Robert,
Only an educated guess based on the guns I have handled, and a few facts gleened while I was last in France, not a totally reliable system either, but, those are the guns I have seen.
The guns I have seen were beyond "close", they were perfect copies of Regis Darne 1894 patent R models. Very good copies, with excellent engraving, finishing and wood.
If we get to see a picture, I'll know more, or, maybe not. Quite a few twists in the road on Darne copies.
For what it is worth, I've never seen, handled, or viewed a photo of a Charlin sliding breech gun copy. The over-the-center device that is the basis for a Charlin (remember, the breech is NOT locked to the barrels in any way in a Charlin) is quite a machining work of art. Further, since the Charlin was produced by the Darne company from 1955 until 1965, after the Charlin company went bankrupt, any Charlin based copies would be well known by Paul Bruchet, since he was employed by Darne at the time. Like I said, he had never heard of the A Bayle. There exist Darne R patent guns that are marked Charlin, I'm not sure of the history of these, but, I smell a rat in the Darne ownership/production of that name for a decade.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it...
Best,
Ted
