I can usually get the decade correct on a Darne, at least until the 1960s, when the serial number made reference to the decade of production. There are plenty of exceptions, as well, any gun with a “SPL” or “SPC” serial number prefix simply can’t be dated.
1955 was a year of desperate contraction and absorption in the French gun trade. There wasn’t much good news in France, in that decade.
Pre war guns are nice, the Bruchet produced guns are the best, novel actions can be found pre turn of the last century, and scattered in among all years of production are really great examples, and some duds. I’ve dissed on many a James Wayne import, but, damn if I didn’t find a V19 20 gauge that is a smoking little bird gun, with great wood and engraving, and neither trigger will hold the weight of the gun, which, is under 5 3/4 pounds. I wish I still had the 20 gauge Dustin referenced, an R15 engraved by Ariel Recrux that demonstrated that it wasn’t just Guy Ripamonte that could lay down absolutely ’bItchen rosace engraving. I also wish I still had a really plain 20, the gun that appeared in the Double Gun Journal, because, even with wood the color of butter, and cartoonishly executed engraving, the thing was self aiming death on birds.
I don’t know squat about turkeys, Brent. I’m OK with that.
Best,
Ted
