Well I'm still curious about what Geoffrey Gournat is saying on this site referencing the manufrance Ideal:
http://www.gournetusa.com/ideal.htm

"The two lugs appear under the action and the model is stamped on the rear one.... Here a "No 3R"...The letter R means that the barrels are compatible with smokeless powder and appeared in 1897. No 3R appeared in 1898."

The photos in the article show none of this. So is the "R" the author refers on the lug? Is it only relevant to Manufrance Ideals as Wildcattle said or does it apply to other Manufrance guns? The number in front of the "R" looks to be equivalent to the Ideal model number as Ted mentions but what about that "R"? It's odd that there is a definitive statement made about an "R" but no photo and no-one here has heard of it or seen it.

And finally French blogs are full of knowledgeable posters dating early Ideals and Robusts based on Serial Numbers. It looks like Manufrance records of their SN's are intact and known. Is this true?

Last edited by Argo44; 08/27/17 05:09 PM.
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