Geno:
It's impossible to draw the conclusion you did in your edit to the photo - "Later proof marks Seems gun been imported to UK" - from a photo of the barrel flats alone. The Crown over "GP" is London's definitive proof mark. British definitive proof requires marking of BOTH the barrels AND action. During the period these marks are from (prior to the 1954 rules, when the "view" mark was eliminated), the required mark on the action was the "view" mark (for London, Crown over "V"), one for each barrel, so there should be two, just as there are on the barrel flats. On doubles, the actions are marked on the water table.
There are no marks on the water table of this action. Either these barrels were taken off an English gun and retrofitted to this action, or the British proof marks on the barrel flats were not placed there by a British proof house.
I agree with Raimey, and asked the same question before - what are the chokes in this gun? If the "12C" is indeed Russian, then these marks are 1875 rule. If that's the case, the "12B", "14M", and "Not for ball" marks are missing, unless both barrels are cylinder, which would seem odd. If the "12C" mark is British, then these marks are 1887 rule, which would mean that the "Choke" mark is missing. Put another way, the British marks on this gun insist that neither barrel is choked. If one or both are in fact choked, then I lean toward the latter conclusion above.
Last edited by 400 Nitro Express; 12/29/08 01:50 PM.
