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Forums10
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Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 18
Boxlock
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OP
Boxlock
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 18 |
Quick question for a newbie to Greeners. The way I understand it the authentic WW Greeners will have a British proofmark typically crossed "battle axes" with letters in each quadrant.
The fakes are quite often Belgium proofmarked with a crowned oval with "ELG" or "LG" in side.
Is this accurate???
Thanks vey much
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,733 Likes: 211
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,733 Likes: 211 |
Josh the fakes are always from Belgium.
Last edited by Mike Harrell; 02/16/08 11:53 AM.
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Joined: Dec 2001
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
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If it has ELG in an oval or sideways horseshoe it's from Belgium for sure
Franc
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Boxlock
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Thankyou so... This is most likely an authentic Greener ???  This is almost surely a FAKE ??? 
Last edited by Josh Ward; 02/16/08 05:10 PM.
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Joined: Dec 2001
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743 |
The upper gun has post 1954 Birmingham proof marks, the lower one has Belgian marks. The crossed Scepters ceased to be a "Proof" mark in 1904. If memory serves me correct they would have been marked on this gun by the proof house as a date code.
Miller/TN
I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 866
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 866 |
Josh, without researching the proof marks too closely, I believe the lower gun is a real Greener circa 1895 that has had a set of belgian barrels fitted at a later date and proofed in Belgium.
Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought stupid,than open it and confirm.
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Joined: Jan 2002
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,572 Likes: 165 |
Miller, you're right about that mark being a Birmingham date code, starting in 1921. It was dropped in 1941, then reintroduced in 1950. If you can read the letter, which can be difficult sometimes, it's a good way to date a Brit gun. However, the London Proof House didn't use the mark or any other date code until 1972. After that, their code is pretty simple: LP with the last two digits of the year underneath.
Terry, do you see anything on the water table of the 2nd gun to indicate it's British? I can't see all the marks clearly, but the perron and the PV--which I can see clearly--are certainly Belgian.
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,698 Likes: 46
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,698 Likes: 46 |
Look at the top set of barrels.The Elephant symbol inbetween Trade Mark is Bill Greener's mark ( William Wellington Greener) but Bill to his friends.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 866
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 866 |
Larry, I believe we have the original British black powder proof marks on the flats with the later Belgian nitro proof marks added. The serial number corresponds to Greeners numbers for 1895. Would be interesting to know if the gun has the usual side safety?? The action also looks older and more worn than the barrels, that look more recent.
Larry, I just pulled one of my Greener guns from the same era and it has the same two crossed scepter black powder proof marks as well as the mark to the left of the serial number on the flats which appears to be another version of the Greener "elephant" trade mark. I rest my case.
Last edited by Terry Lubzinski; 02/16/08 05:22 PM.
Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought stupid,than open it and confirm.
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 18
Boxlock
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OP
Boxlock
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 18 |
Larry, I believe we have the original British black powder proof marks on the flats with the later Belgian nitro proof marks added. The serial number corresponds to Greeners numbers for 1895. Would be interesting to know if the gun has the usual side safety?? The action also looks older and more worn than the barrels, that look more recent. Yes, it does... 
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