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VERY FINE MODEL NO. 5 HAMMER PIGEON GUN BY LOUIS

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:2,500.00 USD Estimated At:5,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
VERY FINE MODEL NO. 5 HAMMER PIGEON GUN BY LOUIS

BRANCQUAERT. Cal. 12 Ga., 2 3/4". S# 1682. Bbl. 29 1/2". Brancquaert is hardly a household name but is recognized by fine gun enthusiasts as one of the best. Louis Brancquaert was a turn of the 20th century pigeon shooter & sourced guns from Belgium’s best makers to sell to his well heeled friends under his own name. This fine gun was owned by royalty as is evidenced by gold inlet monogram & crown on forend. This gun has 29 1/2" dovetailed steel bbls. fitted w/ slightly raised matted concave rib. Bbl. flats are stamped w/ pre-1920 Belgian nitro proofs for 2 3/4" chambers. Bottoms of bbls. are stamped w/ steel type (nickel compound cap) & w/ choke information. Splinter is stamped w/ S# & is made in 1 piece w/ loop. French gray, robust, top lever hammer action is fitted w/ rebounding front spring locks w/ rnd. bodied serpentine hammers & also features hidden Purdey type 3rd fastener, side clips & dbl. triggers (front articulated). Fences are very nicely filed & action & locks are engraved w/ near full coverage well cut sm. scroll w/ some rose bouquet highlights at tails of locks & on bottom of action surrounding “L. BRANCQUAERT” “BRUSSELS”. Blued triggerguard has matching scroll on bow & S# on tang. Straight grip buttstock of well marbled & lightly figured European walnut measures 14 1/2" over old Silver type pad. Point pattern checkering is at grip. It appears that this stock is a well made old replacement as checkering does not match forend. Splinter forend w/ Anson release has very well cut borderless checkering & central diamond is inlet w/ aforementioned monogram “JLO”(?) sun mounted by a dukes crown. MEASUREMENTS: BORE DIA.: Left .724. Right .724. BORE RESTRICTIONS: Left .038 Full. Right .038 Full. WALL THICKNESS: Left .029. Right .028. DAC: 1 1/2". DAH: 2 1/4". Cast 3/8" off. WEIGHT: 7 lbs 2 oz. CONDITION: fine. Bbls. retaining most of their original blue considerably worn from normal hand wear above forend & w/ scattered marks & scratches overall silvered at muzzle. Action retains most of its light case hardening/gray finish darkened from normal use around bottom. Top lever retains approx. 80% of its original blue & triggerguard has most of what looks like an old reblue. Buttstock retains most of a light oil finish w/ some scattered marks, most notably a fairly deep ding on right side of butt. Checkering lightly worn. Bores are very fine, bright & shiny w/ evidence of dent removal in left bbl. approx. 9" from muzzle. Action is tight. Locks are fine. (21-3275/MGM). CURIO. $5,000-12,000.