It looks like a classic english game gun.
Straight grip, double triggers, ejectors, hidden third bite fastener, 28 inch barrels (mod,full). Some case colors are still present on the reciever. It also has a bracket rebated reciever where it joins the wood. Beading around the fences. Wood seems nice, but nothing special.
Nice scroll engraving on the sides, bottom and top of the reciever. Rib and barrels also have scroll engraving. Solid swamped rib does not have any matting except for the engraving on the hidden third bite fastener and for about 2 inches past. Standard brass bead sight.
Forend metal is all engraved, as are the heads of the screws inside the fore arm. Release is a spring lever rather than a push button. Ends of the release lever metal (portion inletted into the forearm) have points or V's at each end rather than being simply rounded. Slender fore arm with an ebony wedge with a slight schnable at the end.
Now the tough part. It has no makers name. Only marking I can find on the outside is "83" engraved on the trigger tang (also pointed, like the release lever). "83 steel" is on the underside of each barrel. Barrels are regular steel, not damascus. "83" is also marked on the inside of the fore end iron. I assume this gun is number 83. There is a serial number, but it is stamped in and may be a later addition (491073xxx73 not 83).
Proof marks are crown over BV (birmingham?) and crown over KA (no clue). Also "choke" on each barrel and "RO PRC". I am assuming that is a mis-stamped nitRO PROof. "RO PRC" appears identically on each side of the barrel flats. The forcing cones start about 3 1/4 inches from the breech. I assume it is chambered for a 2 3/4 inch shell, but won't know until I get a chamber gauge (I'm not shooting it until I am certain). Chokes seem to be full (dime won't fit) and mod (dime fits with a little extra space).
Does anyone have an idea about who the manufacturer might be?
Any guesses on when it was made?
Any guesses on value?
Is it possible to identify it close enough (2 or 3 makers) that I could track down when it was made or get an authentication letter?
Here are the pictures I had to look at when I got it on the net.
And yes, the stickers came with the gun!!!!!
Thanks for any help identifing this for me.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p159/baldferd/pix1686534173.jpghttp://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p159/baldferd/pix1686533767.jpghttp://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p159/baldferd/pix1933264001.jpghttp://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p159/baldferd/pix1686534251.jpghttp://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p159/baldferd/pix1686533970.jpghttp://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p159/baldferd/pix1933264267.jpghttp://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p159/baldferd/pix1933264204.jpg
