doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com French Double Barrel

Powder J was used between 1896-1914. After 1914, the only smokeless powder used in proof loads--and still in use today--was Powder T. (Same mark as on this gun, but PT.) So the gun could not be any older than 1896, which is somewhat odd because the proofmark on the barrels with the E was supposedly gone, either by 1879 or 1886. Maybe the St. Etienne proofhouse was running a special on leftover proofmarks. But seriously, I'd go with the PJ mark and date your gun somewhere in the 1896-1914 time frame.

I wonder if the active dates for Ronchard-Cizeron might narrow the date?







Lifted these from Mr. Chamber's thread here:

http://www.gournetusa.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=552

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=130871&page=1
Another DGS R-C thread

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Interesting. It might have been much simpler if they would have actually put the DOM on there . I wonder if there was a purpose behind not dating guns. I also have a pre-war .38 that simply says made in germany and not much else.

Before I spent much money repairing screw heads etc on this gun I would see if the decorator for Cracker Barrel would make a bid on it.

Javanino, there are date codes on many German, Belgian, and Italian guns. Proofmarks on British guns provide at least a range of dates. French guns are much more difficult in that regard. After you've seen a bunch, you can make a very rough estimate: before WWI, between the wars, or post-WWII. But unless the maker is still in business and has records--and there are a lot of "no name" French guns, and some current makers lost their old records in the war--you're pretty much out of luck.

The gun does need some attention and I have fired many modern loads in it not realizing how old the gun is. Glad the kind folks here have helped me to realize what I have and what should be shot through it. The barrels aren't real clean so it appears it has been shot quite a bit. Not sure if I'll shoot it often, it has more sentimental value now than anything else.

Sentimental value is a very REAL value. Just don't try to convert it into REAL $$$. That can be very discouraging. (Don't ask me how I know).

Franc, I don't think this gun uses a stock draw bolt, mate.

Hey Mike, I did have a smiley after the bolt comment...it just looks like it needs one, & then a few turns on it too,ay? ::))
This old gun stuff is great to natter about though,eh?
Hope your winter is a good one up there man
cheers
franc

I hope my somewhat frequent use of the word "Mate" doesn't come of as kinda cocky, like?
All my life growing up in the southwest of england, Mate was a friendly term..hangin with your mates ...like your Pal over here.
They could both be used in a kind of angry way , I guess,like..."so thats what you really think of me then is it MATE/PAL! But we used other words at the end for that stuff
but my versions are the friendly mild ones...just so every one of my mates here knows
Franc