Re Argo's discussion of "Helice": It is true that V-C did not patent that name. However . . . they did patent "Helice Grip", as shown on one of the top levers above. (However, with an extra p on the end . . . would that have circumvented V-C's patent? Je ne sais pas.)
Re "my" contention concerning the meaning of "Helice": It isn't my contention that "Helice" refers to a locking system patented by V-C. Rather, it is the contention of none other than Claude Verney-Carron (then president of the company) in a nice letter I received from him concerning an article of mine which was published in the July/August 2002 issue of Shooting Sportman. I quote from the letter:
"Helice was the name of the locking system patented by my great grandfather Jean Verney-Carron at the beginning of the 20th century. When the patent expired and fell in the public field a lot of gun makers from Saint-Etienne adopted the system for their own use."
He goes on to make clear that just the word "Helice" was not one of V-C's trademarks.
