Belgian trade vernacular)
Acier damas (also "damas") - damascus steel
Acier revenu - tempered steel
Acier tremp - quenched steel
Argent - silver
...vieil argent - old silver
Ailes - side clips
me du canon - bore
Amortisseur - pad (as in buttpad)
Ancien - old
Anson et Deeley; Anson- box lock
Arabesque - Scroll (engraving)
Arme de poing - hand gun
Arme dpaule - long gun
Arm - cocked
Armurier - gun shop owner
Armurerie - gun shop, not a maker, historically a body armor vendor
Arquebusier - Gun maker (abbreviated as "Arqr")
Artisan - artisan
Avantage ( droite, gauche) - cast-off, cast-on

B

Baguette de nettoyage - ramrod, cleaning rod
Banc dpreuves - proof house
Bande - rib
...Prolongement de la bande - extension of the rib (to the receiver)
...Bande ventile - ventilated rib
Balle - bullet or slug
Bascule - receiver/action
Bascule ronde - round receiver
Basculeur - tradesman putting the action together
Bille acier - steel shot
Bois - wood
...Bois de noyer - walnut
......Noyer blond - blond walnut
...Bois d'rable - maple
Boitier - housing
Bouche - muzzle
Bouchon de canon - bullet starter (muzzle loader)
Bouchon de percuteur - Firing pin bushing
Bouquets (gravure ) - rose engraving
Bourre - wad
Bras - brazed
...bras sur - brazed on
Bretelle - sling
...Bretelle enrouleur - retractable sling (like on a Ideal)
...Brettelle retractable - retractable (built in) sling
Brevet - Patent
Brevet(e) - patented
...Brevet(e) SGDG - model patent ("sans garantie du gouvernement")- Patented Without Guarentee of the Government". French distinction that designates a technical patent in the U.S. sense, as opposed to trademark and the old design patent number system that dealt only with name and shape.
Brisure, - Breakage
Broche - pinfire
Bronze - bronze; (copper and tin alloy)
Bronzage - barrel blacking
Busc - comb (for a stock)

C

Cale - wedge (in a double rifle), or spacer between barrels
Calibre - caliber
Canon - barrel
...Canons fretts - sleeved barrel set (externally sleeved or jacketed, built-up barrels)
...Canons juxtaposs - SxS double barrel
...Canon lisse - smoothbore
...Canons miroir - mirror finish bores
......Canonnerie miroir - ditto
...Canons mixtes (Arme ) - cape gun
...Canon monobloc - Barrel set made in one block of steel
...Canon poli - honed barrel
...Canon ray - rifled barrel
...Canon ray dispersant -Rifled spreader barrel (usually Euro woodcock guns)
...Canons superposs - over/under
Canonnier - barrel maker
Capuche - metal piece surrounding the Deeley forearm push button
Carabine - rifle, carbine
Carabine de salon - indoor rifle
Carabine de jardin - light rifle, rook rifle
Cartouches plombs - shot shell
Cartouches balle - slug shell
Cartouche de rechargement - reloader
Chambrage - chamber(ing)
Chambre - chamber
Chien - hammer
Crte de chien - hammer spur
Chevrotines - buckshot.
Chiens extrieurs - external hammers
Choke - Choke
Cylindrique - cylinder choke (synonym: lisse)
... Demi choke - Modified choke
... Plein-full (as in choke
Chne - Oak
Chromage - chromed bores
Chrom(e) - chrome plated
Cl - key
Cl douverture - top lever key
Cl sur le dessus - top lever key
Coffret - case (to put the gun in)
Contre-platines - false side-plates
Convergence - regulation (shotgun or double rifle)
Coquille - action ball (fences)
...Coquilles de la Bascul - fences
Coquille de fusil de chasse - empty shotgun shell casing; Husk or Hull
Corne - horn
Cran de scurit - Safety catch
Crte de chien - hammer spur
Crochet - barrel lump
...Crochets dattache - barrel lump
...Crochets ajusts en queue daronde - dovetailed lump
...Crochet du canon - same
...Crochet encastr - dovetailed lump (embedded)
...Crochets rapports - non integral lumps
Crosse - stock
...Crosse anglaise - English stock
...Crosse joue - stock with cheek piece
...Crosse de borgne - crossover stock
...Crosse demi-pistolet - round knob grip stock
...Crosse pistolet - pistol grip stock
Crossier - stock maker
Cuir - leather (for the sling)
...Cuir surpiqu - double layered sown leather
Cuivre - copper
Culasse - standing breech or bolt
Culasse mobile - movable breech (i.e. on a Darne)
Cylindrique - cylinder choke (synonym: lisse)

D

Damasquin - damascened
dans son jus - original, never modified or restored
Demi-arm - half cocked (for hammer guns)
Demi-bloc - chopper lump
Dtente - trigger
...Double dtente - double trigger
...Monodtente - single trigger
......Monodtente slective - selective single trigger
Devant - forend
Devant pompe - Deeley pushbutton forearm
D'occasion - used
Dor - gold filled
repouss en ???
Double dtente - double trigger
double verrou de fermeture - double locking bolt

E

bne - ebony
couvillon - cleaning rod and implement
...couvillon en laiton - brass barrel (cleaning) brush
cusson - shield (on a stock)
jecteurs automatiques - automatic ejectors
enfoncements - dents
preuves - proof
...Banc dpreuves - proof house
...double preuve - double proof
...triple preuve - triple proof
...preuve ordinaire - version of normal proof
...preuve suprieure - modern day "triple proof"
rable - maple (wood)
tat - condition
...tat mcanique - mechanical condition
...tat moyen - so so condition; medium condition
...tat mauvais - bad condition
Pas en bon tat - not in good condition
...tat neuf - new condition
tranglement - choke
Etui - Gun case; gun slip
Express (also double "express") - double rifle
Extracteur - extractors

F

Fabricant (also abbreviated as "Fabt") - maker
Fausses-platines - false side-plates
Feu central, arme - centerfire (gun)
Feuillet(s) - sight leaf
Feutrine - baize (gun case)
Fermeture en "T" - Jones underlever
Finition - finish
Finition argent - silver finish
Finition blue - blued finish
Finition canon de fusil - gunmetal finish
Finition chrome - chrome finish
Finition nickele - nickel finish.
Finition noir - blued finish
Forage - bore (barrel)
Frres - Brothers
Frette - monoblock;
Fusil - firearm (normally a shotgun but also a military rifle)
...Fusil broche - pinfire gun
...Fusil canon sci - sawed off shotgun
...Fusil chargement par la bouche - muzzle loader
...Fusil Chien - hammer gun
...Fusil de chasse - shotgun
...Fusil juxtapos - double gun
... Fusil juxtapos Artisanal Franais - Artisanal French double gun (quite often maker not known)
...Fusils lever-action - lever action gun
......Fusil levier de sous-garde - ditto
......Fusil levier sous garde - ditto
...Fusil percussion - muzzle loading, percussion rifle
...Fusil piston - percussion gun
...Fusil pompe - pump gun (also "branlette" in French hunting vernacular)
...Fusil silex - flintlock

G

Gachette - sear
Gachette interruptrice - safety sear
Garnisseur - tradesman assembling barrels, ribs and lumps
Graveur - engraver
Gravure(s) - engraving(s)
Grenadire - sling swivel
Goupille - round pin
Goupille de charnire - hinge pin
Guidon - front sight
... protge-guidon - sight hood
Guilloch(e) - ornamented with geometric design
...Vis guilloches - ornamented screws

H

Hausse - back sight (originally adjustable type)

I

Illisible - illegible

J

Jaspage - case coloring
Jasp(e) - case colored
Jaug - guage
Jaug - gauged, measured at
Jaug de chambre - chamber measuring gage
Jeu - play (in the sense of movement)
...Jeu dans la bascule - (play in the receiver)
...sans jeu - without play
Joue - cheekpiece
...Joue allemande - German style cheeckpiece
Juxtapos - side by side

L

Laine dacier - steel wool
Laiton - Brass: alloy - 70 parts copper; 30 parts zinc
Levier - Lever
levier d'armement - cocking lever
Levier de scurit (ou scurit) - safety lever
Levier sous la longuesse - underlever
Longuesse - forestock
Longuesse poussoir - Anson forend (forestock with pushrod release)
Longuesse-sous- main amovible - underlever
Lunette - scope

M

Maniable - easy to the hand/handy
Moiti arm - half cocked (for hammer guns)
Mono-canon - single barrel
Monodtente - single trigger
Monteur bois - stocker
Moul(e) - molded

N

Nickel(e) - nickel plated
Noix - Hammer axis

O

Oeilleton - peep sight
Or - gold
...Or fin - fine gold
dor - gold plated or gold applique
Oreille - Sideclip
Organes de vise - sights
Orn(e) - ornamented
Ouverture par cl devant pontet - underlever
Oxydation - oxydation

P

Paire - pair of guns
Pente - drop
...Pente au busc - drop at comb
...Pente au talon - drop at heel
Percussion centrale - center percussion, center fire (hammer gun)
Percuteur - Firing pin
Pice d'armurerie - piece of firearms manufacture ???
Pierrage - honing
Pique - pitted
...Piqres - pitting
...Petites piqres - light pitting
Planchette - back sight folding leaf
Plaque de couche - butt plate
Plaqu(e) - plated
Platine - side lock
...Platine Holland - front lock as made by H&H or others
...Platine arrire - back lock
...Platine avant - front lock
...Platine dmontable - hand removable sidelock
...Platine encastre - embedded locks
...Platine rebondissante - rebounding lock
Plein--full (as in choke)
Plomb - lead (shot)
Poinon - stamp
...Poinons rglementaires - legal stamps
...Poinons d'preuve - proof marks
Poire poudre - powder horn; powder flask
Poli(e) - polished
polissage en long - longitudinal honing
Ponce huile (Crosse) - sanded with oil finish (stock)
Pontet - trigger guard
Pontet volute - trigger guard with volute in front
Porte - range (as in shooting distance)
Poudre - powder (gunpowder)
...Poudre blanche--smokeless powder
...Poudre pyroxyle - smokeless powder (French)
...Poudre sans fume - smokeless powder
...Poudre Vive - smokeless Powder ( Belgian)
Poussoir - push rod (forestock)
propre - clean, nice

Q

Quadrillage - Checkering
Quadrilleur - Checkerer
Queue daronde - dovetail (old French for"swallow tail" which is more accurate than dove tail, actually)

R

Rallonge de crosse - stock extension
Ray chargement par la bouche - muzzle loader rifle
Rayures - scratches or rifling
Relev - cocked
Relime - steel parts shaping (by chisel or file)
Relimeur - tradesman shaping the action and other parts
Ressort - spring
Ressort boudin - Coil spring
Restauration - restoration
Rticule - Reticle (scope)
Rinceaux - leaves and branches (engraving)
Rouille - rust
...Rouille lgre - light rust

S

Sabot - butt pad
Sabot - sabot projectile
Scne de chasse - hunting scene (engraving)
Scurit - safety
Scurit ds qu'elle est armee - safety automatically on when cocked
Serr - tight
SGDG - see Brevete SGDG
Similor - alloy; 100 parts Red copper; 12 parts zinc
Soudure - solder
Soudure dargent/ l'argent - Silver solder
Soudure ltain - Tin solder (lead and tin mixed)
Soudure de cuivre - Copper brazing (red coper, old silver, antimony, zinc, etc.)
Stphanois - from Saint-Etienne region
Successeur (also abbreviated to "succr") - Successor to
Sret - safety

T

Talon - heel
Tire-cartouche - extracteur
Tirette - action rod
Tombac - alloy; 16 parts copper; 1 part zinc; 1 part tin
Tonnerre - place where the ignition happen
Triplette - 3-gun set
Tromblon - blunderbuss (or bad shotgun)
Tube - barrel tube
Type anglais - English style

V

Valise - Case
Verrou - lock, also bolt
Verrou de fermeture - closing bolt
Verrou vertical - rising bite
Verrouillage - locking system
Vernis - varnish
Vis - Screw



lp,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: Ken61 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/16/17 05:07 PM
I hope when this list is finished someone lists and alphabetizes the list for English terms, since the list appears to be intended for English speakers.

Regards
Ken
Posted By: canvasback Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/16/17 05:47 PM
I may take a crack at that over the next few days.....
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/17/17 02:03 AM
English-French version is en train and should be finished this week. I'll post it and an updated French-English version in a new line.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/20/17 03:01 AM
Here is the first cut of English to French double-gun terms. it's easier to go from an acquired language to a native language (in this case French to English) than vise versa. Plus the two languages are structured differently. French is more US Military - think, "trousers, cotton, padded, OD, 1 each" vs "one pair of padded cotton olive drab trousers" so if you have a hard time finding a term, find the noun and it may be a sub entry. And I'm not sure I actually know all the English gun terms the pros use or are interested in. Finally for the French nouns, without the articles it's not real French. So welcome all corrections.

