Pinfire question

[nagol]

I would like to know the status of "the guardian American model 1878"
As a pinfire it seems to be left out of the act's description of antique status.
Would this fall under antique status or end up prohibited due to size/ barrel length?

 

[tiriaq]

If it is pre-1898 and pinfire, it is antique.

 

[rgbai]

it will have this stamped on the rear or side of the cylinder if it was made 1893(top) or before.
if it has a crown on top (below)it was made 1894 or after

 

[nagol]

So this example would be pre 1893. And appears to be non functional as the cylinder rotates and does not lock up inline with the barrel.

 

[tmfknives]

If yours has the ELG* without the crown, you are okay, no matter if the gun is functional or not. The crown was added half-way through 1893, at first they were two separate stamps, then in 1894 they combined the oval and the crown. The "Guardians" were made by a variety of manufacturers in the 1880's and 90's, most did not bother to put their name on the guns, especially early on because Eugene Lefaucheux owned the patent in continental Europe for the bored-through pin fire cylinder - just like the Rollin White situation in the US. If yours does not lock up, this could be because either the cylinder stop / trigger return spring is missing or broken (very common problem) or the actual stop is damaged (not common). The "Guardians" fall into the same category as the US "Suicide Specials" as far as quality goes... Good luck!