PROOF MARKS

2403

PROOF MARKS
The proof marks shown below will assist in determining nationality of manufacturers when no other markings are evident. Since the U.S. has no proofing houses (as in England, France, Germany and other European countries), most U.S. manufacturers voluntarily proof their firearms with a specifed style of proofmark (i.e. the interlocked WP synonymous with the Winchester trademark can be fired using modern smokeless powder) shells. Pre-1850 European firearms oftentimes do not exhibit any commercial proof marks and, with the exception of an occasional barrel address, they represent the single hardest category of firearms one can research properly. Captured weapons from major wars occasionally show two different nationalities of proof marks. This is acceptable since the gun was proofed in a national proof house after original manufacture and again when the gun was exported to a different country as a military acquisition. Please refer to the References section in this text for proof mark source information.

PROOF MARKS

PROOF MARK

CIRCA
since 1891 since 1891 1892-1918 1892-1918 1892-1918 1892-1918 1892-1918 1918-1938 1918-1938 1938-1940 1938-1940 since 1945 since 1945 since 1891

AUSTRIAN PROOF MARKS PROOF HOUSE TYPE OF PROOF AND GUN

Vienna Ferlach Prague Ferlach Prague Weipert Vienna Ferlach Vienna Ferlach Vienna Vienna Ferlach Bundesheer

provisional proof for multi barrel guns provisional proof for multi barrel guns provisional proof for ries black powder proof for ries black powder proof for ries black powder proof for ries black powder proof for ries black powder proof for ries black powder proof for ries black powder proof for ries black powder proof for ries black powder proof for multi barrel guns black powder proof for multi barrel guns preliminary proof for multi barrel guns

2404 PROOF MARKS: AUSTRIAN PROOF MARKS, cont.

PROOF MARK CIRCA PROOF HOUSE TYPE OF PROOF AND GUN

1891-1928 Budapest smokeless powder proof for parabellum pistols Since 1981 Ferlach smokeless powder proof for parabellum pistols 1891-1931 Ferlach smokeless powder proof for parabellum pistols since 1891 Vienna smokeless powder proof for parabellum pistols 1891-1931 Weipert smokeless powder proof for parabellum pistols
PROOF MARKS: AUSTRIAN PROOF MARKS, cont. MARKS cont. PROOF MARKS: BELGIAN PROOF MARKS,

PROOF MARK

CIRCA

BELGIAN PROOF MARKS PROOF HOUSE TYPE OF PROOF AND GUN

provisional black powder proof for breech loading guns and ried barrels

since 1852 Liege

- Liege- double proof marking for unfurnished barrels - Liege- since 1893 -Liege since 1853 Liege triple proof provisional marking for unfurnished barrels denitive black powder proof for breech loading guns, small bore guns and handguns View stamp and inspectors mark for rearms "Perron"

since 1924 -Liege Nitro proof for ried barrel and parabellum pistols since 1852 -Liege
PROOF MARKS: BELGIAN PROOF MARKS, cont. PROOF MARKS: BRITISH PROOF MARKS - ENGLAND, cont.

ried arms defense for smokeless proof parabellum pistols Superior nitro proof

-Liege

PROOF MARK

CIRCA
since 1856

BRITISH PROOF MARKS PROOF HOUSE TYPE OF PROOF AND GUN

London provisional proof for barrels

PROOF MARKS: BRITISH PROOF MARKS - ENGLAND, cont. PROOF MARK

2405

CIRCA
since 1856

PROOF HOUSE TYPE OF PROOF AND GUN

Birmingham provisional proof for barrels denitive black powder proof for shotguns,muzzle loader barrels black powder proof for ries black powder proof for ries type EC. smokeless powder proof for ries type Pt. smokeless powder proof for ries smokeless powder proof for ries smokeless powder proof for ries denitive nitro proof for all guns - parabellum pistols denitive nitro proof for barrel and action

since 1637 London 1811-1892 1897-1923 1891-1968 1898-1968 1898-1968 since 1968 Liege Liege Liege Liege Liege Liege

since 1904 London since 1954 Birmingham

since 1904 Birmingham black powder proof only for parabellum pistols 1868-1925 London
PROOF MARKS: BRITISH PROOF MARKS - ENGLAND, cont.

denitive special super power proof for parabellum pistols voluntary special black powder proof reproof marking for black powder ries reproof marking for black powder ries denitive black powder proof for shotguns denitive nitro proof for all guns view mark view mark

1868-1925 1868-1925 1868-1925 1868-1925 since 1904 since 1670 since 1904

Birmingham London Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham London Birmingham

2406 PROOF MARKS: FRENCH PROOF MARKS

PROOF MARKS: FRENCH PROOF MARKS

FRENCH PROOF MARKS

TYPE OF PROOF AND GUN provisional proof unnished short barreled guns standard proof for nished guns

PARIS HOUSE ST ETIENNE HOUSE CIRCA since 1897 1897

1897 double proof nished and joined barrels 1897 1897 since 1962 1962-1972 1926-1962 since 1962 since 1900 1896-1926 1896-1926 1896-1926 1900-1972 1926-1972 1962-1972 since 1962 since 1982 single barrel proof for non-assembled guns nished black powder guns black powder proof for ries nal black powder proof for ries nal black powder proof for ries nal black powder proof for ries smokeless powder proof for ries smokeless powder proof for ries smokeless powder proof for ries smokeless powder proof for ries smokeless powder proof for ries smokeless powder proof for ries nal smokeless powder proof for ries nal smokeless powder proof for ries nal smokeless powder proof for ries

PROOF MARKS: FRENCH PROOF MARKS, cont.