English-French double-gun terms

A

Action (receiver) - bascule
Action ball (fences) - coquille
Action rod - tirette
Artisan - artisan
Artisanal - artisanal
Artisanal French side x side (unnamed) - Fusil juxtapos artisanal franais
As is - Dans l'etat

B

Back sight - hausse
Barrel(s) - canon(s)
barrel, single - mono-canon
barrel, double/SxS - canons juxtaposs
barrel, externally sleeved - canon fretts
barrel, honed - canon poli
barrel najer - canonnier
Barrel assembler - garnisseur
Barrel lump - See Lump, Barel
Barrel, rifled barrel - canon ray
Barrel, rifled, spreader - canon ray dispersant
barrel set made in one bloc of steel - canon monobloc
Barrel blacking - bronzage
Barrel wedge/spacer (double guns) - cale
Blunderbuss - tromblon
Bore - me du canon
Bore (barrel) - forage
Box lock - Anson et Deeley; Anson
Brass - laiton
Brazed - bras
...Brazed on - bras sur
Breakage - brisure,
Breech/bolt - culasse
Breech, movable (Darne) - culasse mobile; Culasse a mouvement linaire
Bronze - bronze
Brothers (as in a company) - frres
Brush, barrel cleaning, brass - couvillon en laiton
Bullet - balle
...Jacketed bullet - balle blinde
Bullet starter (muzzle loader) - bouchon de canon
Butt pad - amortisseur
Butt pad - sabot
Butt plate - plaque de couche


C

Cape gun - canons mixtes (Arme )
Carbine - carabine
Case coloring - jaspage -
Case colored - jasp(e)
Case, gun - coffre; feutrine; baize
Case - valise
Cast - advantage
Cast off - advantage droite
Cast on - advantage gauche
Cartridge - etui
Caliber - calibre
Centerfire gun - arme percution centrale.
Chamber - chambre
Chambering - chambrage
Checkerer - quadrille
Checkering - quadrillage
Cheekpiece - joue
German style cheekpiece - joue allemande
Chisling - relime
Choke - choke; tranglement
cylinder choke - clindrique; lisse
modified choke - demi-choke
full choke - plein
Chopper lump - demi-bloc
Chrome - chrome
Chrome plated - chrom(e)
Chrome bores - chromage
Clean (state of condition ) - propre
Cleaning brush (brass, barrel) - couvillon en laiton
Cleaning rod - baguette de nettoyage;
Cleaning rod and implement - couvillon
Cocked - arm
Cocked - relev
Cocking lever - levier darmement
Coil spring - ressort lames
Comb (for a stock) - busc
Condition - tat
mechanical condition - tat mcanique
new condition - tat neuf
so so condition - tat moyen
medium condition - tat moyen
bad condition - tat mauvais
not in good condition
Copper - cuivre

D

Damaged (ruined; spoiled) - abm(e)
Damascened - Damasquin
Dents - enfoncements
Deely firearm push button metal piece - capuche
Double barrel SxS - Canons juxtaposs
Double locking bolt - double verrou de fermeture
Double rifle - express; double express
Double trigger - see tirgger, double
Dovetail - queue daronde
Drop - pente
drop at comb - pente au busc
drop at heel - pente au talon

E

Ebony - bne
Ejectors - jecteurs
,,,automatic ejectors - jecteurs automatiques
Engraver - graveur
Engraving - gravure
Engraving, (rose) - bouquets (gravure )
Engraving, leaves and branches - rinceaux
Engraving, hunting scene - scne de chasse
Escutcheon plate - pice de pouce
Extractors - extracteurs; tire-cartouche

F

Fences - coquille; coquilles de la bascule
Filing - relime
Finish - finition
silver finish - finition argent
blued finish - finition blue
gun metal finish - finition canon de fusil
chrome finish - finition chrome
nickel finish - finition nickele
blued finish - finition noir
Firearm - fusil
Firing pin - percuteur
Firing pin bushing - bouchon de percuteur
Flintlock - Fusil silex
Fore-end/stock - devant
Deely pushbutton fore-end - devant pompe
Forestock - longuesse
Anson fore-end - longesse a poussoir
Forestock push rod - poussoir
Front sight - guidon
Front sight hood - protge-guidon

G

Gold - Or
gold filled - Dor
Gauge - Jaug
Chamber gauge - Jaug de chambre
Gauged - Jaug
Gun - fusil
Artisanal French side x side - Fusil juxtapos Artisanal Franais
Flintlock - Fusil silex
Hammer gun - fusil Chien
Lever action gun - Fusils lever-action; Fusil levier de sous-garde; Fusil levier sous garde
Percussion gun - Fusil percussion; Fusil piston
Pump gun - Fusil pompe; branlette
Shotgun - fusil de chasse
Side by side - fusil juxtapos
Gun case - coffre; feutrine; baize
Gun maker - arquebusier (abbr: arqr)
Gun shop - armurerie
Gun shop owner - armurier

H

Half-cocked - demi-arm
Half-cocked - moiti arm
Hammer - chien
Hammer axis - noix
Hammer, external - chien extrieurs
Hammer spur - Crte de chien
Hand gun - arme de poing
Handy (maneuverable) - maniable; manouvrable.
Heel - talon
Hinge pin - goupille de charnir
Honed barrel - canon poli
Honing - pierrage
Horn - corne
Housing - boitier
Husk (empty shell) - coquille de fusion de chases

I

Illegible = illisible


J

Jacketed (bullet) - blinde (balle blinde) (blind means "armored")

K

Key - Cl
Key, top lever - Cl douverture; Cl sur le dessus

L

Lead - plomb
Leather - cuir
double layered sown leather - cuir surpiqu
Length of pull - longueur paule
Lever - levier
cocking lever - levier darmement
safety lever - levier de scurit
Lever action gun - Fusils lever-action; Fusil levier de sous-garde; Fusil levier sous garde
light/rook rifle - Carabine de jardin
Lock (bolt) - verrou
closing lock - verrou de fermature
Lock,side - platine
Lock, front (H&H) - platine Holland; plainte avant
Lock, back - plantine arrire
Locks, hand removable side locks - platine dmontable
Locks, embedded - platine encastre
Locks, rebounding - plating rebondissante
Locking bolt - verrou de fermeture
Double locking bolt - double verrou de fermeture
Locking system - verroullage
Long gun - Arme dpaule
Lump, barrel - Crochet; Crochets dattache; crochet de canon
Lump, barrel, dovetailed - Crochets ajusts en queue daronde
Lump, barrel, dovetailed (embedded) - Crochet encastr
Lump, non integral - Crochets rapports

M

Maker - Fabricant (Fabt)
Maple - bois drable; rable
Mirror barrel finish - Canons miroir; Canonnerie miroir
Molded - moul(e)
Monoblock - frette
Muzzle - bouche
Muzzle loader - Fusil chargement par la bouche
Muzzle Loading rifle - Ray chargement par la bouche


N

New - neuf
Nickel plated - nickel(e)

O

Oak - chne
Old - ancien; vielle
Original/never restored - dans son jus
Ornamented - orn(e)
Ornamented in geometric design - guilloch(e)
Ornamented screws - vis guilloch(e)
Oxydation - oxydation


P

Pad - Amortisseur
Pair (of guns) - paire
Patent - brevet
Patented - brevet(e)
Model (engineering) patent - brevet(e) SGDG
Peep sight - oeilleton
Percussion gun - Fusil percussion; Fusil piston
Pin (round) - goupille
Pin (hinge) - goupille de charnire
Pinfire - broche
Pinfire gun - fusil broche
Pitted - piqe
Pitting - piqres
light pitting - petites piqres
Plated - plaqu(e
Play (movement) - jeu
Play in the receiver - jeu dans la bascule
without play - sans jeu
Proof - preuves
Normal proofed - preuve ordinaire
Double proofed - double preuve
Triple proofed - triple preuve
Superior proofed - preuve ordinaire
Proof house - Banc dpreuves
Proof mark stamps - poinons d'preuve
Pump gun - Fusil pompe; branlette

Q


R

Ramrod - Baguette de nettoyage
Receiver (action) - bascule
.. .Receiver, round - bascule ronde
Regulation - convergence
Reloaded shell - cartouche de rechargement
Restoration - restauration
Reticle (scope) - rticule
Rib - Bande
...Rib extension - prolongement de la bande)
Rib, Ventilated - bande ventile
Rifle - Carabine
rifle, indoor - Carabine de salon
rifle, light/rook - Carabine de jardin
Rifled barrel - Canon ray
Rifled spreader barrel - Canon ray dispersant
Rifling - rayures
Rising bite - verrou vertical
Rod, action - tirette
Rook/light rifle - Carabine de jardin
Round Pin - goupille
Rust - rouille
light rust - rouille lgre


S

Safety - scurit; sret
automatic safety - scurit ds qu'elle est armee
Safety catch - Cran de scurit
Safety lever - levier de scurit
Safety sear - Gachette interruptrice
Saint-Etienne citizen - Stephanois
Scope - lunette
Scratches - rayures
Screw - vis
Scroll engraving - Arabesque
Sear - gchette
Safety sear - gchette interruptrice
Shell - Catouche; Etui
shot shell - Cartouches plombs
slug shell - Cartouches balle
Shot - bille
shot (small) - grenailles (4-9)
shot, buck - chevrotines (2 - 000)
Steel shot - bille acre
Shotgun - fusil de chasse
sawed off shotgun - Fusil canon sci
Side by side / SxS - Canons juxtaposs
Side clips - Ailes
Side lock - platine
Font lock (H&H) - platine Holland; plainte avant
Back lock - plantine arrire
hand removable side locks - platine dmontable
Embedded locks - platine encastre
rebounding locks - platine rebondissante
Side plates (false) - contre-platines; fausse-platines
Sights - organes de vise
front sight - guidon
back sight - hausse
back sight folding leaf - planchette
peep sight - oeilleton
Sight leaf - feuillet(s)
Silver - Argent
Old silver - vieil argent
Sleeve (external) - frette
Sling - bretelle
Retractable sling - bretelle enrouleur; brettelle retractable
Sling swivel - grenadire
Slug - balle
Smoothbore - Canon lisse
Solder - soudure
silver solder - soudure dargent/ l'argent
tin solder - soudure ltain
coper brazing - soudure de cuivre
Spring - ressort
coil spring - ressort lames
...Spiral spring - ressort spirale.
Stamp (embossed) - poinon
legal stamps - poinons rglementaires
proof mark stamps - poinons d'preuve
Standing breech/bolt - culasse
Steel - Acier
Damascus steel - Acier damas ou damas
Quenched steel - Acier tremp
Soft steel - Acier chocolat
Tempered steel - Acier revenu
Steel Shot - bille acier
Steel wool - Laine dicier
Stock - crosse
English stock - crosse anglaise
Stock with cheek piece - crosse joue
Crossover stock - crosse de boring
Round knob grip stock - crosse pistoles
Stock shield - cusson
Stock extension - rallonge de crosse
Stock maker - crossier; monteur a bois
Swallowtail - queue daronde
SxS/double barrel - Canons juxtaposs

T

Tight - serr
Trigger - Dtente; gchette (Coll).
double trigger - Double dtente
single trigger - Monodtente
selective single trigger - Monodtente slective
Trigger pull - souplesse de la gchette; poids de la dtente
Tube - tube

U

Underlever - Lefaucheux cl;
Cl Beringer;
Cl sous pontet
Cle longueur
Levier volute;
Levier sous la longuesse
Longuesse-sous- main amovible
Ouverture par cl devant pontet
Ouverture sous pontet
Pontet-Serpent;
Jones underlever - Fermeture en "T"
Used - Doccasion

V

Varnish - vernis
Ventilated rib - bande ventile

W

Wad - bourre
Walnut - bois de noyer
...Blond walnut - noyer blond
Wood - bois

X


Y


Z
Posted By: GETTEMANS Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/20/17 07:06 AM
Well Argo, first of all let me tell you that you did a hell of a job here. I live in Belgium in the Dutch speaking part but I speak also fluent French. I will wait your final version that you gona post and if I have some comments I will try to help you.
For the moment, if I was in your place at the translation of BREECH, movable (Darne)- Culasse mobile . And just because you mention Darne this is more correct " Culasse a mouvement linaire".
Cheers, greetings from Belgium, Marc.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/21/17 11:26 PM
Marc, Merci et dank je. I've added the alternative to "Breech" above. I lived for three years in Brussels in the 1980's - my youngest son was born in Ixelles, Brussels almost on the same day as the Belgian national day. Gene
Posted By: L. Brown Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/22/17 03:19 PM
Great work, Argo! I need to take time to go through the whole list carefully. Just a couple quick ones:

blond walnut would be noyer blond (masculine noun)
Technically, gachette (which has a circumflex) does mean sear, but it seems to be used quite often (maybe slang?) to mean trigger.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/24/17 12:11 AM
On French news tonight, the news reporter from Jerusalem used "gchette" to describe the hair trigger situation. It may be used more often to refer to devices which have a trigger which are not firearms there are definitely gun references too.

appuyez sur la gchette - pull the trigger (get started)
un dispositif gchette - trigger mechanism
gchette facile - trigger happy
souplesse de la gchette - trigger pull
...but also
poids de la dtente. - trigger pull

Added in the English-French section.

