AGS, your explanation of the brazing makes perfect sense to me, but the braze itself does not look to be factory quality work. I have done a lot of brazing on my farm over the course of 50 years, and I can do much better looking work than that. it appears to me that the welder did not get the parts quite hot enough for the braze to "flow" properly. But, that's just the opinion of someone who can't see the piece in person, and knows nothing about French gun manufacturing.

Cool gun.

May God bless America and those who defend her.