PARIS HOUSE ST ETIENNE HOUSE
PROOF MARKS: FRENCH PROOF MARKS, cont. MARKS cont. PROOF MARKS: GERMAN PROOF MARKS,

2407

CIRCA 1897 1897 1897

TYPE OF PROOF AND GUN special proof for nished guns ordinary smokeless powder proof superior smokeless powder proo

GERMAN PROOF MARKS

Research continues for the inclusion of Pre-1950 German Proofmarks.

PROOF MARK

CIRCA
since 1952 since 1968 since 1968 since 1968 since 1968 since 1968 since 1952 since 1952

PROOF HOUSE TYPE OF PROOF AND GUN

Ulm Hannover Kiel (W. German) Munich Cologne (W. German) Berlin (W. German) Ulm Ulm voluntary proof for hand/long guns repair proof for major gun parts provisional black powder for shotgun & multi barreled ries denitive nitro proof for all guns denitive black powder for smokeless ammo guns Flobert for special purpose guns signal, are, gas, & stun guns smokeless powder proof 1st black powder proof for ried barrels nitro powder proof

since 1952 Ulm since 1952 Ulm

since 1952 Ulm since 1952 Ulm since 1945 since 1950 since 1950 E. German, Suhl E. German, Suhl E. German, Suhl

2408 PROOF MARKS: GERMAN PROOF MARKS, cont.

PROOF MARK

CIRCA
since 1950

PROOF HOUSE TYPE OF PROOF AND GUN

E. German, Suhl repair proof 1st black powder proof for smooth bored barrels inspection mark choke-bore barrel mark

since 1950 E. German, Suhl

PROOF MARKS: GERMAN PROOF MARKS, cont.

since 1950 since 1950

E. German, Suhl E. German, Suhl

PROOF MARKS: ITALIAN PROOF MARKS, cont.

PROOF MARK

CIRCA
since 1951 since 1951

ITALIAN PROOF MARKS PROOF HOUSE TYPE OF PROOF AND GUN

Brescia Gardone provisional proof for all guns provisional proof for all guns denitive proof for guns with smokeless powder nish proof for rearms ready for sale 1st black powder proof

since 1951 Gardone & Brescia

PROOF MARKS: ITALIAN PROOF MARKS, cont.

since 1951 since 1951

Gardone & Brescia Gardone & Brescia

PROOF MARKS: SPANISH PROOF MARKS, cont.

PROOF MARK

CIRCA
since 1910 since 1910

SPANISH PROOF MARKS PROOF HOUSE TYPE OF PROOF AND GUN

Eibar Eibar provisional black powder proof for shotguns temporary black powder proof for shotguns

since 1910 Eibar nal black powder proof for breech loading shotguns since 1910 Eibar since 1910 Eibar since 1910 Eibar nal smokeless powder proof for breech loading shotguns reinforced smokeless powder proof for breech loading shotguns provisional proof for shotguns

since 1910 Eibar nal black powder proof for breech loading shotgun

PROOF MARKS: SPANISH PROOF MARKS, cont.

PROOF MARK CIRCA PROOF HOUSE TYPE OF PROOF AND GUN

2409

since 1923 Eibar since 1923 Eibar since 1923 Eibar since 1923 Eibar since 1923 Eibar since 1923 Eibar

nal and single black powder proof for double barreled muzzle loading shotun nal and single black powder proof for single barrel smooth bored breechloading guns nal black powder proof for double barreled breechloading ries nal black powder proof for single proof breechloading ries reinforced voluntary proof for single and double barrel shotguns nal proof of military-style rie

since 1923 Eibar single and nal proof of non-self loading pistols since 1923 Eibar since 1929 Eibar single and nal proof for self loading pistols and revolvers admission proof for guns with old marks

since 1929 Eibar proof used in Barcelona for guns with old marks since 1929 since 1929 Eibar Eibar nal proof for revolver proof for semiautomatic pistols special manufacturer's mark for guns made for foreign sales smokeless proof for shotgun barrels

since 1929 Eibar since 1929 Eibar

since 1929 Eibar reinforced smokeless proof for shotgun barrels

MARKS: cont. SPANISH PROOF MARKS, cont. PROOF MARKS,