Posted By: GETTEMANS Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/25/17 06:21 AM
Gene, I have read your compleet translation and maybe it is good to change the following : centerfire gun= arme percution centrale.
Coil spring = ressort lames (not ressort a bodin) and also mention, spiral spring= ressort spirale. Handy = manouvrable. Side plates= the only correct translation is Fausses- platines or contre- platines.
J'espre que vous me pardonnerez ces amliorations.
Greetings from Belgium. BTW I write also many faults in English.
Marc.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/26/17 09:57 PM
Merci, corrections added. I'll need to repost the original French list from the first page in order to add a few more words found in gun ads on Naturabuy.com.
Posted By: cadet Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/27/17 12:14 AM
Brilliant work!
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 07/27/17 12:38 AM
There are about 10 words/phrases for "underlever" in French, several referring to specific types. I'll post pictures of each as I run across them in French ads - worth a 1000 words:

Lefaucheux cl;



Levier volute;
Cl Beringer (aka pontet serpent);



Cl sous pontet (identical to Cl Beringer/ Pontet-Serpent?)
Cle longueur (barrels folds all the way down to latch onto the lower stock)



Pontet-Serpent (see Cl Beringer);
Cl devant pontet (identical to Lefraucheux?)
Longuesse-Sous- main amovible
Levier sous la longuesse
Ouverture sous pontet (variant of Levier de sous garde?)



Levier de sous garde



Jones underlever - Fermeture en "T"; "T" Anglais

Posted By: WildCattle Re: French gun terminology - translations - 08/05/17 04:40 PM
Hello Argo,
Waiting for the pics, but:
"levier" or "cl" is normally the opening lever.
Pontet is fixed (trigger guard) and normally cannot be moved unless it is also the lever (e.g. like in some Purdey rifles or Win rifles).
"Pontet volute" does exist, but it is fixed, and not a mean of opening.
There should not be a "pontet serpent" but a "cl/levier serpent".
"Serpent" is of course "snake" and a perfect example would be a Grant side lever.

Ads are often whimsical and/or misinformed in descriptions, so should not be used as a 100% valid source of info (nobody is perfect).
Even catalogs are rife with misuse of words (but certainly better than private ads).
Best are old reference books from the 19th early 20th century, such as the one from Lebeau-Courally or Nouvelle etc.
Best regards,
Martin
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 08/05/17 07:46 PM
I've been using jpgbox.com since photo bucket pulled the plug. jpgbox looks to have gone belly up for the last two days. discouraging. I'll try imgur.com net.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 08/10/17 11:52 PM
WC, jpgbox is back up and photos are posted. Let me know what you think. Still working on other photos.
Posted By: keith Re: French gun terminology - translations - 08/11/17 03:01 AM
I've seen either B. (Balle) Blinde or B. (Balle) Plomb stamped on Leige, Belgium proofed double rifle barrels to indicate they are rifled barrels suitable for jacketed or lead bullets.

It also appears that the word bullet is derived from the French word boulette which roughly means small ball.
Posted By: WildCattle Re: French gun terminology - translations - 08/11/17 03:09 AM
Argo,
Will do in a few days. Am swamped now.
All the best,
WC-
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 08/11/17 03:16 AM
Keith, I'll repost the French-English definitive list at some point and add these. thanks. A lot of English military terminology comes from French (thank William the Conquerer and Napoleon)

General
Colonel
Lieutenant
Sargeant

etc.

"blind" = armored. (probably "jacketed?"); "plumb" of course Is lead
(added to the English-French above)
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 08/12/17 04:18 AM
Also WC, perhaps you can help. Serr means "tightened," "squeezed," "compressed," etc. We have it defined as "tight" above. But it appears on barrels regularly as on the 16ga o/u previously posted here. http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=464151

I speculated that it might mean "compression tested for PT" or something like that...but what does it mean in a gun context?


Posted By: L. Brown Re: French gun terminology - translations - 08/12/17 03:35 PM
Argo, because of the angle of the photo, I can't tell whether that's PT or FT. Almost looks more like FT to me. (For that matter, are we sure that the last letter is a T? Doesn't look like the T's in St.Etienne below.) And what's the M doing in front of Serre? Given the "a St Etienne" below, it would seem likely to have something to do with who made or sold the gun in St. Etienne. But it does not make sense as a name, although M is the common abbreviation for Monsieur. But that isn't something you see on guns, and what follows still doesn't make sense. Yet another of those mysteries, I think.
Posted By: WildCattle Re: French gun terminology - translations - 08/18/17 03:44 AM
This is a Mr Serre Ft (Fabricant=maker) in St Etienne, e.g. a last name.
15 rue Chapelon in the early 1930s.
WC-
P.S> still swamped :-(
Posted By: L. Brown Re: French gun terminology - translations - 08/18/17 11:02 AM
Thanks, WC. That looks like the answer to what's on the barrels.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 08/18/17 05:32 PM
WC, I liked SMP16ga's o/u and at the time did some research on the retailer Roturier, Ste. Foy la Grande.

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=452969

He sent me a PM saying he has not corresponded with Ste. Foy la Grand but has had it checked out and is shooting it. I'll post your find on his line if you don't mind....more history for his gun. The 1930's date for the gun maker pretty well aligns with the conclusion we came up with re the font used for Roturier on the gun and on his pre-WWII shop. So presumably Heurtier made the barrels; M. Serre put the gun together, Roturier sold it...as complete a history of a 1930's St. Etienne gun as one could come up with.

(is there a name for Swampcattle? - Bovine de la Marais or something?)
Posted By: WildCattle Re: French gun terminology - translations - 08/19/17 06:20 PM
"Btail enlis"
WC- ;-)
Posted By: canvasback Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/24/17 02:34 PM
Here's something I can't find on the list....barrel wall thickness.

Anyone got any idea how to say that in French?

Merry Christmas!
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/24/17 03:10 PM
paisseur de la paroi du canon - I think this might work; I saw it somewhere recently-naturabuy.Fr maybe.:

edit: Also found these:
-- paisseur du tube - (from passionlachasse.fr_
-- paisseur des parois
-- paisseur des parois du canon - would of course be plural - i.e. thickness of the walls of the barrel.

More technical:
EPREUVE INDIVIDUELLE DES ARMES
CARACTERISTIQUES DES MATERIAUX ET EPAISSEURS DES PAROIS DU CANON ET DE LA CHAMBRE DES ARMES A FEU PORTATIVES - RECOMMANDATION (COMPTES RENDUS XVII ET XXIII)
http://www.cip-bobp.org/sites/default/files/CIP-Epreuve-FR.pdf
Posted By: canvasback Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/24/17 04:09 PM
Thank you Gene!
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/26/17 09:41 PM
In the next few days, I'm going to repost both the French-English and English-French lists on this board with the additions we've left out to consolidate them. If anyone has more items to add, post them here or send them to me. Once they are reposted...we'll have about a month to edit them before they're locked again. Gene
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 01/03/18 07:06 PM
Updated repost including terms left out of the first page post

A

Abm(e) - spoiled/ruined/damaged
Acier - steel
Acier chocolat - excessively soft steel (Belgian trade vernacular)
Acier damas (also "damas") - damascus steel
Acier revenu - tempered steel
Acier tremp - quenched steel
Argent - silver
...vieil argent - old silver
Ailes - side clips
me du canon - bore
Amorce - primer
Amortisseur - pad (as in buttpad)
Ancien - old
Anson et Deeley; Anson- box lock
Arabesque - Scroll (engraving)
Arme de poing - hand gun
Arme dpaule - long gun
arme percution centrale - centerfire gun
Arm - cocked
Armurier - gun shop owner
Armurerie - gun shop, not a maker, historically a body armor vendor
Arquebusier - Gun maker (abbreviated as "Arqr")
Artisan - artisan
Avantage ( droite, gauche) - cast-off, cast-on

B

Baguette de nettoyage - ramrod, cleaning rod
Banc dpreuves - proof house
Bande - rib
...Prolongement de la bande - extension of the rib (to the receiver)
...Bande ventile - ventilated rib
Bande a tenon d'accrochage s'encastrant dans la bascule - dolls head
Band de visee - ventilated rib
Balle - bullet or slug
Bascule - receiver/action
Bascule ronde - round receiver
Basculeur - tradesman putting the action together
Bec - heel
Bec de Crosse - heel of the butt plate
Bille acier - steel shot
Bois - wood
...Bois de noyer - walnut
......Noyer blond - blond walnut
...Bois d'rable - maple
Boitier - housing
Bouche - muzzle
Bouchon de canon - bullet starter (muzzle loader)
Bouchon de percuteur - Firing pin bushing
Bouquets (gravure ) - rose engraving
Bourre - wad
Bras - brazed
...bras sur - brazed on
Bretelle - sling
...Bretelle enrouleur - retractable sling (like on a Ideal)
...Brettelle retractable - retractable (built in) sling
Brevet - Patent
Brevet(e) - patented
...Brevet(e) SGDG - model patent ("sans garantie du gouvernement")- Patented Without Guarentee of the Government". French distinction that designates a technical patent in the U.S. sense, as opposed to trademark and the old design patent number system that dealt only with name and shape.
Brisure, - Breakage
Broche - pinfire
Bronze - bronze; (copper and tin alloy)
Bronzage - barrel blacking
Busc - comb (for a stock)

C

Cale - wedge (in a double rifle), or spacer between barrels
Calibre - caliber
Canon - barrel
...Canons fretts - sleeved barrel set (externally sleeved or jacketed, built-up barrels)
...Canons juxtaposs - SxS double barrel
...Canon lisse - smoothbore
...Canons miroir - mirror finish bores
......Canonnerie miroir - ditto
...Canons mixtes (Arme ) - cape gun
...Canon monobloc - Barrel set made in one block of steel
...Canon poli - honed barrel
...Canon ray - rifled barrel
...Canon ray dispersant -Rifled spreader barrel (usually Euro woodcock guns)
...Canons superposs - over/under
Canonnier - barrel maker
Capuche - metal piece surrounding the Deeley forearm push button
Carabine - rifle, carbine
Carabine de salon - indoor rifle
Carabine de jardin - light rifle, rook rifle
Cartouches plombs - shot shell
Cartouches balle - slug shell
Cartouche de rechargement - reloader
Chambrage - chamber(ing)
Chambre - chamber
Chevrotines - buck shot (large shot 2 - 000)
Chien - hammer
Crte de chien - hammer spur
Chevrotines - buckshot.
Chiens extrieurs - external hammers
Choke - Choke
Cylindrique - cylinder choke (synonym: lisse)
... Demi choke - Modified choke
... Plein-full (as in choke
Chne - Oak
Chromage - chromed bores
Chrom(e) - chrome plated
Cl - key
Cl Beringer - type of underlever also called Pontet-Serpent
Cl de bascule - top lever key
Cl devant pontet - underlever (Lefraucheux).
Cl douverture - opening key
Cl longueur - side lever
Cl sur le dessus - top lever key
Coffret - case (to put the gun in)
Contre-platines - side-plates
Convergence - regulation (shotgun or double rifle)
Coquille - action ball (fences)
...Coquilles de la Bascul - fences
Coquille de fusil de chasse - empty shotgun shell casing; Husk or Hull
Corne - horn
Cran de scurit - Safety catch
Crte de chien - hammer spur
Crochet - barrel lump
...Crochets dattache - barrel lump
...Crochets ajusts en queue daronde - dovetailed lump
...Crochet du canon - same
...Crochet encastr - dovetailed lump (embedded)
...Crochets rapports - non integral lumps
Crosse - stock
...Crosse anglaise - English stock
...Crosse joue - stock with cheek piece
...Crosse de borgne - crossover stock
...Crosse demi-pistolet - round knob grip stock
...Crosse pistolet - pistol grip stock
Crossier - stock maker
Cuir - leather (for the sling)
...Cuir surpiqu - double layered sown leather
Culot - Brass base of the shotgun shell
Cuivre - copper
Culasse - standing breech or bolt
Culasse mobile - movable breech (i.e. on a Darne)
Cylindrique - cylinder choke (synonym: lisse)

