Not a double, but a fine gun indeed. I thought the forum might enjoy seeing an FN made Browning A-5 16ga which must be about top of the line.
The frame is marked "Fabrique Nationale Darmes Guerre Herstal" with Browning's patent and depose below and has 100% coverage Teutonic style engraving, two bird dogs with Huns on one side and a hunter shooting a rabbit on the other side, with acanthus style scroll on the top and bottom. Even the top and bottom tangs are engraved as well as the back of the "hump".
The trigger guard is scroll engraved around a well done flying duck. Notice the safety; usual old style military push, but it has a knurled release which must be pressed to get it back on safe.
The frame has the number 266 in a box nestled within the engraving which may be either a model number or perhaps the serial number? The frame also has proof-marks including rampant stick lion over PV, an asterisk over T, and the tower.
The fore end has a feature I haven't seen on other early A-5s, two metal bands in front and rear of the wood. I guess these were to help prevent splitting.
The barrel is marked "Poldi Anticorro". The proof-marks on the barrel side are: *over J, rampant stick lion over PV, the tower, and rampant stick lion over ELG, and 16G in a diamond. There's also a P.OR and 73j in a circle, the number 2240, and choke 16.3 over 16.7 and 16.3 over 16.8. There is a serial number, 266 matching the one on the frame.
The bottom of the barrel is marked D=6.5 over 19.0 with what appears to be 11 1/2 to the side. Choke measures Modified on my drop in scale.
Can anyone determine the build date from any of the gobbeldygook above?...Geo
Last edited by Geo. Newbern; 07/02/15 07:49 PM. Reason: added serial number info
