1. Francotte Shotgun Identification
2. Winchester Shotgun Serial Numbers
3. Stevens Shotgun Serial Numbers

High-end Francotte shotguns for sale. Best Quality Sidelock, SXS, Side by Side, Ejector, Abercrombie and Fitch, 30E, Grade 30, Special Order, 14E, Abercrombie and Fitch, 45E Eagle Grade, Pre War, Left Hand, 10 Gauge Shotguns, 12 Gauge Shotguns, 16 Gauge Shotguns, 20 Gauge Shotguns, 24 Gauge Shotguns, 28 Gauge Shotguns, 410 Bore Shotguns, Drillings & Combos, Vintage Hammer Guns.

A Belgian double from an artist’s hands

1. The number are as follows, 40 on one barrel and 138 on the other. Those numbers are the furtherest away from the stock. The next set of numbers towards the stock on one barrel are 3471 with 12 directly underneath that. I assume that means 12 gauge? The serial number is XXXXX in this area and that is 28079.
2. High Grade Shotgun Dates of Production. High Grade Shotgun Dates of Production: YEAR: GUN # AUGUSTE FRANCOTTE - Best Grade. GUN # AUGUSTE FRANCOTTE - Medium Grade: 1890: 18888: AUGUSTE FRANCOTTE - Medium Grade: 1891: 19475.Serial number range changes in 1922 & 1927: YEAR: GUN # STEPHEN GRANT: 1867: 2480: STEPHEN GRANT: 1870: 3000.

By Vic Venters
Photographs by Terry Allen

Though he’d hunted grouse in New England for a couple of decades, John Vibber was mostly new to fine guns in 1992 when he found an Auguste Francotte boxlock at an antique sale in the parking lot of the Shelburne Museum, in Vermont. “It looked and felt streamlined,” said Vibber, today a retired teacher and author in Burlington. “I was surprised by its light weight, and it was better balanced and more dynamic than any other gun I’d shot up to that time.”

Vibber’s knowledge of doubles had theretofore mostly been gleaned through reading Steve Bodio’s Good Guns, a slender but influential book in the then-burgeoning fine-gun scene that characterized wingshooting in the 1990s. Although he didn’t know much about Francottes at the time, Vibber was a fan of the gun’s former owner: Ogden Minton Pleissner, the famous American landscape and sporting artist whose works feature prominently in the collections of the Shelburne Museum.

Pleissner—whose mastery of lighting to evoke mood in his paintings is favorably compared to Winslow Homer and Andrew Wyeth—had lived in Vermont since the late ’40s, spending his last years in Manchester before passing away in 1983 at age 78. His widow, Marion, had written a note on her letterhead—then in the dealer’s possession—stating that Francotte No. 20576 (as well as a Holland & Holland) had come from her husband’s estate.

The Francotte had blackpowder-proof Damascus barrels, but Vibber took a gamble and bought it anyway. “These were the days before anyone knew much about shooting Damascus,” he said. For advice on restoring and shooting the gun, Vibber brought it to Bodio, then a visiting teacher at a writing workshop at nearby Sterling College.

“I was extremely eccentric back then,” Bodio recalled, “in that I shot more Damascus than not, so people came to me to get advice, i.e. ‘permission,’ to shoot Damascus guns.”

Based on its serial number, 20576 had been made around 1892, when Belgium’s colonial empire and the Liège gun trade were near their peak and Auguste Francotte was one of Liège’s most important makers of sporting guns. Von Lengerke & Detmold, a Manhattan-based establishment that catered to New York’s wealthy sporting set, imported the gun roundabout then. At the time VL&D sold a wide variety of guns, American and English, and especially Continental brands such as J.P. Sauer, Mauser, Greifelt, Mannlicher-Schoenauer and, most successfully, boxlock shotguns made by Francotte in a range of models.

CLICK IMAGES TO EXPAND

Today extant VL&D records belong to Griffin & Howe, the successor to New York’s Abercrombie & Fitch, which acquired VL&D and G&H in the late ’20s. Surviving VL&D ledgers begin in 1900, so the particulars of 20576 are not recorded, but upon examining photos G&H archivist Bob Beach (a Francotte expert) believes the Pleissner gun most closely resembles an early iteration of the Featherweight Quality I—in other words an Anson & Deeley non-ejector with modest coverage of well-executed scroll, made in 12-gauge with Damascus barrels, with proprietary intercepting sears, a Greener crossbolt with a straight rib extension, and plain side panels with teardrops on the stock behind the action. In the first decade or so of the 1900s the model was priced at $125, a couple of steps up from VL&D’s popular utility-grade Knockabout ($60 to $85) and a bit more expensive than a Parker DH ($100) or L.C. Smith No. 3E ($115). Prices climbed to $450 for Francotte’s more elaborately engraved and finer-finished boxlocks, culminating in the sideplated and gold-inlaid Eagle grade.

