Proof marks

Does anyone know where I can find a list of Belgian proof and inspectors marks from 1830's - 1850's?

See if this might be a starting place:
[url] http://gunaccessory.com/Proof_Marks/proofmarks.htm[/url]

I'm trying to date a Belgian percussion double shotgun. Supposedly made around 1840 which I have no reason to doubt but would like to verify it for myself. Some of the marks aren't very clear but if I have pics I can prolly figure out which ones I have.

Interesting..Seems I have a old 12 ga double barrel that is Belgian..
Its the most beat up gun I have.

rebel727 said:

I'm trying to date a Belgian percussion double shotgun. Supposedly made around 1840 which I have no reason to doubt but would like to verify it for myself. Some of the marks aren't very clear but if I have pics I can prolly figure out which ones I have.

Click to expand...

Do a "Google" search...there's a ton of sites listed

Here is one.
http://www.dave-cushman.net/shot/proofmarks.html

Do a "Google" search...there's a ton of sites listed
[/quote]

Tried that. the sites either don't have pics or aren't definitive enough, like the one you posted.
Thanks anyway.

rebel727 said:

Does anyone know where I can find a list of Belgian proof and inspectors marks from 1830's - 1850's?

Click to expand...

Here are some Belgain proof marks, not sure it thet changed throughout history though...
[url] http://www.gunaccessory.com/Proof_Marks/proofmarks.htm#2.[/url]

These and more proof marks can be found in our links section...

Proof Marks

Thanks but still no help.

There is a chanch that your gun wasn't proofed in Belgium. Perhaps somewhere else?

If you could give a description of what your looking at, it might be of some help?

Zonie

Zonie said:

There is a chanch that your gun wasn't proofed in Belgium. Perhaps somewhere else?

If you could give a description of what your looking at, it might be of some help?

Zonie

Click to expand...

I'm just trying to date it. It has the ELG in an oval with a star under it, a crown over U and what looks like a closed top 2 with a long tail turned up on the tip. Couple of others that aren't real clear but I'm sure if I had pics it would be obvious. Here's some pics of the gun.

First let me say my sources may not be the best. This is especially true with what I'm seeing both on the CRT and in the 18th Ed of the Blue Book of Gun Values.

The oval with the E L B and star are "Belgian definitive black powder proof for breech loading guns...since 1893"

The little tower sitting on a base I see in the third picture is a ..."Belgian View Stamp and inspectors mark... since 1853"

The closed top 2 with a tail might be the Belgian provisional black powder proof since 1852 if it actually is the script letters E and L intertwined. The L has a upturned tip on the lower leg of the letter.

The only crown over U that I see is a E. German Suhl "inspection mark ...since 1950".

This 1950 mark (if it is indeed that mark) does not necessarly mean the gun was made after 1950. Guns are sometimes required to be reinspected when entering other countries so they end up with marks from later times stamped on them.

The quality of the carving on the wrist is so much better than the rest of it. Interesting, thanks for sharing :thumbsup:

Thanks Zonie, but why would a ml have breech loader proofs?

The book I used to look these up is the Blue Book of Gun Values which is primarly devoted to modern guns.
It is possible that some of these markings, or some very similar to the ones I'm looking at applied to BP guns?

Maybe someone else has some better data??
Zonie