doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Lack of proof marks frustrating.

Very little info to go on. I appreciate your caution, Mike. The key may be the patent, if it can be figured out.

Roy, will add your info to my notes.

Pete

Here's a WAG... at some point, rusty barrels were coated with Navel Jelly or similar acid and left for a few days resulting in the deep etch.

Can we see the rest of the gun?

I am not that well versed in the English proof marks, isn't it a bit unusual to have two Crown Vs on the action flat? Usually I see a single V on each piece,(action and barrel assembly). And look how deeply the V is struck compared to the patent and use marks. There certainly should be more marks than we are seeing here. Also can't recall seeing the bottom of the barrel flats on a damascus gun so heavily etched. Thought they were usually filed to flat after the etching anyway so they fit right. Too many weird things here for me- I would pass unless it was at wall hanger pricing.

Drew I just noticed something else. Look at the second circular swirl left of the left most letter on the lower barrel in the photo. Has a line through it indicating the edge of the ribband. Compare it to the swirl just forward of the underlug which also has a line through it. I don't recall ever seeing two exact swirls repeated and I bet there are more. Also look at how the swirl pattern climbs off the barrel and up onto the barrel flat at the flats rectangular front corners. How would a ribband carry that up the 90 degree slope like that?

Easiest way to ascertain the bore and chamber is to measure it. As to proof , you don't have any so no need to worry as long as the barrels are in good condition and you only use black powder .

Good eye Jerry, and I also think the pattern repeats itself but an image of more barrel would help a great deal.



Parker D3

Scrolls not continuous flats to barrels

Hello Drew,
I just joined this forum and cannot figure out how to post a question. Can you help?
Thanks, Harm

Click on 'New Topic'

If it is a Joseph Lang the gun would date from about 1874/75. 1870 was gun 3851 and 1875 was gun 5125.

That gun does look crude compared to my Lang #32XX completed in 1866, though that could be from poor treatment and storage. My barrels are Damascus replacements by James Woodward. It only has the "crowned V" view mark and serial number on the action flats - the barrel carries the bulk of the proof marks.

That picture is "dope" as the young ones say today. Sexy in almost an Austin Powers sort of way