As I continue to struggle with the cm to mm changeover in Saint-Etienne, this gun keeps popping up:

[Linked Image from jpgbox.com]

It was originally interpreted as 1912 - 13689 and was the original marker for cm-mm changeover. FAB500 kept turning up exceptions and a second look at the barrels, blowing them up, etc., raised questions about the date and the DD serial number.

I now think the date SN could be 1918 - 13986... chambered in mm, which would mark the beginning of a new dating era. (or possibly 1919 - 14986?)

Comparing the fuzzy photos with similar fuzzy photo from 1919 - 14341 seem to support this. The "7" likely is a "3." Mysteries and contradictions and bad photography confound expectations. But whatever, 1919 or 1918 this gun is still chambered in mm is clearly the first extent gun found after WWI chambered in mm.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

There is a good sample on p.16 above of DD barrels which can give a good idea of how many he was producing. What we really need now are dated barrels from 1885-1895; and from 1910 - 1924.

Last edited by Argo44; 09/18/23 09:26 PM.
Baluch are not Brahui, Brahui are Baluch