D

Damasquin - damascened
dans son jus - original, never modified or restored
Demi-arm - half cocked (for hammer guns)
Demi-bloc - chopper lump
Dtente - trigger
...Double dtente - double trigger
...Monodtente - single trigger
......Monodtente slective - selective single trigger
Devant - foreend
Devant pompe - Deeley pushbutton forearm
D'occasion - used
Dor - gold filled
repouss en ???
Double dtente - double trigger
double verrou de fermeture - double locking bolt

E

bne - ebony
couvillon - cleaning rod and implement
...couvillon en laiton - brass barrel (cleaning) brush
cusson - shield (on a stock)
jecteurs automatiques - automatic ejectors
jecteur/extracteur a grand dveloppement - ejector contact point on the hull is over 1/4 of the circumference. Normally high-end guns only.
Emouler de Canons de Fusil- Barrel Grinder/Polisher (archaic)
tui - shell, cartridge
enfoncements - dents
paisseur - thickness
paisseur des parois du canon - Barrel walls thickness
preuves - proof
...Banc dpreuves - proof house
...double preuve - double proof
...triple preuve - triple proof
...preuve ordinaire - version of normal proof
...preuve ordinaire - modern day "triple proof"
rable - maple (wood)
tat - condition
...tat mcanique - mechanical condition
...tat moyen - so so condition; medium condition
...tat mauvais - bad condition
Pas en bon tat - not in good condition
...tat neuf - new condition
tranglement - choke
Etui - Gun case; gun slip
Express (also double "express") - double rifle
Extracteur - extractors

F

Fabricant (also abbreviated as "Fabt") - maker
Fausses-platines - side-plates
Fermeture en T" - Jones underlever also known as "T" Anglais
Feu central, arme - centerfire (gun)
Feuillet(s) - sight leaf
Feutrine - baize (gun case)
Finition - finish
Finition argent - silver finish
Finition blue - blued finish
Finition canon de fusil - gunmetal finish
Finition chrome - chrome finish
Finition nickele - nickel finish.
Finition noir - blued finish
Forage - bore (barrel)
Frres - Brothers
Frette - monoblock;
Fusil - firearm (normally a shotgun but also a military rifle)
...Fusil broche - pinfire gun
...Fusil canon sci - sawed off shotgun
...Fusil chargement par la bouche - muzzle loader
...Fusil Chien - hammer gun
...Fusil de chasse - shotgun
...Fusil juxtapos - double gun
... Fusil juxtapos Artisanal Franais - Artisanal French double gun (quite often maker not known)
...Fusils lever-action - lever action gun
......Fusil levier de sous-garde - ditto
......Fusil levier sous garde - ditto
...Fusil percussion - muzzle loading, percussion rifle
...Fusil piston - percussion gun
...Fusil pompe - pump gun (also "branlette" in French hunting vernacular)
...Fusil silex - flintlock

G

Gachette - sear; trigger
Gachette interruptrice - safety sear
gchette facile - trigger happy
Garnisseur - tradesman assembling barrels, ribs and lumps
Graveur - engraver
Gravure(s) - engraving(s)
Grenadire - sling swivel
Grenailles - smaller shot (in a shotgun shell) (4-9)
Goupille - round pin
Goupille de charnire - hinge pin
Guidon - front sight
... protge-guidon - sight hood
Guilloch(e) - ornamented with geometric design
...Vis guilloches - ornamented screws

H

Hausse - back sight (originally adjustable type)

I

Illisible - illegible

J

Jaspage - case coloring
Jasp(e) - case colored
Jaug - guage
Jaug - gauged, measured at
Jaug de chambre - chamber measuring gage
Jeu - play (in the sense of movement)
...Jeu dans la bascule - (play in the receiver)
...sans jeu - without play
Joue - cheekpiece
...Joue allemande - German style cheeckpiece
Juxtapos - side by side

L

Laine dacier - steel wool
Laiton - Brass: alloy - 70 parts copper; 30 parts zinc
Lefaucheux cl - type of underlever
Levier - Lever
levier d'armement - cocking lever
Levier de scurit (ou scurit) - safety lever
Levier de sous garde - cocking underlever (Winchester type)
Levier sous la longuesse - underlever
Levier volute - type of underlever
Longuesse - forestock
Longuesse poussoir - Anson forend (forestock with pushrod release)
Longuesse-sous-main amovible - underlever
loupe daccrochage - dolls head
Lunette - scope

M

Maniable - easy to the hand/handy
Moiti arm - half cocked (for hammer guns)
Mono-canon - single barrel
Monodtente - single trigger
manouvrable - handy
Monteur bois - stocker
Moul(e) - molded

N

Nickel(e) - nickel plated
Noix - Hammer axis

O

Oeilleton - peep sight
Or - gold
...Or fin - fine gold
dor - gold plated or gold applique
Oreille - Sideclip
Organes de vise - sights
Orn(e) - ornamented
Ouverture par cl devant pontet - underlever
Ouverture sous pontet - underlever
Oxydation - oxydation

P

Paire - pair of guns
Pente - drop
...Pente au busc - drop at comb
...Pente au talon - drop at heel
Percussion centrale - center percussion, center fire (hammer gun)
Percuteur - Firing pin
Pice d'armurerie - piece of firearms manufacture ???
Pierrage - honing
Pique - pitted
...Piqres - pitting
...Petites piqres - light pitting
Planchette - back sight folding leaf
Plaque de couche - butt plate
Plaqu(e) - plated
Platine - side lock
...Platine Holland - front lock as made by H&H or others
...Platine arrire - back lock
...Platine avant - front lock
...Platine dmontable - hand removable sidelock
...Platine encastre - embedded locks
...Platine rebondissante - rebounding lock
Plein--full (as in choke)
Plomb - lead (shot)
poids de la dtente. - trigger pull
Poignee - pistol grip
Poinon - stamp
...Poinons rglementaires - legal stamps
...Poinons d'preuve - proof marks
Poire poudre - powder horn; powder flask
Poli(e) - polished
polisseur - barrel grinder
polissage en long - longitudinal honing
Ponce huile (Crosse) - sanded with oil finish (stock)
Pontet - trigger guard
Pontet-Serpent - type of underlever also called Cl Beringer
Pontet volute - trigger guard with volute in front
Porte - range (as in shooting distance)
Poudre - powder (gunpowder)
...Poudre blanche--smokeless powder
...Poudre pyroxyle - smokeless powder (French)
...Poudre sans fume - smokeless powder
...Poudre Vive - smokeless Powder ( Belgian)
Poussoir - push rod (forestock)
propre - clean, nice

Q

Quadrillage - Checkering
Quadrilleur - Checkerer
Queue daronde - dovetail (old French for"swallow tail" which is more accurate than dove tail, actually)

R

Rallonge de crosse - stock extension
Ray chargement par la bouche - muzzle loader rifle
Rayures - scratches or rifling
Relev - cocked
Relime - steel parts shaping (by chisel or file)
Relimeur - tradesman shaping the action and other parts
Ressort - spring
Ressort lames - Coil spring
ressort spirale - spiral spring
Restauration - restoration
Rticule - Reticle (scope)
Rinceaux - leaves and branches (engraving)
Rouille - rust
...Rouille lgre - light rust

S

Sabot - butt pad
Sabot - sabot projectile
Scne de chasse - hunting scene (engraving)
Scurit - safety
Scurit ds qu'elle est armee - safety automatically on when cocked
Serr - tight
SGDG - see Brevete SGDG
Similor - alloy; 100 parts Red copper; 12 parts zinc
Soudure - solder
Soudure dargent/ l'argent - Silver solder
Soudure ltain - Tin solder (lead and tin mixed)
Soudure de cuivre - Copper brazing (red coper, old silver, antimony, zinc, etc.)
Stphanois - from Saint-Etienne region
Successeur (also abbreviated to "succr") - Successor to
souplesse de la gchette - trigger pull
Sret - safety

T

"T" Anglais - Jones underlever also known as Fermeture en T"
Talon - heel
Talon de crosse - upper point of the butt plate
Tirant de Crosse - Stock attachment bolt
Tire-cartouche - extracteur
Tirette - action rod
Tombac - alloy; 16 parts copper; 1 part zinc; 1 part tin
Tonnerre - place where the ignition happen
triple verrou Greener - Triple lock of a double Purdey bite and a Greener 3rd
Triple Verrou Purdey - Triplel lock in case of a Purdey nose 3rd bite.
Triple verrou - triple lock
Triplette - 3-gun set
Tromblon - blunderbuss (or bad shotgun)
Tube - barrel tube
Type anglais - English style

V

Valise - Case
Verrou - lock, also bolt
Verrou de fermeture - closing bolt
Verrou vertical - rising bite
Verrouillage - locking system
Vernis - varnish
Vis - Screw
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 04/23/20 03:50 PM
Boudrole: A term for the cylinder of steel in a Greener Crossbolt?

Boudrole - Petit cylindre travers d une tige quadrangulaire pour fermeture de fusils triple verrous systme Greiner. Arme de luxe.

https://books.google.com/books?id=cqHYAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA179&lpg=PA179&dq=Triple+Verrou++Fermeture+Syst%C3%A8me+Fermeture+Li%C3%A8geoise&source=bl&ots=FQFg6GnEs9&sig=ACfU3U1G0Zq_h67kgidRnpupwjH305D_lw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwim4eXU8v7oAhXjdN8KHZ93ACYQ6AEwCnoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=Triple%20Verrou%20%20Fermeture%20Syst%C3%A8me%20Fermeture%20Li%C3%A8geoise&f=false

Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 04/23/20 05:33 PM
Good one Raimey. I need to update that list and in particular add the "m" or "f" to the nouns. Will work on it during the shutdown. I assume "boudrole" is feminine - "une boudrole?"
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 04/23/20 07:31 PM
Argo, you well know but I was chasing >>Galand Nose<< or Fermeture Ligeoise to differentiate it from the >>Purdey Nose<<(Triple(Verrou) Fermeture Systme Purdey??).


Do you feel as if you are living the >>Argo<< movie, living in a cellar with the COVID19 playing the roll of the Iranians?


Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 04/24/20 01:01 AM
>>Bulletin de la Socit ligeoise de littrature wallonne<<

That above link was noted as the Walloon dialect from 1894, if anyone is interested.

Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 04/24/20 01:06 AM
Sort of in the same vein, can a Sidelock shotgun be equipped with a Greener Crossbolt/Boudrole? Or are they commonplace?

Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 04/24/20 01:16 AM
I guess better stated on this thread, a sidelock offered with the phrase Triple(Verrou) Fermeture Systme Greener.


You see:

Triple(Verrou) Fermeture Systme Greener

Triple(Verrou) Fermeture Systme Purdey

Triple fermeture hlice tres robuste

etc.

But what I am looking for is a diagram of:

Triple(Verrou) Fermeture Systme Ligeoise or Fermeture Ligeoise


Cheers,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/02/20 02:04 AM
Sertisseur - Shotshell crimping machine

Added (since the word is also used in the jewelry industry):

It's also mentioned in various sites as:
-- "Sertisseur pour le rechargement des cartouches de chasse"
-- "Shotshell pince sertir pour rechargement"

-- "pince" - means "squeeze"
-- "pince sertir" - crimp in the gun term

-- "rechargement" - reloading

(In English following the above... my French wife has created the word "Squinch". Instantly understandable by the way...DON'T TRY TO SQUINCH INTO THAT PARKING SPACE...tu et fou!!!).
Posted By: L. Brown Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/03/20 01:21 PM
Gene, I could not find boudrole in any of my French dictionaries. Nor is it one of the words listed in the "Petit Lexique Technique" included in Pierre Fonteneau's "Les Armes de Chasse a Canon Lisse et Leurs Munitions". I've left that book next to my computer so I can check your list against what Fonteneau has included in his.

Thanks for your efforts. French shotgun cranks appreciate it.

Speaking of which . . . I recently passed on the chance to buy a really nice (and fairly modern) French 16 from Gastinne Renette. Had relatively few proofmarks compared to the short novel you find on some French barrel flats, but it did carry the St. Etienne triple proof. Stock was too long and too high for me. Otherwise I'd own it.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/03/20 02:11 PM
Thanks Larry. "Une Boudrole" is one of Raimey's Belgian finds having to do with a Greener cross bolt. I sort of silently thought of it as a "thingamajig." Probably highly specialized. Sorry about the Gastinne Renette but no sense in buying something that doesn't fit. Interesting that it had St. Etienne barrels. I sort of associated Parisian makers with Parisian or Belgian barrels.

