HELP me ID this Revolver, PLEASE

[Double Maduro]

This was part of my friends estate. I would like some help in figuring out what it is, and if possible what it is worth.

On top of the rib just behind the front sight it says, FOR 44 WINCHESTER CARTRIDGE.

On top of the raised part at the front of the sight platform it says, BELGIUQ.

On the right side, just above the hinge are some marks that could be a crown and the letter R.

On the back of the cylinder there is a mark, between Hole 6 and 1 that looks like a crown on top of an oval with the letters L G inside, at the bottom of the hole with this mark is an L with what could be a crown attached to the top, at the bottom of this hole is what could be an acorn . The holes (2 & 3) are numbered as is the extractor.

When the trigger is released the hammer comes back to a safety notch position.

The cylinder rotates clockwise.

Thanks

DM

 

[Double Maduro]

some more pics.

 

[HighVelocity]

I have no info to offer but I love this type of thread. I look forward to reading about what it is.

 

[Smith357]

It looks like it could be a Beligian copy of a an old S&W 44 DA. It definatly has the screwed on trigger guard common on old Belgian guns, there were a lot of unmarked copys made by various Belgium makers in the late 1800s so pinpointing it could be very difficult.

 

[bullet8542]

+1 on the Belgian copy but as to which one I can be of no help.

 

[Lo.Com.Denom]

You could try here:

http://www.littlegun.be/arme belge/a a artisans identifies gb.htm

Unidentified S&W copies were legion in Belgium, however.

 

[dogngun]

The crown over the L is the proof mark. The gun was made in Liege, Belgium around 1890-1900. Caliber is probably .44-40 Winchester, black powder loads. It appears to be a combination of some S&W elements ( such as the rebounding hammer - you could carry it with all chambers loaded)and some European features. It was not a bad gun in its day - Belgium still makes excellent firearms, such as modern Brownings. It was probably made for export to the US.

I would clean it LIGHTLY with a little break free on clean cloth patches and oil it lightly and just put it on display. DO NOT shoot it.
DO NOT : remove the grips - they are 120 year old rubber and they will break and there are no more.
DO NOT: attempt to remove rust, or scrub the bore with a brush. Use a first patch dipped in Windex run thru the bore, followed by dry patches till they come out clean. This will remove black powder fouling , but you must not let the Windex in the bore for longer than a few minutes. Repeat this till the crud stops coming out, then one final patch with Break Free or light oil.
DO NOT: Re-blue the gun.
The gun is probably worth a several hundred dollars, but it may be worth more - over cleaning will destroy value for a collector of this tyoe of gun.
Try Nathan Flayderman's book on antique gun values for a better estimate and possible ID of this revolver.

Mark

 

[lamazza]

I have one almost identical with the exception of a "fold in"? piece on the hammer. Everything else is identical. Mine says
Hopkins and Allen Mfg co.
Norwich, Conn. USA

 

[Jim Watson]

Double, Mark is right as far as I can tell, but if a no-name Belgian knockoff of a S&W Double Action Frontier is worth "several hundred dollars" I don't know what the world has come to. My old copy of Flayderman does not show foreign guns. As Mark says, it is good mostly to clean up and hang on the wall.

lamazza, now yours is INTERESTING.
"Almost identical."
Is it a .44 on a big frame?
Is it a topbreak action?
Are there markings other than Hopkins and Allen, Norwich, Conn, USA?

H&A was really a pretty decent maker in their higher end guns, which include their own designs and the Merwin Hulbert guns.

You NEED to get us a picture.

 

[XavierBreath]

DM,
Here is a pic of my newly acquired S&W 44 DA Frontier. As you can see, your's is a close copy. I just traded an XD9 for mine. I understand I got a deal.

 

[lamazza]

Ill get some pictures taken in the next day or so

 

[Double Maduro]

Thanks for all the help.

I appreciate it.

Don't give up now.

DM