doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Dating early 20th Century French Shotguns

Ted in a separate line asked how I could date a Saint-Etienne 16 gauge accurately. I've chosen to start a new line to keep from "jumping the shark" on that one.

I’ve been looking for a early 20th century Saint-Etienne fusil de chasse for some time. French guns are very difficult to date we all agree. Using the usual markers (prizes won, models, catalogs, patents, etc) might get us into the ball park. But there are two items that will definitely narrow down an earl 20th century period piece:
...1) use of cm to denote chambering would mean it was pre-1912? (it would be interesting to find out the exact date this changed from cm to mm): and
...2) Didier-Drevet barrels are dated and have a serial number.

I wonder if there are more examples of dated Stephanois guns? For background (and it's been discussed before ) here are a few dated Didier-Drevet barrels from the internet (reorganized chronologically): -- (images back thanks to jpgbox)

1). 1878 Didier-Drevet fusil (damascus) date on the gun (not the barrel). 65m Chambers.



http://www.tircollection.com/t18880-un-beau-fusil-de-chasse-sobre-et-elegant

2). 1900 12 gauge:
Didier-Drevet Acier Mandrine (Mandrel Steel) (Mandrine means "turned on a mandrel or lathe"; un Mandrin is a Mandrel; Mandrine is an adjective modifying the feminine noun Acier) Canon Plume barrels; 18.4; 6.5; 1900 - 8971



http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=396092&page=all

3) 1904 from a Russian site:
Didier-Drevet Eureka Canon Plume barrels; 18.4; 6.5; 1904 - 11046
http://img.allzip.org/g/1/orig/15625032.jpg



4) 1905 Cyrillic site:
Didier-Drevet Eureka Canon Plume: 1905 - 11604 (unclear)
http://arc.violity.com/ruzhe-didier-drevet-1900-g-12132152



5) 1906 16 gauge with 7cm chambers: The is Ed Good’s gun previously posted. I discussed this with Ed and he assured me a chamber gauge showed them to be 2 3/4”. I told him it had to have been rechambered. Then noticed this little “7” on the barrel flats (7cm). It does indeed seem to be a 1906 with 2 3/4” chambers.
Photo deleted: Didier-Drevet Eureka Canon Plume barrels Stamped 17.0; 7; 1906 - 11985




6) 1906 Didier-Drevet 12 bore from 1906 with 7cm chambers:
Didier-Drevet Eureka Canon Plume barrels; 18.4; 7; 1906 - 12076



7). 1908 Per able2zero, Shotgunworld:
Didier-Drevet Eureka Canon Plume barrels: 17.0; 6.5; 1908 - 12740
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=223806

8). 1910 12 gauge with chambers labeled 6.5. The seller advertised the gun as having 2 3/4” chambers. I asked him about this - he claimed “6.5” had nothing to with 65mm and the chambers were as advertised. If so, it’s been relieved:
(photo deleted - Didier-Drevet Eureka Canon Plume barrels labeled 18.4; 6.5; 1910 - 13185



9). 1918 Didier-Drevet - Skeetz's gun:
Didier-Drevet Eureka Canon Plume barrels; 18.4; 65; 1918 - 14204





There must be some additional info someplace: The French magazine “Armes de Chasse” issue nr 42, Juillet - aot - septembre 2011 had an article under Collection titled Le trio Didier-Drevet.