I love French gun catalogs. They always manage to get a picture of a pretty girl with gun in there someplace.
Posted By: L. Brown Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/06/20 01:09 PM
Gene, I think we may have discussed this particular pair before:

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-f...un_id=100863514

I've looked at them numerous times. A lot of quality there. But stock dimensions cause me to think I'd definitely want to have my hands on them before making an offer.
Posted By: WildCattle Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/06/20 07:55 PM
Hi Raimey,
The book this comes from is fascinating, but it documents use of "patois" i.e. extremely local (and dated) vernacular. I sincerely doubt anyone has used these words in the last 50 years in this almost dying local industry...
All the best,
WC-
How does a little dog get you a 2 minute rest in the penalty box? Strange indeed, from a long time fan who remembers Maurice "The Rocket" Richard- Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull and who can forget Wayne Gretsky. Maybe high sticking, but the doggy on ice makes me think of a older Mickey Mouse winter-time cartoon with Pluto--

Thanks for your devoted service to America, Messer Argo. No wonder you are fluent in another language besides English. When I mentioned my surprise to learn you are from The Old Dominion, and not Louisiana, I merely surmised that more folks, including the Cajun population, were somewhat fluent in French than perhaps those in Utah or Alaska-- Then there is Canada- C'est La Vie, mon Ami!! Le Reynard
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/15/20 01:11 AM
The Cajun patois is about as "French" as its Canadian version. (Mainland French are incredibly snobbishly obnoxious about their language as opposed to the Italians). I've a brother who has lived 40 years in Nouvelle Orleans (incidentally only the 3rd French town in the south....Baton Rouge and Mobile preceded it). And I now know all about that "Dat" "Yat" crowd. But if you like French, American country music....the Cajun version is pretty good....and just damned genuine!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07jF_EVink4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFUl28YWVV4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh9CXnoDua4&list=RDAFUl28YWVV4&index=2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf0he709d1k&list=RDAFUl28YWVV4&index=16
Best lubricant I have ever found for the hinge pin on break-actioned shotguns is the grease that comes with garage door openers--small tube, I apply it when needed with a Q-tip right on the pin. RWTF
Posted By: L. Brown Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/16/20 12:54 PM
Originally Posted By: Argo44
The Cajun patois is about as "French" as its Canadian version. (Mainland French are incredibly snobbishly obnoxious about their language as opposed to the Italians). I've a brother who has lived 40 years in Nouvelle Orleans (incidentally only the 3rd French town in the south....Baton Rouge and Mobile preceded it). And I now know all about that "Dat" "Yat" crowd. But if you like French, American country music....the Cajun version is pretty good....and just damned genuine!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07jF_EVink4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFUl28YWVV4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh9CXnoDua4&list=RDAFUl28YWVV4&index=2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf0he709d1k&list=RDAFUl28YWVV4&index=16


IMO, Cajun French is worse. I've spent time in Quebec, and it's mainly the accent there. (And when I spend more than a few days, I discover that I'm starting to pick up their accent!) Cajuns . . . We were training a bunch of Louisiana National Guard soldiers at the Intel School at Ft McCoy one summer. I tried French with them. Had one helluva time understanding much of what they said. More vocabulary differences.

My favorite from Quebec is "gosse". Slang for kid in standard French. In Quebec, it's slang for testicles. You wouldn't want to tell a Quebecois that you have 4 kids or you might shock the hell out of him!
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/16/20 05:21 PM
40 years ago I was in Brazzaville (French Congo) then a communist country called "Democratic Republic of the Congo). I drove my FJ-40 Land Cruiser from Brazza to Point Noire a few times....long drive on a dirt track, right through the middle of no-where and down through the jungled coast ranges. The EU was funding a new railroad route through the jungle...We would get permission to follow their work road which cut off a 100 miles or so. Both Kinshasa (formerly Leopoldville in Belgian Congo - Zaire) and Brazzaville - French Congo - were on the Congo River above the 300 miles of raging rapids - the head of navigation for 1500 miles of navigable waterway on the Congo River and tributaries. The trick was to get from the coast up to the Stanley Pool. Both countries had railways leading up to the capitals which made the economy work.

I took a young embassy officer from NYC with me once...he'd never seen so much green desolation, In a town called Loudima, we were driving slowly up the "Main Street" when we saw a white guy. We stopped, He was a Cajun. There were 9 of them from Houma LA at a government run sugar plantation outside of Loudima maintaining sugar mill equipment. I was the consul and was supposed to know every American in country...I hadn't a clue they were there - in a communist place yet! Somehow the Congolese (really the Congolese were educated - a tribesman on the beach in Pointe Noire was using the subjunctive - the university for all of French Equitorial Africa was in Brazza) somehow understood their French...it was difficult.
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/19/20 01:58 AM
Just to finish the story of that trip.....about 100 miles west of Loudima, we came to an uphill in the road....scrub countryside....light failing. Following the dust track up the hill the Land Cruiser came to a sudden halt. Turned out timber trucks had cut foot deep ruts in the surface of the road...dust filled the tracks..the LC was sitting with both transfer cases on clay hardened to virtual cement while all four wheel spun in free space....occupied only by powder dust. It was impossible to get off. I had a winch...no tree was nearer that 400 yards away. Dusk was coming on...somewhere drums were beating. The NYC guy said, "We've made it! We are right in the middle of no-where!")

In the gloaming though I thought I saw a white something about 400 yards up the hill. I walked the hill and there was a White 1960 DeSoto Convertible...all 18' of it, with two White guys in it. Turns out they were Angolans from Cabinda. We pushed the DeSoto down to the LC thinking I could use its 4500 lbs of weight to get purchase for the winch. Nothing doing. So they piled (stinking) into the LC and promptly began drinking the cold beer from the ice chest.

About 2300 hrs a timber truck came by and pulled us out. I towed the DeSoto about 10 miles to the railhead where the Angolans left us. A memory of Africa.

Oh wait, on a subsequent trip I was arrested by the Communist boss of Pointe Noire and held for 6 hours.... And then there were the road blocks with the AK's shoved in your face...oh well (I always carried packs of cigarettes for such contingenices).

Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 12/19/20 02:10 AM
I bounded thru Point Noire a time or two and I know the area like back of hand. But my time was spent between Mayumba inland towards the natural nuclear reactors past Franceville, etc. Believe me nothing has really changed since you passed thru less that have cellular devices now.

Serbus,


Raimey
rse
Merci, mon ami-- I like Cajun music, but I also like Zydeco. Who else could take a ribbed washboard and use it for the rhythm section of a Cajun band-locals here have band names like "Back Bayou" and "The Washboard Kings"-- Bluegrass is No. 1 for me, but Cajun has a flavor and rhythm all its own. Joyeaux Noel!! LeReynard....
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 01/10/21 01:44 AM
Dave has allowed us to post more French terms. The upgrade did not take on many punctuation marks and especially diacritical marks for foreign languages. Dave is working on this. So I reposted the first page dictionary which did indeed take.

In the meantime, here are a few new terms which I've added to the master list on the first page. If any of you have more terms..metallurgy, alloys, variants on names, etc. Please post here. I'll add them to the first page master list. Hopefully the computer glitch can soon be rectified.

Creusot? - hammered?
Chasse (m) sous Bois - Upland woods hunting
Déboulé (m)? - in the wild?
Forage - boring (of barrels
Fournie - not sure (concentrated perhaps?)
Gerbe - pattern
Gerbe de Plombe - shot pattern
Muni - fitted
NY D'Imphay? - (some alloy I would suppose)
Recuit - annealed
Usiné - machined
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 01/19/21 02:49 AM
More new words added to the vocabulary:

Boite a Fusil - gun case
Brosse - gun cleaning bore brush
Carnier - Shotshell pouch
Chargette - powder measure
Douille - Shotshell husk
éponge - bore cleaning swab
Fourreau - Leg-o-mutton case
Réamorçoir - shotshell priming tool
Posted By: ellenbr Re: French gun terminology - translations - 02/01/21 01:38 PM
Argo44 or Ted:

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g.../charlin-st-etienne.cfm?gun_id=100971259

One of you needs to pick up George Reeb's Charlin for $87,500, for educational purposes of course. Reeb was a sidekick of Bob Jones. I guess Reeb is parting out his collection.


Serbus,

Raimey
rse
Posted By: Argo44 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 04/11/21 03:18 PM
Two new French gun terms for me - both added to the French-English, English-French vocabulary p.1:
-- Trempé (past tense from verb Tremper) - hardened (verb normally means "to soak")
-- Foudres - Chambers??: normally a "foudre" is a large cask or barrel for aging beer or wine etc.
Posted By: fab500 Re: French gun terminology - translations - 04/11/21 05:40 PM
[Linked Image from i.servimg.com]

Foudre ou éclair de foudre

[Linked Image from i.servimg.com]

Le poinçon foudre nous indique que le fusil a été éprouvé en état de livraison.
Fab500 translation; Eclair = Flash; Foudre = Lightning...thus "Flash of Lightning" ("Eclair de Foudre") = the in-house proof stamp for La Manu

Response from Argo44:

Il y a aussi un "coup de foudre," un état souvent trouvé en France, particulièrement pendent le printemps. Comme moi quand J'ai rencontre ma femme (française - Lyonaise) il y a plus de 40 ans.
(There was also a "love at first sight," a state often found in France, especially during Spring..like me when I met my French-Lyon wife 40 years ago)

Donc, le poinçon pour numéro de modèle "8E..." dans le livre sur La Manu - (PT 2 couronnes - foudres) - n'est pas pour le chambre, mais, plutôt, est indicatif d'en "éprouve en état de livraison" - ca va vous dire ces fusil de La Manu aurait eu ce poinçon 1923-39?
[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]
Thus, the stamp for model number 8E... in the book Manufrance - (PT 2 couronnes - foudres) - was not for the chambers, but instead was indicative of an "in-house proof"...- that is to say that the guns of Manufrance would have had that stamp from 1923 -39?

Merci infinitement, Fab....peut être vous pourriez être intéressé en cette ligne, ou nous avons conclu que les poinçons pour les chambres des fusils de chasse fabrique à Saint-Étienne étaient en cm de 1889 a jus après Juin 1912. (Selon les cannons fabrique par Didier-Drevet qui avaient une date): Sa permis un peut la comprehension du date de fabrication des fusil de cette période.
https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=484199
(Thanks much, Fab..Perhaps you might find this line interesting, where we concluded that the stamps for the chambers of shotguns made in Saint-Etienne were in CM from 1889 to just after June 1912. (Per the barrels made by Didier-Drevet which were dated): This permitted a bit the understanding of the date of fabrication of guns from that period)

s'il vous plait excuse mon français

Gene Williams

(Voila les vrais "éclairs de foudre"- smile ). (Here are the true "chocolate eclairs from the vat" - a pun on the above "eclair de foudre" - flash and lightning)
[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]
[Linked Image from i.servimg.com]

Salut Argo44,
Votre français est très bon.
À partir de 1926, la MF ne passe plus par le banc d'épreuve de Saint-Etienne et éprouve ses armes en interne. Le poinçon PT couronné, ainsi que le poinçon foudre sont remplacés (voir photo).

Les renseignements que je vous donne sont extraits de ce livre.

https://www.lamanu-armes-edition.com/
Translation of Fab's above comment which is very interesting!

From 1926 MF no longer used the Saint-Etienne proof house; They proofed their arms internally. The "Crowned PT" stamp, as well as the "foudre" stamp replaced them (Saint-Étienne proof house stamps) (see photo).

This information comes from this book:

https://www.lamanu-armes-edition.com/
Gene--Here are a few more I didn't notice as I scrolled through this topic:

alesage (accent on first e)--boring (barrels)
bourrelet--rim (of shell)
drageoir---rim cuts. Syn: feuillure.
lisse--smooth (as in smoothbore). Also sometimes a syn. for cylinder bore.
recul--recoil
sertissage--crimp/crimping
I think that gun is sold, Raimey. I didn’t buy it, by the way.

Gene, I think the technical French term for color case hardening is “trempe’ jaspe’, but, it wouldn’t surprise me if I have the spelling wrong.

Best,
Ted
Ted, per our dictionary:
Jaspage - case coloring
Jaspé(e) - case colored

So I would think that "Trempé" has the feel of "quenched."

This from "Lingee" (Google) -
"Special alloy steel, heat treated through quenching and tempering" =
"Acier spécial en alliage traité thermiquement par trempe et revenu"

(New words?
Alliage - Alloy
Revenu - Tempering
Traité thermiquement - Heat treated -

Here are a couple of more...
Procédé de trempage - tempering process.
Tempérage - tempering

Thanks Larry, I'll add those terms. Once we dig into gun technocalia it's a never ending process and God help us when we get into some of the really technical metallurgical pamphlets.

