doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Need Help Identification Belgian SxS

Just received a Belgian SxS in 12 Ga. Nice gun, but no real identification that I can determine. Has Belgian proof marks for BP and Nitro. Date code is 1925 and is 12 guage with 65 mm chambers. I find a "J H" in an oval on the underside of one of the barrels which I'm thinking is a maker's mark, but the charts I have found online do not list such a mark. I can post some pictures in a bit, but was hoping someone here could help. Oh btw, it has a "Greener" crossbolt style lockup.

Side View of Action

Bottom View of Action

Shelf

Proof Marks

Maker's Mark ?

Crossbolt & Action Open

Buttstock with Cheekpiece

Top View

Pictures posted!

OK. You have the date wrong, sorry. The 12 over a C in a diamond or rhombus was used from 1898-1924. It was nitro proofed.
You can find the proof marks and some trade marks here:
http://damascus-barrels.com/bp.html

I can find nothing on the JH in a circle. I will keep looking.

With the slings and check piece, I am guessing it was made for the German market.

Pete

OK. I was dating it based on a "d" that is just to the left of the other marks in the barrel proof marks. Didn't come out on the pictures, but is there on both barrels. No "*" over it, so I assumed it was a date code.

The date could be correct. It has both the pre-1924 12 over C in a diamond, and the post-1924 12-65 in an Omega.
J. Heuse-Lemoine (not Ernest who used a 'Crowned HL' http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20h/a%20heuse%20gb.htm ) was a barrel maker in Nessonvaux and a member of Syndicat des Fabricants de Canons de Fusil de la Vesdre but there is no record of his maker's mark.

No big deal. You have to look at all the marks to date the proof. Pre-1924 guns are difficult to pin down to an exact year. The Belgian proof system was the most "expressive". It also can be very confusing. The real nightmare comes when a gun was resubmitted to the proof house.

On Belgian guns, look to the gauge mark and you will immediately get a "feel" for the time frame. You can almost be certain it was not done during the war years. Although even that is not an absolute.

It seems like a decent field gun. If it checks out, it would be fun to shoot with reasonable loads.

Pete

The action was a shad loose. I've shimmed it for the time being, so now it locks up tight as a drum. Bores look good with very minor pitting. Only real bummer is that the hammers don't match. Left side appears to be the original and the right side a larger replacement. Unless anyone can warn me otherwise, I plan to shoot it with modertae Blackpowder and Featherlite loads. Based upon what I know so far, I imagine it dates in the 20's. Would love to know who the "JH" stood for.

One other question about this sxs. I was planning on loading some Magtech brass shells for it. I have two boxes of brand new brass. Trying to chamber the new shells into this gun, it is very tight. I then chambered some Winchester AA Featherlites (too long to shoot as they are 2 3/4") and they chambered just fine. Any thoughts as to why the tightness with the Magtechs? I also have3 on hand some Federal Gold Medal paper hulls that I may cut down and roll crimp.