Can anyone I.D. this cylinder?

buttplate

May 16, 2015 09:20

I am trying to find out what revolver this cylinder is made for. It is a 7-shot .22lr. It has no markings on it. Any help would be very appreciated.
Thank you!
Old Gun Guy

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  buttplate

  May 16, 2015 09:20

  Hello!
  I have a cylinder that has a British and a German proof mark on it, plus an inspector's stamp on the face. Can anyone tell me what type of revolver that this cylinder fits?
  Thank You!
  buttplate
  
  
  
  

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  rufe-snow

  May 16, 2015 09:28

  Can't I.D. the cylinder? The proof mark in the oval, is Belgian not British. As it doesn't appear to have the crown? It probably dates to the 1880's, for a Black Powder cartridge.

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  nmyers

  May 16, 2015 09:50

  Likely a Belgian pinfire. This was well before the industrial revolution, & most inexpensive European revolvers were made by a "cottage" industry. A worker would take home a box of parts, sit at the kitchen table, & assemble them using hand files to get everything to fit together.
  
  
  
  Neal

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  rufe-snow

  May 16, 2015 10:16

  quote:Originally posted by nmyers
  Likely a Belgian pinfire. This was well before the industrial revolution, & most inexpensive European revolvers were made by a "cottage" industry. A worker would take home a box of parts, sit at the kitchen table, & assemble them using hand files to get everything to fit together.
  
  
  
  Neal
  
  
  
  
  
  Pinfire revolvers usually have a machined "notch" at 12:00, at the very rear of the cylinder.
  
  
  My WAG given the diameter and length dimensions, as shown on the dial caliper. Likely it's for the old BP, 380 revolver cartridge.

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  buttplate

  May 16, 2015 11:13

  Yes, but why would there be a German inspection mark of a "U" under a crown? Would this cylinder belong to a German made or Belgian made revolver?
  Thanks!
  buttplate

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  rufe-snow

  May 16, 2015 12:12

  quote:Originally posted by buttplate
  Yes, but why would there be a German inspection mark of a "U" under a crown? Would this cylinder belong to a German made or Belgian made revolver?
  Thanks!
  buttplate
  
  
  
  I believe that the revolver was made in Belgium. And then proofed, with the "Crown over U". When it was Imported for sale in Germany. As the German proof dates to after 1891. Likely it was proofed for sale in Germany, because of the Belgian BP proof. Wasn't deemed sufficient.

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  jonk

  May 19, 2015 03:17

  I have one almost identical, which is for the old .380 revolver cartridge. My gun is complete though, and seems to borrow from the Nagant, Trantner, and Enfield designs.
  
  Given the cottage industry of making these in Belgium, it's probably just a paperweight now as interchangability of parts was non existant with the 1880s Belgian revolvers, and no real one design could be pointed to.
  
  As a side note, complete CF guns in .380 revolver can be made to work by trimming down .38 special brass and fireforming. I occasionally shoot my belgian gun with a .360 round ball and 10 grains of 3fg with cornmeal filler and some spg lube. Actually does ok out to 15 yards or so. But, as with any gun of this vintage, black powder only and shoot only if it indexes right and is in good shape otherwise.

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  buttplate

  May 19, 2015 07:56

  Thank you all for the information!
  buttplate

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