(I thought we had "Iisse." I wonder if this is an Italian term...when you buy penne there are two types - 'lisse" are the smooth ones without ridges.
I checked the most recent complete list back on p. 10. Lisse isn't there. But I might have missed it in the last few pages if it's a later addition. Good to see the list growing! Plenty of interest. And even a few scattered francophones!
By the way as these new words come up...I'm adding them to the first page...No need to search the line for a word unless I've missed it; plus, when the "upgrade" happened, all the accents, circumflexes, etc. became blobs. I've fixed the "blobs" on the first page.

and thanks to all who have contributed to this dictionary - it is far and away the best on the internet.
New words added to first page from the article on Maisonnial, French Saint-Etienne gunmaker:

l’anglaise bouquet - English rose (engraving term
Ciselures sur les coquille - chiseled shell motif (engraving term)
Coquilles ciselures - chiseled shell motif (engraving term)
Corps de platines - side plates
Entaillage - inletting
. . un entaillage droit - straight inletting
. . a bascule entaillee - insetted action
. . double entaillage - double inletting
Faux axes de platines - false side-plate pins
Faux-corps - false side plates; i.e. contra-platines
Gravure en pointes d’epinee - thorn point engraving
Relime soignee avec filets - double line with breaks (engraving term)
Rosaces - rosettes (engraving term)
New word added to first page:
Doll's Head - Tete de Poupée (f)
Culture cynégétique - hunting culture
Creusot? - hammered? (A mining/metallurgy center but believe it meant "hammered' in the use I saw.)
Chasse (m) sous Bois - Upland woods hunting
Déboulé (m)? - unleashed; in the wild
Empreinte (f) de chambre - chamber cast
Forage - boring (of barrels)
Gerbe - pattern
Gerbe de Plombe - shot pattern
Jauge d’alésage - bore gauge
Moulage (m) de chambre - chamber cast
Muni - fitted
NY D'Imphay? - (some alloy I would suppose)
Recuit - annealed
Usiné – machined


I can no longer edit the first page dictionary. I'll move it to a new post today.
Dave allowed me 5 years leeway to edit because of Reilly line, et.al. 5 years has expired for the first page and I can't add words. Will start adding here:

=========================== French - English ===========================

A

Abîmé(e) - spoiled/ruined/damaged
Acier m - steel
…Acier chocolat - excessively soft steel (Belgian trade vernacular)
…Acier damas (also "damas") - damascus steel
…Acier revenu - tempered steel
…Acier trempé - quenched steel
Alésage -boring (barrels)
l’anglaise bouquet - English rose (engraving term
Argent m - silver
...Vieil argent - old silver
Ailes f - side clips
Alliage - Alloy
Âme du canon f - bore
Amorce f - primer
Amortisseur m - pad (as in buttpad)
Ancien - old
Anson et Deeley; Anson m - box lock
Arabesque f - scroll (engraving)
Arme f - weapon
Arme de poing f - hand gun
Arme d’épaule f - long gun
Arme à percution centrale f - centerfire gun
Armé - cocked
Armurier m - gun shop owner
Armurerie f - gun shop, not a maker, historically a body armor vendor
Arquebusier m - Gun maker (abbreviated as "Arqr")
Artisan, artisane - artisan (male, female)
Avantage (à droite, à gauche) - cast-off, cast-on

B

Baguette de nettoyage f - ramrod, cleaning rod
Banc d’épreuves m - proof house
Bande f - rib
…Prolongement de la bande - extension of the rib (to the receiver)
…Bande ventilée - ventilated rib
…Bande a tenon d'accrochage s'encastrant dans la bascule - doll’s head
…Band de visee - ventilated rib
Balle f - bullet or slug
Bascule f - receiver/action
…Bascule ronde - round receiver
Basculeur m - tradesman putting the action together
Bec m - heel
…Bec de Crosse - heel of the butt plate
Bille acier f - steel shot
Bois m - wood
...Bois de noyer - walnut
......Noyer blond - blond walnut
...Bois d'érable - maple
Boite a Fusil - gun case
Boitier m - housing
Bouche f - muzzle
Bouchon de canon - bullet starter (muzzle loader)
Bouchon de percuteur - Firing pin bushing
Bouquets (gravure à) - rose engraving
Bourre - wad
Bourrelet--rim (of shell)
Brasé - brazed
...brasé sur - brazed on
Bretelle - sling
...Bretelle à enrouleur - retractable sling (like on a Ideal)
...Brettelle retractable - retractable (built in) sling
Brevet - Patent
Breveté(e) - patented
...Breveté(e) SGDG - model patent ("sans garantie du gouvernement")- Patented Without Guarentee of the Government". French distinction that designates a technical patent in the U.S. sense, as opposed to trademark and the old design patent number system that dealt only with name and shape.
Brisure, à - Breakage
Broche - pinfire
Bronze - bronze; (copper and tin alloy)
Bronzage - barrel blacking
Brosse - gun cleaning bore brush
Busc - comb (for a stock)

C

Cale - wedge (in a double rifle), or spacer between barrels
Calibre - caliber
Canon - barrel
...Canons frettés - sleeved barrel set (externally sleeved or jacketed, built-up barrels)
...Canons juxtaposés - SxS double barrel
...Canon lisse - smoothbore
...Canons miroir - mirror finish bores
......Canonnerie miroir - ditto
...Canons mixtes (Arme à) - cape gun
...Canon monobloc - Barrel set made in one block of steel
...Canon poli - honed barrel
...Canon rayé - rifled barrel
...Canon rayé dispersant - Rifled spreader barrel (usually Euro woodcock guns)
...Canons superposés - over/under
Canonnier - barrel maker
Capuche - metal piece surrounding the Deeley forearm push button
Carabine - rifle, carbine
Carabine de salon - indoor rifle
Carabine de jardin - light rifle, rook rifle
Carnier - Shotshell pouch
Cartouches à plombs - shot shell
Cartouches à balle - slug shell
Cartouche de rechargement - reloader
Chambrage - chamber(ing)
Chambre - chamber
Chêne - Oak
Chargette - powder measure
Chasse - Hunting
Chasse (m) sous Bois - Upland woods hunting
Chevrotines - buck shot (large shot 2 - 000)
Chien - hammer
…Crête de chien - hammer spur
…Chiens extérieurs - external hammers
Choke - Choke
…Cylindrique - cylinder choke (synonym: lisse)
…Demi choke - Modified choke
…Plein - full (as in choke)
Chromage - chromed bores
Chromé(e) - chrome plated
Ciselures sur les coquille - shell motif on fences (engraving term)
Clé - key
…Clé Beringer - type of underlever also called Pontet-Serpent
…Clé de bascule - top lever key
…Clé devant pontet - underlever (Lefraucheux).
…Clé d’ouverture - opening key
…Clé longueur - side lever
…Clé sur le dessus - top lever key
Coffret - case (to put the gun in)
Contre-platines - side-plates
Convergence - regulation (shotgun or double rifle)
Coquille - action ball (fences)
...Coquilles de la Bascul - fences
. .Coquilles ciselures - shell motif on fences (engraving term)
Coquille de fusil de chasse - empty shotgun shell casing; Husk or Hull
Corne - horn
Corps de platines - side plates
Cran de sécurité - Safety catch
Crête de chien - hammer spur
Creusot? - hammered? (A mining/metallurgy center but believe it may mean "hammered' in the useage I saw.)
Crochet - barrel lump
...Crochets d’attache - barrel lump
...Crochets ajustés en queue d’aronde - dovetailed lump
...Crochet du canon - same
...Crochet encastré - dovetailed lump (embedded)
...Crochets rapportés - non integral lumps
Crosse - stock
...Crosse anglaise - English stock
...Crosse à joue - stock with cheek piece
...Crosse de borgne - crossover stock
...Crosse demi-pistolet - round knob grip stock
...Crosse pistolet - pistol grip stock
Crossier - stock maker
Creusot? - hammered? (Perhaps referring to a town known for forging.
Cuir - leather (for the sling)
...Cuir surpiqué - double layered sown leather
Culot - Brass base of the shotgun shell
Culture cynégétique - hunting culture
Cuivre - copper
Culasse - standing breech or bolt
Culasse mobile - movable breech (i.e. on a Darne)
Cylindrique - cylinder choke (synonym: lisse)

D

Damasquiné - damascened
Dans l'état - original
Dans son jus - original, never modified or restored
Déboulé (m)? - unleashed - in the wild?
Demi-armé - half cocked (for hammer guns)
Demi-bloc - chopper lump
Détente - trigger
...Double détente - double trigger
...Monodétente - single trigger
......Monodétente sélective - selective single trigger
Devant - forearm
. .Devant à pompe - Pump gun forearm
D'occasion - used
Doré - gold filled
Double détente - double trigger
Double verrou de fermeture - double locking bolt
Douille - Shotshell husk
Drageoir---rim cuts. Syn: feuillure.

E

Ébène - ebony
Écouvillon - cleaning rod and implement
...Écouvillon en laiton - brass barrel (cleaning) brush
Écusson - shield (on a stock)
Éjecteurs automatiques - automatic ejectors
Éjecteur/extracteur a grand développement - ejector contact point on the hull is over 1/4 of the circumference. Normally high-end guns only.
Emouler de Canons de Fusil- Barrel Grinder/Polisher (archaic)
Empreinte (f) de chambre - chamber cast
Enfoncements - dents
Entaillage - inletting
. . un entaillage droit - straight inletting
. . a bascule entaillee - insetted action
. . double entaillage - double inletting
Épaisseur - thickness
Épaisseur des parois du canon - Barrel walls thickness
éponge - bore cleaning swab
Épreuves - proof
...Banc d’épreuves - proof house
...double épreuve - double proof
...triple épreuve - triple proof
...épreuve ordinaire - version of normal proof
...épreuve ordinaire - modern day "triple proof"
Érable - maple (wood)
État - condition
...État mécanique - mechanical condition
...État moyen - so so condition; medium condition
...État mauvais - bad condition
…Pas en bon état - not in good condition
...État neuf - new condition
Étranglement - choke
Etui - Gun case; gun slip
Express (also double "express") - double rifle
Extracteur - extractors

F

Fabricant (also abbreviated as "Fabt") - maker
Fausses-platines - side-plates
Faux axes de platines - false side-plate pins
Faux-corps - false side plates; i.e. contra-platines
Fermeture en “T" - Jones underlever also known as "T" Anglais
Feu central, arme à - centerfire (gun)
Feuillet(s) - sight leaf
Feutrine - baize (gun case)
Finition - finish
…Finition argent - silver finish
…Finition blue - blued finish
…Finition canon de fusil - gunmetal finish
…Finition chromée - chrome finish
…Finition nickelée - nickel finish.
…Finition noir - blued finish
Forage - bore (barrel)(boring)
Forgé(e) - forged
Foudre(s) - 4 lightening bolts - St Etienne proof mark for guns finished when proofed 1923-39
Fournie - not sure (concentrated perhaps?)
Fourreau - Leg-o-mutton case
Frères - Brothers
Frette - monoblock;
Fusil - firearm (normally a shotgun but also a military rifle)
...Fusil à broche - pinfire gun
...Fusil à canon scié - sawed off shotgun
...Fusil à chargement par la bouche - muzzle loader
...Fusil à chien - hammer gun
...Fusil de chasse - shotgun
...Fusil juxtaposé - double gun
... Fusil juxtaposé artisanal Français - Artisanal French double gun (quite often maker not known)
...Fusils lever-action - lever action gun
......Fusil à levier de sous-garde - ditto
......Fusil levier sous garde - ditto
...Fusil à percussion - muzzle loading, percussion rifle
...Fusil à piston - percussion gun
...Fusil à pompe - pump gun (also "branlette" in French hunting vernacular)
...Fusil à silex - flintlock

G

Gâchette - sear; trigger
Gâchette interruptrice - safety sear; cocking sear
Gâchette facile - trigger happy
Garnisseur - tradesman assembling barrels, ribs and lumps
Gerbe - pattern
Gerbe de Plombe - shot pattern
Graveur - engraver
Gravure en pointes d’epinee - thorn point engraving
Gravure(s) - engraving(s)
Grenadière - sling swivel
Grenailles - smaller shot (in a shotgun shell) (4-9)
Goupille - round pin
Goupille de charnière - hinge pin
Guidon - front sight
... protège-guidon - sight hood
Guilloché(e) - ornamented with geometric design
...Vis guillochées - ornamented screws

H

Hausse - back sight (originally adjustable type)

I

Illisible - illegible

J

Jaspage - case coloring
Jaspé(e) - case colored
Jaugé - guage
Jaugé à - gauged, measured at
Jauge d’alésage - bore gauge
Jaugé de chambre - chamber measuring gage
Jeu - play (in the sense of movement)
...Jeu dans la bascule - (play in the receiver)
...Sans jeu - without play
Joue - cheekpiece
...Joue allemande - German style cheeckpiece
Juxtaposé - side by side

L

Laine d’acier - steel wool
Laiton - Brass: alloy - 70 parts copper; 30 parts zinc
Lefaucheux à clé - type of underlever
Levier - Lever
Levier d'armement - cocking lever; chagring lever
Levier de sécurité (ou sécurité) - safety lever
Levier de sécurité (ou sécurité) à la poignée - grip safety
Levier de sous garde - cocking underlever (Winchester type)
Levier sous la longuesse - underlever
Levier à volute - type of underlever
Lisse - smooth (as in smoothbore). Also sometimes a syn. for cylinder bore.
Longuesse - forestock
Longuesse à poussoir - Anson forend (forestock with pushrod release)
Longuesse-sous-main amovible - underlever
Loupe d’accrochage - doll’s head
Lunette - scope

M

Maniable - easy to the hand/handy
Moitié armé - half cocked (for hammer guns)
Mono-canon - single barrel
Mono-coup - single shot
Monodétente - single trigger
Manouvrable - handy
Monteur à bois - stocker
Moulage (m) de chambre - chamber cast
Moulé(e) - molded
Mouture - grind; version
Muni - fitted

N

Nickelé(e) - nickel plated
Noix - Hammer axis
NY d'Imphay? - (some sort of alloy?)

