Re: Barrel stamps and serial number ID Archived Message
Posted by Tom Martin on September 29, 2008, 11:35 pm, in reply to "Barrel stamps and serial number ID" |
Chris: The Armor Steel marking is what was used on all steel barreled Field grade guns, just as London Steel was used on Ideal grade guns. The MP and NP are proof markings and indicate nitro proof and will be found on all guns after about 1927. The Crown over D markings are somewhat of an anomaly, because they are not normally found on a 1937 gun. They are barrel makers marks that are usually found on pre-WWI guns when the tubes from which the barrels were made were imported, usually from Belgium. When the war cut off that source of supply, tubes made in the US were used and aren't usually marked. Your gun may have been built from a set of older tubes that were in stock, or the tubes may have been saved and used for a purpose. I have a 16 gauge field grade with ejectors built in the '30s that has barrel makers marks. Upon removing the locks and stock from this gun, it was found that there were several holes drilled in the frame under the lock plates and in the rear of the frame under the firing pins. The only purpose of the holes could be to lighten the gun, and I think that an older lighter set of tubes was used for the same reason. I believe that some knowledgeable hunter ordered his gun with ejectors, specific chokes and a certain weight, and Hunter did what was necessary to meet his requirements. As far as the date of manufacture is concerned, 1937 is correct.
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