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Forums10
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Apr 26th, 2024
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 23
Boxlock
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OP
Boxlock
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 23 |
Hello All,
Came across an interesting Lepage 16ga hammergun that has been offered for sale recently. It's made in Belgium and has nice engraving (floral scroll and dogs), 30" steel bls. The action is tight and the wood is in very good condition with some usage marks. I am well aware that Belgique guns are somewhat iffy in that there are bad ones and very good makers. Anyone have any knowledge of Lepage?
Cheers, John
Small Munsterlander Pointers and a 16 gauge -- What more can a man want? www.rgs.ca
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,598
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,598 |
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,954 Likes: 12
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,954 Likes: 12 |
A classic case of needing to judge the Original Quality (OQ)grade of the gun completely independently of the maker's name. Post some photos for better help with the judgement on OQ grade and Current Condition level (CC).
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 137 Likes: 24
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 137 Likes: 24 |
Is this related to the venerable Lepage 344mm glue gun?
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,156 Likes: 23
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,156 Likes: 23 |
One of the many good pieces of advice that my friend Dale Edmonds gave to me, was to look at how well the parts of the shotgun not visible to when the shotgun was closed were finished. i.e. quality makers do a good job of polishing the water tables, barrel flats and lugs.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,377 Likes: 105
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,377 Likes: 105 |
I believe the higher grade Lepages were French-made. I've seen some very basic Belgian-made Lepages. Not that there's anything wrong with them, but they should not be judged in the same league with the French-made guns. The confusing part is, as best I can recall, ALL the Lepages I've seen (not all that many) have had the Paris address on the barrels, whether they were French or Belgian-made.
Last edited by L. Brown; 04/09/09 09:22 AM.
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,598
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,598 |
Larry,
From my limited understanding; Manufacture d'armes LePage was a large factory. Alot of names get associated with this operation including Nagelmakers, Chauvot, Lepine, Piot, Kaufman & Co and Marchand. Like many of these Belgian operations, the individual companies operated solo as well as in unison. The LePage factory was involved with the production of military arms as well as sporting arms. They seemed to have maintained a retail operation in Paris. I have seen catalog entries for some very high end shotguns.
The LePage name shows up in both the Belgian and French Who's Who. The French Who's Who has an entry for "LePage the grand family of arms". There was a LePage in France at least as early as the 1770's. They also claim a long Belgian heritage.
So, PhyDoc is correct. Judge the arm not the name.
Pete
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,377 Likes: 105
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 11,377 Likes: 105 |
Definitely judge the gun, Pete. I agree. The ones I've seen that are really high grade guns have been marked "Faure Lepage a Paris" and were made in France. But I've seen others with the same Paris markings, much plainer, clearly Belgian from the proofs. Not that they weren't decent guns, just not of the same "original quality".
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