O

Oeilleton - peep sight
Or - gold
...Or fin - fine gold
Doré - gold plated or gold applique
Oreille - Sideclip
Organes de visée - sights
Orné(e) - ornamented
Ouverture par clé devant pontet - underlever
Ouverture sous pontet - underlever
Oxydation - oxydation

P

Paire - pair of guns
Pente - drop
...Pente au busc - drop at comb
...Pente au talon - drop at heel
Percussion centrale - center percussion, center fire (hammer gun)
Percuteur - Firing pin
Pièce d’armement – Cocking dog (American); Cocking sear
Pierrage - honing
Pique - pitted
...Piqûres - pitting
...Petites piqûres - light pitting
Planchette - back sight folding leaf
Plaque de couche - butt plate
Plaqué(e) - plated
Platine - side lock
...Platine Holland - front lock as made by H&H or others
...Platine arrière - back lock
...Platine avant - front lock
...Platine démontable - hand removable sidelock
...Platine encastrée - embedded locks
...Platine rebondissante - rebounding lock
Plein--full (as in choke)
Plomb - lead (shot)
Poids de la détente. - trigger pull
Poignée (f) - pistol grip, grip
Poinçon - stamp
...Poinçons réglementaires - legal stamps
...Poinçons d'épreuve - proof marks
Poire à poudre - powder horn; powder flask
Poli(e) - polished
Polisseur - barrel grinder
Polissage en long - longitudinal honing
Poncée huile (Crosse) - sanded with oil finish (stock)
Pontet - trigger guard
…Pontet-Serpent - type of underlever also called Clé Beringer
…Pontet à volute - trigger guard with volute in front
Portée - range (as in shooting distance)
Poudre - powder (gunpowder)
...Poudre blanche--smokeless powder
...Poudre pyroxylée - smokeless powder (French)
...Poudre sans fumée - smokeless powder
...Poudre Vive - smokeless Powder ( Belgian)
Poussoir - push rod (forestock)
Propre - clean, nice

Q

Quadrillage - Checkering
Quadrilleur - Checkerer
Queue d’aronde - dovetail (old French for"swallow tail")

R

Rallonge de crosse - stock extension
Rayé à chargement par la bouche - muzzle loader rifle
Rayures - striation or shallow rifling
Réamorçoir - shotshell priming tool
Recuit - annealed
Recul - recoil
Relevé - cocked
Relime - steel parts shaping (by chisel or file)
Relime soignee avec filets - double line with breaks (engraving term)
Relimeur - tradesman shaping the action and other parts
Repoussé en - decoratively hammered
Revenu - Tempering
Ressort - spring
…Ressort à lames - Coil spring
…Ressort spirale - spiral spring
Restauration - restoration
Réticule - Reticle (scope)
Rinceaux - leaves and branches (engraving)
Rosaces - rosettes (engraving term)
Rouille - rust
...Rouille légère - light rust

S

Sabot - butt pad
Sabot - sabot projectile
Scène de chasse - hunting scene (engraving)
Sécurité - safety
Sécurité à la poignée - grip safety
Sécurité dès qu'elle est arméee - safety automatically on when cocked
Serré - tight
Sertissage - crimp/crimping
SGDG - see Brevete SGDG
Similor - alloy; 100 parts Red copper; 12 parts zinc
Soudure - solder
…Soudure d’argent/à l'argent - Silver solder
…Soudure à l’étain - Tin solder (lead and tin mixed)
…Soudure de cuivre - Copper brazing (red coper, old silver, antimony, zinc, etc.)
Stéphanois - from Saint-Etienne region
Successeur (also abbreviated to "succr") - Successor to
Souplesse de la gâchette - trigger pull
Sûreté - safety

T

"T" Anglais - Jones underlever also known as “Fermeture en T"
Talon - heel
Talon de crosse - upper point of the butt plate
Tempérage - tempering
. .Procédé de trempage - tempering process.
Tete de Poupée (f) - Doll's Head
Tirant de Crosse - Stock attachment bolt
Tire-cartouche - extracteur
Tirette - action rod
Tombac - alloy; 16 parts copper; 1 part zinc; 1 part tin
Tonnerre - place where the ignition happens
Trempé (past tense from verb Tremper) - quenched - hardened
Traité thermiquement - Heat treated
Triple verrou Greener - Triple lock of a double Purdey bite and a Greener 3rd
Triple verrou Purdey” - Triple lock in case of a Purdey nose 3rd bite.
Triple verrou - triple lock
Triplette - 3-gun set
Tromblon - blunderbuss (or bad shotgun)
Tube - barrel tube
Type anglais - English style

U
Usiné - machined

V

Valise - Case
Verrou - lock, also bolt
Verrou de fermeture - closing bolt
Verrou vertical - rising bite
Verrouillage - locking system
Vernis - varnish
Vis - Screw
============================= English - French ==============================

Here is the first cut of English to French double-gun terms. it's easier to go from an acquired language to a native language (in this case French to English) than vise versa. Plus the two languages are structured differently. French is more US Military - think, "trousers, cotton, padded, OD, 1 each" vs "one pair of padded cotton olive drab trousers" so if you have a hard time finding a term, find the noun and it may be a sub entry. And I'm not sure I actually know all the English gun terms the pros use or are interested in. Finally for the French nouns, without the articles it's not real Frenc and for the adjectives - they will vary according the modified noun M or F. So welcome all corrections.

English-French double-gun terms

A

Action (receiver) - bascule
Action ball (fences) - coquille
Action rod - tirette
Annealed - Recuit
Artisan - artisan
Artisanal - artisanal
Artisanal French side x side (unnamed) - Fusil juxtaposé artisanal français
As is - Dans l'etat

B

Back sight - hausse
Barrel(s) - canon(s)
…barrel, single - mono-canon
…barrel, double/SxS - canons juxtaposés
…barrel, externally sleeved - canon frettés
…barrel, honed - canon poli
…barrel najer - canonnier
Barrel assembler - garnisseur
Barrel lump - See Lump, Barel
…Barrel, rifled barrel - canon rayé
…Barrel, rifled, spreader - canon rayé dispersant
…barrel set made in one bloc of steel - canon monobloc
Barrel blacking - bronzage
Barrel wedge/spacer (double guns) - cale
Blunderbuss - tromblon
Bore - Âme du canon
Bore (barrel) - forage
Bore brush - Brosse
Bore gauge - Jauge d’alésage
Bore swab - éponge
Box lock - Anson et Deeley; Anson
Brass - laiton
Brazed - brasé
...Brazed on - brasé sur
Breakage - brisure, à
Breech/bolt - culasse
…Breech, movable (Darne) - culasse mobile; Culasse a mouvement linéaire
Bronze - bronze
Brothers (as in a company) - frères
Brush, barrel cleaning, brass - Écouvillon en laiton
Bullet - balle
...Jacketed bullet - balle blindée
Bullet starter (muzzle loader) - bouchon de canon
Butt pad - amortisseur
Butt pad - sabot
Butt plate - plaque de couche


C

Cape gun - canons mixtes (Arme à)
Carbine - carabine
Case coloring - jaspage -
Case colored - jaspé(e)
Case, gun - coffre; feutrine; baize
Case - valise
Cast - advantage
…Cast off - advantage à droite
…Cast on - advantage à gauche
Cartridge - etui
Caliber - calibre
Centerfire gun - arme à percution centrale.
Chamber - chambre, foudre(s)
Chamber cast - Empreinte (f) de chambre; Moulage (m) de chambre
Chambering - chambrage
Checkerer - quadrille
Checkering - quadrillage
Cheekpiece - joue
…German style cheekpiece - joue allemande
Chisling - relime
Choke - choke; étranglement
…cylinder choke - clindrique; lisse
…modified choke - demi-choke
…full choke - plein
Chopper lump - demi-bloc
Chrome - chrome
Chrome plated - chromé(e)
Chrome bores - chromage
Clean (state of condition ) - propre
Cleaning brush (brass, barrel) - Écouvillon en laiton
Cleaning rod - baguette de nettoyage;
Cleaning rod and implement - Écouvillon
Cocked - armé
Cocked - relevé
Cocking dog - Pièce d’armement
Cocking lever - levier d’armement
Cocking sear - Pièce d’armement
Coil spring - ressort à lames
Comb (for a stock) - busc
Condition - état
…mechanical condition - état mécanique
…new condition - état neuf
…so so condition - état moyen
…medium condition - état moyen
…bad condition - état mauvais
…not in good condition
Copper - cuivre

D

Damaged (ruined; spoiled) - abîmé(e)
Damascened - Damasquiné
Dents - enfoncements
Deely firearm push button metal piece - capuche
Doll's Head - Tete de Poupée (f)
Double barrel SxS - Canons juxtaposés
Double locking bolt - double verrou de fermeture
Double rifle - express; double express
Double trigger - see tirgger, double
Dovetail - queue d’aronde
Drop - pente
…drop at comb - pente au busc
…drop at heel - pente au talon

E

Ebony - Ébène
Ejectors - éjecteurs
,,,automatic ejectors - éjecteurs automatiques
Engraver - graveur
Engraving - gravure
Engraving, (rose) - bouquets (gravure à)
Engraving, leaves and branches - rinceaux
Engraving, hunting scene - scène de chasse
Escutcheon plate - pièce de pouce
Extractors - extracteurs; tire-cartouche

F

Fences - coquille; coquilles de la bascule
Filing - relime
Finish - finition
…silver finish - finition argent
…blued finish - finition blue
…gun metal finish - finition canon de fusil
…chrome finish - finition chromée
…nickel finish - finition nickelée
…blued finish - finition noir
Firearm - fusil
Firing pin - percuteur
Firing pin bushing - bouchon de percuteur
Fitted - Muni
Flintlock - Fusil à silex
Fore-end/stock - devant
…Deely pushbutton fore-end - devant à pompe
Forestock - longuesse
…Anson fore-end - longesse a poussoir
…Forestock push rod - poussoir
Forged - Forgé(e)
Front sight - guidon
Front sight hood - protège-guidon

G

Gold - Or
…gold filled - Doré
Gauge - Jaugé
…Chamber gauge - Jaugé de chambre
Gauged - Jaugé à
Grip - la poignée
Grip safety - Sécurité à la poignée (see safety)
Gun - fusil
…Artisanal French side x side - Fusil juxtaposé Artisanal Français
…Flintlock - Fusil à silex
…Hammer gun - fusil à Chien
…Lever action gun - Fusils lever-action; Fusil à levier de sous-garde; Fusil levier sous garde
…Percussion gun - Fusil à percussion; Fusil à piston
…Pump gun - Fusil à pompe; branlette
…Shotgun - fusil de chasse
…Side by side - fusil juxtaposé
Gun case - coffre; feutrine; baize; Boîte a fusil
Gun maker - arquebusier (abbr: “arqr”)
Gun shop - armurerie
Gun shop owner - armurier

