Help Dating an 1892 French Revolver

SurplusMan

SurplusMan

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I just bought this Model 1892 revolver, and i can't read any of the markings on the barrel. The serial number inside is readable though. Any ideas?

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Serial number i can confirm to be 18020. I can't find any letters before or after the number. The number stamped on the frame that swings out is also 18020.
 
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The commercial 1892's didn't have prefixes. That makes them really hard to date. Good luck with that. All the "F" prefix guns and a few of the "G" prefix guns are antique status.
 
SurplusMan said:
Ok. Any idea where I can find more info for this?
Click to expand...

I have looked all over and I haven't been able to find any information about the commercial Lebel 1892 revolvers. Unfortunately without some authoritative reference that can be used to prove the gun was made in 1897 or prior the CFO will consider it restricted. Even if the serial number is an 'I' instead of a '1' it would mean that the revolver was made in 1921 and therefore restricted so you're stuck that way too.

It is really unfortunate as the difference in price between an antique 1892 and a restricted one is about a thousand dollars. Average quality antique 1892's have been selling for about $1200. I purchased a minty (still had the straw color on hammer/trigger/gate) restricted one in December from a local gun shop for $250 and I have seen average restricted ones go for about the same. Yours is looking pretty rough so your best bet may be to register it and part it out.
 
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Try removing the sideplate. sometimes on commercial guns there are stamps on the backside of it. Check for stampings under the grips as well. (Try both sides) The book that I have on the Model 1892 is in french and my french is a bit dodgy, but p0st pics of everything and I'll see what I can find out. It sounds like the condition of the piece may curtail any efforts to date it, but you never know. Usually any stamps that aren't exposed to the environment will survive.
 
SurplusMan,

You may not be aware of this but if you can verify this pistol as antique you can still replace the barrel, cylinder etc with the newer (and restricted) parts and retain antique status. Only the original frame is required to maintain status.

You should take tumbleweeds up on his offer. If there is any chance you can verify this as antique it is worth trying.
 
Not sure how applicable, however if you can co-relate the proof mark with those used pre -1898 then you are probably good. Just parroting some info from an article in the 1970 Gun Digest on French proof marks. Some were categorized up to 1897. If one of these are present it would at least indicate manufacture of component before 1898 & I would assume that would be "proof"...pardon the pun.
Best of Luck
Jaguar
 
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