2333

HIGH QUALITY "AUG. FRANCOTTE Bte" MARKED SIDELOCK

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:1,250.00 USD Estimated At:2,500.00 - 3,500.00 USD
HIGH QUALITY  AUG. FRANCOTTE Bte  MARKED SIDELOCK
EJECTOR GAME GUN WITH CASE. Cal. 12 Ga., 2 1/2". S# 86203. Bbls. 26 1/8" dovetailed w/ slightly raised, matted & concave rib; is engraved "Aug. Francotte Bte" & "A. Liege" on tops. Bbl. flats & bottoms of bbls. are stamped w/ 1929 Belgian nitro proofs for 2 1/2" chambers. Crowned A & F stamps are also present. S# corresponds to a medium grade Francotte of 1929. The "8" appears to be added in front of the other numbers every place the S# appears, except where engraved on trigger guard tang. This was done at the factory before this gun was finished. The "Francotte Deluxe" sidelock, a "best" gun offered by A & F in 1933, featured chopper lump bbls. & side clips. Casehardened action of this gun features automatic safety, bushed strikers & hidden third fastener, along w/ gold line tumbler end cocking indicators & dbl. triggers, (front articulated). Action & sidelocks are engraved w/ 80% coverage lightly cut open scroll surrounding more deeply cut & superbly detailed rose bouquets w/ a horseshoe shaped rose & other bloom garland on bottom of action. Blued top lever & trigger guard are engraved to match. Dark, somewhat burl figured, European walnut rnd. knob pistol grip buttstock measures 14 1/8" over Silver type pad. Gun also features drop points & flat top point pattern checkering. Matching splinter Francotte type ejector forend has Anson release. Bore diameters: left - .725, choke .019 (mod), right - .724, choke .016 (mod). Wall thickness: left - .032, right - .032. DAC: 1 9/16". DAH: 2 1/2". Cast approx. 1/4" off. LOP: 14 1/8". WEIGHT: 6 lbs.13 oz. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: vintage, possibly original, tan leather case w/ brass corners, lined in scarlet velvet & has gold embossed Francotte label in lid. Case contains a pair of snap caps & a square oil bottle. Condition of case is fine w/ some scuffs & marks in leather. Handle is good. Interior cloth has some compressions & light soiling. Label is fine w/ some blue staining. CONDITION: very fine, appears to be all original. Bbls. retain nearly all of what appears to be original blue w/ only a few light handling marks. Action retains 60-70% original color, silvered on fences & beads, thinning on bottom. Lockplates retain nearly all of their original color. Top lever is silvered on thumbpiece. Trigger guard has blue thinning on edges & is silvered at grip. Stocks retain nearly all of what appears to be their original French polish finish, perhaps re polished a bit w/ addition of newer pad, checkering lightly worn. Bores are excellent. Chambers measure 2 11/16", so in proof for 2 1/2". Action is tight. Bbls. are on face. Ejectors are in time. This is a very fine gun in fine condition. (19-5441/MGM2). CURIO. $2,500-$3,500.