Sep 16, 2010 · Belgian Shotgun Identification The Banc d'Epreuves de Liege proved 233,526 double barrel smoothbore guns in 1889, the majority for export. In 1899 alone, the U.S. firms of Hartley & Graham and Simmons Hardware bought 90,000 shotguns, rifles, and handguns from Liege gunmakers. Most of the...

Nov 12, 2011 · Guns assembled with work from several shops were usually sold as Guild guns. And guns made by journeymen gunsmiths, still under the tutelage of a master, could be sold as a Guild gun. These guns would still have to pass final inspection for fit and finish and be proofed...and some did carry the Q1 designation recognizing them as being of best ...

Jun 8, 2022 · I've been researching Belgian SxS shotguns for 10 years. I've owned 4 and still own 1. Not 1 of the 4, nor any "Guild gun" at least made in Belgium is actually a guild gun. All have a main manufacturer, and no one in Europe refers to such lesser known guns as Guild guns. It is simply an American term!

Dec 23, 2021 · I've figured out that the gun is pre 1924 and was not proofed for smokeless powder but evidently a lot of the turn of the century Belgian guns weren't marked even though they were OK for smokeless. There were a couple of fired Fiocchi shells in …

Mar 3, 2005 · I am not aware of any way to identify the year of construction of Belgian guns. Most inexpensive Belgian guns cannot be identified as to maker. They are referred to as "guild guns", and may have been assembled by any member of the gunmaker's guild, using parts produced by several other members. I hope this helps.

Feb 3, 2007 · Regadring Japanese vs Belgian A5's The Japanese guns have comparable workmanship to the '60s A5's. The metalurgy is superior. Belgian guns had more hand work, you can't really see the difference, it's mostly an intellectual difference. The Japan era wood finish is the horrible fullerplast and the bluing is caustic blue, dark black and highly ...

Jun 3, 2013 · The original Auto 5 is a heavy gun, especially the Japanese guns. They are all steel and wood, unless you have one of the rare almost unobtainable Super light models. My Light Twelve (Japanese) with a 26" barrel weighed right at 8lbs. My Magnum Twelve weighed right at 9lbs. The Belgian guns seem to weigh a little less, not much though.

Aug 21, 2022 · Don't know much about Spanish guns, but I don't ever remember Belgian, Japanese or Italian guns being rubbish. However, I have seen more Turkish shotguns returned for repair than any other country of origin and they are a minority of guns I see on shooting courses. The only shotgun I've ever had to return for repair was a Turkish CZ 712.

Jul 8, 2010 · The many small gun makers/company's, whose members/employees often family/related, instead are geared to either specializing in a part of making the gun (like the barrels), for assembly by yet another entity; or are geared to making a few completed guns/year..

Apr 19, 2008 · The Belgian "trade guns", not damascus barrels, were probably the reason that shotgun shells to this day say not to use smokeless powder loads in twist or damascus guns. Sherman Bell has proof tested a lot of tired old damascus barreled quality shotguns, and all …