Here's a couple pics, what I think is the key is rubbed down by a lot of handling of the the pistol grip area of the gun, best I can tell it says "W DADH___" although some or all the D's could be R's. This is on the strap that runs from the receiver to the stock. The other side clearly says "MACHINE MADE".
Both barrels have the same markings, on top of the rib it says "BELGIUM LAMINATED STEEL"
There are various other makings but none that lead me anywhere, Any help would be appreciated, any ideas who else might know? I have more pics.
Dan, such guns are very difficult to name. It may indeed be of high quality, but after ww1, a zillion doubles were imported into this country. The old gal seems tight, judging by the position of the top lever. If you detach the forearm and then shake the gun, does it rattle at all, or mave ANY movement? How many bites in the underlug?
If you open it and look at the doll's head, it it tapered, or just a round bit of metal?
Are there any markings on the water table (the area that mates the barrel flats)?
Usually the barrel flats/water table will indicate where proved, chamber length, and caliber. On some European guns, these are metric.
John summed it up well. I always called these guns "Hardware Guns" due to them mostly being made for the hardware trade.Looks like a solid old gun. Can't make out the number on the barrel bottom. 19 or 18 or what ? Proff mark is "Leige" ie: Belgium gun.
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I do not seek the good of others as a sanction for my right to exist, nor do I recognize the good of others as a justification for their seizure of my property or their destruction of my life.- Hank Rearden
After some research, these replies and others, I have learned as John said that it might not be easily identified and probably doesn't matter anyway. I ran into the term "hardware guns" along the way. I doubt it’s worth much; I was really just interested in any history I might find on it.
We finally bought a safe and as we were filling it up, we double-checked our records, they needed some updating, this is the only firearm we could not put a name on.
It's loosey-goosey, the pic just makes it look tight. It appear to be very well made, but with alot of years and use. Looks good on the wall.
There's numbers and markings all over the thing and like I said, what appears to be a name has been worn by handling. The water table (if I'm right on what it is) has one five digit number near the end and another different number under the forearm, both on bottom. "BELGIUM LAMINATED STEEL" is marked on top above the forearm.
I'll give it another look later; the gun is my Dad's. We knew an old fellow who made ML shotguns out of old side by sides, Dad pick this up somewhere and was going to pass it along to the gun maker but he passed away before Dad could get in touch with him.
Some of those old guns can be tightened up enough to make them safe. Might be fun to load up some shells with Black Powder. Lots of fun.
__________________
I do not seek the good of others as a sanction for my right to exist, nor do I recognize the good of others as a justification for their seizure of my property or their destruction of my life.- Hank Rearden
