Help Identifying markings on 16 ga. Double Barrel Percussion Shotgun.

Hi, I just picked up a nice older double barrel, but I'm having trouble making out the markings. Can anyone ID this? Thanks.

I tried a couple more techniques to bring out the markings. Maybe this will help. Thanks.

Mystery solved, I was looking at it upside down. It appears it's "Laminated Steel". Now, any idea who or when it would have been marked this way?

I've got some more info. The screw holding the locks is already damaged and tight. Since I'm a novice, my goal is to never do any more harm. So, I'm not going to force it. However, after removing the barrel, I found some useful info. Near the end of the barrel, under the ramrod is a serial number. There are other markings hidden (see attached). I know I've seen the "E" over "LG" over a star before. Is that a Belgium marking? Any additional info you can provide would be helpful. Thanks.

Belgian probably 1870s, maybe even later.

Yes, it's Belgian, pre-1891/2.

The oval cartouche with star and ELG is the proof stamp of the Liége Proof house - Épreuve Liége.

18.2 - if it IS 18 - is the calibre in mm - in this case, it's 12g. It might be 16.2, in which case it's a very tight 16g.

The odd-looking curlicues are an intertwined E and L - ÉPREUVE LIÉGE - Liége Proof House.

The stamp that looks somewhat like a hammer is the Péronne, a Liége landmark - it looks a lot like Nelson's Column in London, but is much smaller.

The crown over a letter is an inspector's mark - it can be most any letter except j q o or w.

The letters GG are those of the assembler, and the cut marks are identifying marks used in assembly to keep all the components together.

pictures

Comfortably_Numb said:

pictures

Click to expand...

The OP has put up twelve perfectly usable pictures. What more is needed to identify the stamps?

I for one would love to see pics of the entire shotgun.