H

Half-cocked - demi-armé
Half-cocked - moitié armé
Hammer - chien
Hammer axis - noix
Hammer, external - chien extérieurs
Hammer spur - Crête de chien
Hammered (metallurgy) - Creusot? (Coll?)
Hand gun - arme de poing
Handy (maneuverable) - maniable; manouvrable.
Hardened - Trempé (past tense from verb Tremper)
Heel - talon
Hinge pin - goupille de charnièr
Honed barrel - canon poli
Honing - pierrage
Horn - corne
Housing - boitier
Hunt/Hunting - Chasse
..Upland woods hunting - Chasse (m) sous Bois
Hunting culture - Culture cynégétique - hunting culture
Husk (empty shell) - coquille de fusion de chases

I

Illegible = illisible


J

Jacketed (bullet) - blindée (balle blindée) (blindé means "armored")

K

Key - Clé
Key, top lever - Clé d’ouverture; Clé sur le dessus

L

Lead - plomb
Leather - cuir
…double layered sown leather - cuir surpiqué
Leg-o-mutton case - Fourreau
Length of pull - longueur épaule
Lever - levier
…cocking lever - levier d’armement
…safety lever - levier de sécurité
Lever action gun - Fusils lever-action; Fusil à levier de sous-garde; Fusil levier sous garde
light/rook rifle - Carabine de jardin
Lock (bolt) - verrou
…closing lock - verrou de fermature
Lock,side - platine
…Lock, front (H&H) - platine Holland; plainte avant
…Lock, back - plantine arrière
…Locks, hand removable side locks - platine démontable
…Locks, embedded - platine encastrée
Locks, rebounding - plating rebondissante
Locking bolt - verrou de fermeture
… Double locking bolt - double verrou de fermeture
Locking system - verroullage
Long gun - Arme d’épaule
Lump, barrel - Crochet; Crochets d’attache; crochet de canon
Lump, barrel, dovetailed - Crochets ajustés en queue d’aronde
Lump, barrel, dovetailed (embedded) - Crochet encastré
Lump, non integral - Crochets rapportés

M

Machined - Usiné
Maker - Fabricant (Fabt)
Maple - bois d’érable; érable
Mirror barrel finish - Canons miroir; Canonnerie miroir
Molded - moulé(e)
Monoblock - frette
Muzzle - bouche
Muzzle loader - Fusil à chargement par la bouche
Muzzle Loading rifle - Rayé à chargement par la bouche


N

New - neuf
Nickel plated - nickelé(e)

O

Oak - chêne
Old - ancien; vielle
Original/never restored - dans son jus, dans l'état
Ornamented - orné(e)
Ornamented in geometric design - guilloché(e)
Ornamented screws - vis guilloché(e)
Oxydation - oxydation


P

Pad - Amortisseur
Pair (of guns) - paire
Patent - brevet
Patented - breveté(e)
…Model (engineering) patent - breveté(e) SGDG
Pattern - Gerbe
...Shot parer - Gerbe de Plombe
Peep sight - oeilleton
Percussion gun - Fusil à percussion; Fusil à piston
Pin (round) - goupille
Pin (hinge) - goupille de charnière
Pinfire - broche
Pinfire gun - fusil à broche
Pitted - piqûe
Pitting - piqûres
…light pitting - petites piqûres
Plated - plaqué(e)
Play (movement) - jeu
…Play in the receiver - jeu dans la bascule
…without play - sans jeu
Powder measure - Chargette
Primer tool - Réamorçoir
Proof - Épreuves
…Normal proofed - épreuve ordinaire
…Double proofed - double épreuve
…Triple proofed - triple épreuve
…Superior proofed - épreuve ordinaire
…Proof house - Banc d’épreuves
Proof mark stamps - poinçons d'épreuve
Pump gun - Fusil à pompe; branlette

Q

Quenched - Trempé

R

Ramrod - Baguette de nettoyage
Receiver (action) - bascule
.. .Receiver, round - bascule ronde
Regulation - convergence
Reloaded shell - cartouche de rechargement
Restoration - restauration
Reticle (scope) - réticule
Rib - Bande
...Rib extension - prolongement de la bande)
…Rib, Ventilated - bande ventilée
Rifle - Carabine
…rifle, indoor - Carabine de salon
…rifle, light/rook - Carabine de jardin
Rifled barrel - Canon rayé
Rifled spreader barrel - Canon rayé dispersant
Rifling - rayures
Rising bite - verrou vertical
Rod, action - tirette
Rook/light rifle - Carabine de jardin
Round Pin - goupille
Rust - rouille
…light rust - rouille légère


S

Safety - sécurité; sûreté
…automatic safety - sécurité dès qu'elle est arméee
..Safety lever - Levier de sécurité
..Grip safety - Sécurité à la poignée
Safety catch - Cran de sécurité
Safety lever - levier de sécurité
Safety sear - Gachette interruptrice
Saint-Etienne citizen - Stephanois
Scope - lunette
Scratches - rayures
Screw - vis
Scroll engraving - Arabesque
Sear - gâchette
…Safety sear - gâchette interruptrice
Shell - Catouche; Etui
…shot shell - Cartouches à plombs
…slug shell - Cartouches à balle
Shot - bille
…shot (small) - grenailles (4-9)
…shot, buck - chevrotines (2 - 000)
…Steel shot - bille acre
Shotgun - fusil de chasse
…sawed off shotgun - Fusil à canon scié
Shotgun shell husk - Douille
Shotgun shell pouch - Carnier
Side by side / SxS - Canons juxtaposés
Side clips - Ailes
Side lock - platine
…Font lock (H&H) - platine Holland; plainte avant
…Back lock - plantine arrière
…hand removable side locks - platine démontable
…Embedded locks - platine encastrée
…rebounding locks - platine rebondissante
Side plates (false) - contre-platines; fausse-platines
Sights - organes de visée
…front sight - guidon
…back sight - hausse
…back sight folding leaf - planchette
…peep sight - oeilleton
Sight leaf - feuillet(s)
Silver - Argent
…Old silver - vieil argent
Sleeve (external) - frette
Sling - bretelle
… Retractable sling - bretelle à enrouleur; brettelle retractable
Sling swivel - grenadière
Slug - balle
Smoothbore - Canon lisse
Solder - soudure
…silver solder - soudure d’argent/à l'argent
…tin solder - soudure à l’étain
…coper brazing - soudure de cuivre
Spring - ressort
…coil spring - ressort à lames
...Spiral spring - ressort spirale.
Stamp (embossed) - poinçon
…legal stamps - poinçons réglementaires
…proof mark stamps - poinçons d'épreuve
Standing breech/bolt - culasse
Steel - Acier
…Damascus steel - Acier damas ou damas
…Quenched steel - Acier trempé
…Soft steel - Acier chocolat
…Tempered steel - Acier revenu
Steel Shot - bille acier
Steel wool - Laine d’icier
Stock - crosse
…English stock - crosse anglaise
…Stock with cheek piece - crosse à joue
…Crossover stock - crosse de boring
…Round knob grip stock - crosse pistoles
…Stock shield - écusson
…Stock extension - rallonge de crosse
Stock maker - crossier; monteur a bois
Swallowtail - queue d’aronde
SxS/double barrel - Canons juxtaposés

T

Tempering - Tempérage; Devenu
Tight - serré
Trigger - Détente; gâchette (Coll).
…double trigger - Double détente
…single trigger - Monodétente
……selective single trigger - Monodétente sélective
Trigger pull - souplesse de la gâchette; poids de la détente
Tube - tube

U

Underlever - Lefaucheux à clé;
………………Clé Beringer;
………………Clé sous pontet
………………Clée longueur
………………Levier à volute;
………………Levier sous la longuesse
………………Longuesse-sous- main amovible
………………Ouverture par clé devant pontet
………………Ouverture sous pontet
………………Pontet-Serpent;
…Jones underlever - Fermeture en "T"
Used - D’occasion

V

Varnish - vernis
Ventilated rib - bande ventilée

W

Wad - bourre
Walnut - bois de noyer
...Blond walnut - noyer blond
Wood - bois

X


Y


Z
Thanks for your efforts, Gene.
I too would like to express my thanks to Gene and anyone else who has contributed.
On another line the terms "Marcheur" came up and a French commentary on "Basculeur" seemed to put into question our definition in English.
https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=636570#Post636570

.Marche (f) - Cocking and extracting/ejecting mechanism?
. . . . .Comment: La marche d'un fusil est composée de pièces qui se mettent en mouvement quand tu ouvres le fusil. ("La marche" of a gun is composed of pieces which move when you open the gun.)
. .Marcheur (m) - Barrel cocking and extraction/ejection fabricator?

Re Bascule and Basculeur:

Our definition of Bascule was:
. .Bascule (f) - receiver/action
. . . . .Bascule ronde - round receiver

And Basuleur:
. .Basculeur (m) - Action filer; Action maker

However Basculeur per Fab and Larry is:
. .Basculeur (m) - Joiner or barrel joiner. (Le basculeur est la personne qui monte les canons sur la bascule.). The word also is used in French industrial terms relating to the "tipping" or "tilting" devices.

Both terms can be found in French ads (Basculeur being much more common) and both seem to be related:

Paire de fusils de chasse juxtaposés à éjecteur, calibre 20, chambre 70, double détente, crosse anglaise, faux-corps, canons CONSTANT, gravure à bouquet par M.FREYCON MOF, basculeur et marcheur M. LUQUET MOF n° 6240-6241, parfait état avec valise
https://www.ivoire-france.com/fr/lot-2817-504584-31_paire_fusils_chasse_juxtaposes_ejecte

But here is a list of the various occupations in finishing a gun which does not list "marcheur." It must be somewhat archaic or perhaps rare. Still looking for definitive word in English for each:

Interesting that "Basculeur" (which might still be action maker or actioneer after all) is subdivided into
-- sougardier - under plate maker?
-- platineur - Side plate maker?
-- relimeur
-- ajusteur
-- fermeur - action closing specialist?

Rien ne démontre mieux l’étonnante complexité de l’armurie que la liste des opérations successives par lesquelles doit passer l’arme avant d’être parfaitement achevée. Voice cette liste telle qu’elle a été établie pour l’époque.


1) Canonnier (refoulage de la culasse, perçage du tube). Barrel maker – forging of the breech block, boring of the tubes
La culasse – breech block
refourage - Extrusion process of forging the breech block.

2) Fabricant de bandes (pièce servant à l’assemblage des deux tubes). Band maker
3) Garnisseur (assemblage des tubes et placement des crochets). “furnisher.” In gun terms he assembles the gun tubes and installs the lumps. (apparently rare)
4) Refoureur (1er reforage du canon). Barrel tube maker.
5) Epreuve (1er et 2éme). Proof
6) Basculeur – Barrel joiner - mounts the barrel to the action
sougardier - under action plate maker
platineur - Side action plate maker
relimeur - fitting maker
ajusteur;
fermeur - specialist on the action closing mechanism.

7) Entailleur (préparation pour le montage à bois). - Inletter
8) Monteur à bois (façonnage et ajustage de la crosse et longuesse). Shaping and adjusting the stock and forestock
9) Equipeur (ajustage – 1er démontage – 2éme démontage).
10) Chambreur (façonnage de l’endroit recevant la cartouche). Chamberer
11) Repasseur en blanc. - proofer
12) Polisseur canon (1er polissage). Barrel tube polisher
13) Epreuve (3éme et 4éme épreuve).
14) Dressage intérieur du canon pour le tir. Finishing the bores
15) Repasseur en blanc (vérification après les épreuves).
16) Relimeur (relimage de la crosse). – fittings of the stock
17) Fonceur (3éme et 4éme épreuve).
18) Quadrilleur - Stock checkerer.
(quadrillage de la crosse). Checkering

19) Guillocheur – engine turner or jeweller
(guillochage de la bande du canon). Engine turning


20) Equipeur (démontage).
21) Polisseur (polissage de la bascule et petite pièces).
22) Graveur. - engraver
23) Ciseleur. – deep engraver (chisler)
24) Incrusteur - inlayer
25) Bronzeur (canon – barrel tanning?
parfois la garniture).


26) Bleuisseur (garniture). Bluing (part of the finishing or sealing of the barrel
27) Trempeur (bascule et quelques pièces). - tempering
28) Repasseur à l’arme terminée (tout est revu et rectifié après trempe).
29) Fabricant d’anneaux.
30) Fabricant bretelles automatique. Automatic retracting sling
Working on esoteric technical terms and translating into the English, whether Chinese medical vocabulary or Pashtu ideas of "Kentucky Fried Chicken" is always daunting. Trying to precisely define French terms for metallurgy and gun making is also difficult.

I have used "Linguee" to try to give context to some of the terms but with limited success. And I've done that with hours of work above. Some of the definitions are still not precise.

But I will say with chatGPT. . . it will be another story. My work here may be done both in translation and understanding and chaos may be tamed (other than several members of this board).
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