Pleissner’s Francotte was tight and mechanically sound, but it had been hunted hard and someone sometime had blued the barrels, though their figure still showed through a well-worn finish. Vibber turned to master gunsmith Keith Kearcher to rebrown the tubes—which Damascus-expert Drew Hause has since identified as “3-Iron Crolle,” a pattern-welded iron-and-steel barrel type typically found on good-quality, mid-priced guns of the period. Vibber also had another ’smith recut the checkering and install a recoil pad. Finished with the new pad, it weighed 6 pounds 11.5 ounces and had a length of pull a shade more than 14 inches.

Pleissner was a fine wingshot, by all accounts, and in his sporting art birds and men with dogs and doubles abound.

The 28-inch barrels had 2-5/8″chambers and ample wall thickness—.035″and .034″, right and left—for the sort of modest loads Bodio had proposed. It was choked Cylinder and tight Modified, and Vibber hunted grouse with it for years and shot clays on occasion. He credits the old Francotte (and Bodio) for helping spark his passion for fine guns. Vibber recently consigned the gun for sale with Kirby Hoyt of Vintage Doubles, mostly because he has found a lighter 20-gauge that fits him better.

What the Francotte meant to Pleissner, what coverts and fields he carried it through, what he may have killed with it and what he missed—sadly, we know none of that. His widow’s letter did not disclose how and when the artist acquired the gun. Its life through undoubtedly several owners—and things have lives through the hands of Man—remains like a ghost: perhaps glimpsed but mostly imagined.

Pleissner was a fine wingshot, by all accounts, and one whose commissions took him around the world, and in his sporting art birds and men with dogs and doubles abound. Some of his best work is of ruffed grouse hunting in New England. “I like shotgunning and partridge hunting,” he told his biographer, Peter Bergh, near the end of his life, “but I am getting a bit old for it now. Partridge always seem to fly uphill, and the hills get steeper every year.”

I’d like to imagine that he sometimes held a Francotte in his hands when he tackled those hills.

Thanks to John Vibber, Kirby Hoyt, Bob Beach, Drew Hause (search term: Damascus Knowledge), Cornell Publications and Steve Bodio.

The Shelburne Museum

Though best known among the sporting set for his paintings of wingshooting and fly-fishing, Ogden Pleissner described himself as “a painter of landscapes who also liked to hunt and fish.” Beginning with summers in Wyoming as a young man, the artist visited and painted stunning landscapes throughout his life, from the American West, New England and the Maritimes to western Europe and the UK.
There is no doubt where one goes to see Pleissner’s fusion of landscapes and sporting art: Vermont’s Shelburne Museum, where John Vibber found his Francotte. The museum’s 600 works by Pleissner make it the preeminent collection of his work, which he bequeathed following a long relationship with the museum.

Selections of 40 or so are shown in a rotating exhibit in the museum’s Ogden M. Pleissner Gallery, where an exhibition titled “Upstream with Ogden Pleissner” will “transport viewers to some of the avid angler’s favorite streams, rivers and lakes.” The exhibition will run from May 2017 through October 2018.

The Pleissner Gallery also includes the artist’s studio (above), rebuilt from Pleissner’s Manchester, Vermont, home.

Among its many collections, the Shelburne Museum has 1,400 wildfowl decoys and Vermont-made historical firearms. —Ed Carroll

• HubPages»
• Sports and Recreation»
• Hunting & Shooting»

What year was your gun created?

Francotte Shotgun Identification

How to search for your firearm or gun date of creation or manufacture via it's serial number. There is unfortunately no one stop shop for this task but hopefully with the help of this lense you will be able to find your firearm by manufacturer below and follow their link in order to track your weapon. Use the links below and please have your model and serial number handy so you can provide it on the corresponding pages in order to find out when your gun was made.

Colt Firearms

Visit Colt 1911 Website

Colt is known for creating some of the highest quality firearms including the 1911 pistol supported by numerous other awesome standard and tactical pieces of equipment, from rifles to shotguns.

Not able to locate the date of manufacture for your Colt firearm? Well we did some digging and found that Colt offers an archival service for a moderate fee to locate all records of your original Colt shipment. They provide every spec about the gun, who is was shipped to, when it was shipped, and even how many other firearms were shipped at the same time as yours. You can find the order form and specifications of Colt Manufacturing's archival service here.

Browning Firearms

Visit Browning Firearms Website

Browning Firearms has created and manufactured firearms from shotguns, rifles, rimfires, and pistols including many other gun related accessories.

How to find your Serial Number

Use these videos to find the serial number on your gun or firearm.

Glock Firearms

Visit Glock Perfection Website

Here you will find the Glock Talk forums where you can search and chat with individuals who own glocks and can share information with you on finding out 'When was your glock made?' Just click the register link on the top left to start.

Makarov Firearms

Visit MakarovWebsite

Makarov (PM - Pistolet Makarova) - Here you will find the serial number break down by letters and numbers in order to find out when you Makarov firearm was created. This is as simple as matching red to red, blue to blue, or 1 to 1. Ensure you have your serial number handy and visit this site to begin.

Marlin Firearms

Visit Marlin Lookup Website

Visit the link above to find out when your Marlin firearm was manufactured. The website is straight forward and all you have to do is type in the serial number to your gun and BAM you are presented with the date of creation, simple as that. Marlin firearms are kept in a database along with other manufactured firearms for easy reference.

Remington Firearms

Visit Remington Society Website

Firearm dating information about Remington series firearms and guns provided by the Remington Society. You can reference the above website in order to date your firearm by the numbers and letters in the serial number and also learn how to read the serial number to know what each number and letter stands for, just like in a drivers license number.

Sears Branded Firearms

Visit Sears Firearms Website

This is more of a cross reference for Sears branded firearms as well as just about every other manufacturer. This cross reference can be used to figure out which Sears firearm was created by which manufacturer as a mirror model of their own. Then use the links on this lense to look up the firearm that your Sears Firearm is most like to find out the year of manufacture. A new history of india stanley woolpert pdf printer.

Taurus Firearms

Visit Taurus Firearms Website

The Taurus Model Number Lookup System will help you find detailed information about your Taurus Gun. Enter the serial number (no spaces) of your firearm and click on 'Search' to identify your model. (You must click the 'search' button to get your results.

Winchester Shotgun Serial Numbers

Winchester Firearms

Visit Winchester Lookup Website

Similar to the Marlin lookup tool above (and provided by the same website) comes the Winchester lookup tool. You can simply visit the above web site and type in your serial number off of your Winchester firearm and TADA the date is quickly retrieved from their database and displayed on your screen. It doesn't get much easier than that.

Firearm Poll - When Was My Gun Made?

If your firearm manufacturer was not listed or covered in this lense. Please vote 'other' below and add a comment as to which firearm you are looking for and I will do my best to find and update the information on this lens for you.

U.S. Military Firearms

Visit US Military Firearms Database Website

Stevens Shotgun Serial Numbers

Select whether your firearm is a handgun or a long gun and choose the appropriate link to be directed to oldguns.net look up tool. Once there simply search for the date your firearm was created by typing in the serial number in the box.

Which firearm are you looking up? - When Was My Gun Made?

• Hi Standard R-103 Ser. No. 1419033 When was it made ??

• S&W I do believe its a model 8 revolver but all i can find is model 10. Serial # is 154829. Would like to find year and how much its worth

• Date of Manufacture of Win. M.70, and G166444 .458 Win.

  Win. M70 cal .75 H&H, an. G63083

• J Stevens Model 35, serial number 49536 production date. thanks

• Ruger P.38 6779 and 9857 Wa 135 and b/f 44 has German swastika on it. I would like to know about it.

• I have an old double barrel 12ga. shotgun made (or maybe sold by) New York Arms Co. N.Y.serial # 60318. Can anyone tell me the year of manufacture ?

• nickle 38 snub nose no markings on it so don't know who made it only has the serial number 42781 and on the butt it has number 303

• hunter arms dbl barrel shotgun 12 gauge made in fulton ny made by embers royal #389619

• 38 cal, U S Revolver CO. serial number, 30912, Seeking Date of production

• 70% cond sxs 410 ga

• US arms #44219 single barrel need the dob

• How old, what cal. Can i fire it and with what ammo s#27193

• Serial # 3907

• Neighbor has a very old S&Wchrome with pearl handles that I'm trying to buy, it looks brand new, it was given to his dad in 1931--217529, 38 Cal CTG--- he also has an old Colt 22 or pistol- 40160, it has 3 dates on it December 22 1903--August 27 1918 September sept 3 1918, I want to be fair when I make an offer but I really want both

• k323903. Mossburg 500a. Pump 12ga.

• I was looking for High Standard Supermatic Citation_Military

• find the serial number for smith and Wesson revolver model 29-mountain gun

• Was wondering some info on this seriel number 50927

• IT'S A 243 WIN AND IT APPEARS TO HAVE 2-00 AND THEN PNP 19 TONS PER STAMPED ON THE RECEIVER. SERIAL # 11M3828

• 20 gauge double double hunter arms . The Fulton I wanna know how old is it

• I have a crescent firearms double barrel 12 guage with triumph hammerless

• I have a Browning A 5 16 gauge shotgun s/n 15436 How old is this gun and what is it worth

• I have a Cooey model m39 .22, CT007728 would like to know the year please.

• Rifle is a Venezuelan FN Model 24/30 Short rifle, Serial # 38198

• I have a Highstandard mod E .22 LR pistol, it looks very old. I would know when it was made.

• I haven't found any info for this rifle Midland gun co. England 270cal.bolt rifle serial #014770

• American gun ser#4957

• trying to find sate of man.

• 3869

• correction 089704

• looking for year of make of my german made 22.LR 8 shot,HW7 revolver serial number 753040 Arminius,

• I'm trying to look up the model of my gun. All I have is a serial number 78468 the maker of the gun bringingham the barrel length is 25 in it is a rifle

• AR10

• Looking for information on S&W 38cal (Top Breakover) serial number 2068MF

• I got a connecticut arms co. 12 ga. Where like to know the age vin.GB798

• I was bequeathed a S&W 18-3 22ir. The gun is fully functional. the serial number is:3K92331. Can you tell me anything about it? Age, value..

• I have a Savage Model 99 rifle with serial # c114387 Can you tell me the date of manufactor?

• I have a Ranger 520A Sears Roebuck 102.25 12 gauge shotgun, serial number U122587 can you tell me who manufactured it and when?

• Can you tell me when was my gun made?

  It is an H&R 38 s&w top break hammerless

  with serial number: 144771

  There is no date on the barrel.. just

  Harrington & Richardson Arms Co

  Worcester, Mass. U.S.A

• looking for mfg date

• Would like to know when my S & W .38 cal revolver was mfg. Ser. # J618946

• hunting rifle, vector-m98 (mauser). looking to find out where and when it was made, s# 3842u has id# also

• Year my Hi-Point CF380 pistol was manufactured

• Savage model 11. serial # G 492159

• I have a top break 32 s&w, serial number 325921, was wondering if you could tell me what year it was made, thanks

• I am trying to find the age of my aya cosmos 20 bore single barrel shotgun

• I inherited this beautiful Rifle from my Grandfather. It is a Bolt-Action with a 10 round Magazine. The site switches from 300 yards to 600 yards. It has multi serial numbers and says No 4 Mk1 on it. The printed ser # 1503585 and there is a scratched in ser # B336078

  Thanks

• I need to track an Ithaca model 37 that has been in my family for as long as I can remember, I have been told that it was used in Vietnam by my great grandfather and the gun was used in Vietnam but I have no way of being sure. Some closure would be really nice and thank you!

• I have a Colt Single Action Army in 45 long ser# S31454A what gen and year is it?

• Have a Smith and Wesson #29-2, Serial #N315793. Would like to know the date it was made.

• I have a Burgo 22 lr revolver sn 114087 any info will be appreciated.

• I have an Astra Falcon 9mm pistol that I bought back in 1979. Would this be regarded as an antique now??

• I have a 9mm sanw model459 serial# a828230. Need to know when ir was mafe.

• I got a cattleman 357 magnum seral number 07910 can you tell me when it was made an maybe how much its worth

• Have a Savage 110, serial # f509251, when was it made? Thanks

• We have a British Sterling 9mm rifle SN KR95822. Can you tell me when manufactured and any history?

• I have my grand father's iver johnson owl head .32 caliber pistol, serial number 55688, no letters, how old is it, when was it made???

• model 99 savage 250-3000 ser# 206401when made where and current value.

• Need manufacture date and value for my savage 99 250 3000. # 206401

• I Was wondering what year my Iver Johnson 55A was made serial # is H 40793? Thank you

• when was it made?

• I have a V.Bernadelli 9mm auto pistol. Serial number 00188.

  When was it made and sold.

• browning B17619 only numbers I can find 12 Ga pump what else can you find out

• I'm looking for when my Stevens Model 311 Series H 12 ga. sxs shotgun was made.

  serial number B087xxx

• researching manufactured year of Ceasar Guerini Summit Sport Limited Serual #102979

• i have a rife with the serial number ar3294 it looks like a carcano rifle but i am not sure of what year other it looks like a ww 2 rifle.

• looking for my build on a ruger m77 semi bull barrell, 22-250, model 75-88572 somewhere around 1981

• i have a desert eagle pistol , how do i find how old my pistol is?

• Looking for info.on a H&R top break hammerless revolver the serial #30085 the 3 is a 3 i think The cylinder has 85 on it cant make out patent numbers and years on barrel

• H&R top break hammerless revolver serial number 30085 i think the 3 is a 3 anyways

• Curious @ production date of Beretta Border Marshal 96 Brigadier F 40 cal. (BER142876)

• When was rifle made

• I'm looking for mfg date of an h&r pioneer 22 rifle s/n 6634

• When was Nitro Hunter 20 ga. shotgun made. Serial Number A74662