Belgium Revolver

00_Green · April 13, 2009, 08:10 PM

I've had this kicking around the house for years. A number of people have looked at it but I still know little about it.

Here's what I suspect ...

Cal. 320 British (.320 Revolver CF). Five round, fluted cylinder, left side of frame safety, vertical screw located in lower frame for possible trigger adjustment. Right side of the barrel & frame displays, "Rampant Lion over PV", "Crown over R" and "Star over M". House of Liege proof on the cylinder. Bore with rifling and cylinder chambers are in excellent condition. Interesting enough the grips appear to be synthetic from a mold, left grip has a small crack. Strong operable action. Three digit serial number on cylinder and frame match.

Any info would be appreciated. If someone has serious interest in this I'm open for trades.

old knife buddy · April 16, 2009, 05:38 PM

could be a belgian bossu {hunchback} 1910 europe... many copys of this pistol also called ladys purse gun or house pistol try to see if it says galand any where your marks say it could be made by charles francois galand a frenchman try this name to francotte and may also trend guns

RJay · April 16, 2009, 09:25 PM

All the described markings are Belgium, so if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and so on. As noted it is typical of many thousands of personal defense revolvers made in Belgium and sold around the continent. .320 was a popular European cartage at the time. Most , like yours are unmarked as to maker. I feel the value is more as a curiosity or decorative item than anything else. These are common on the market place and only a few collectors. Time line.1880's to 1920's

Tom2 · April 17, 2009, 07:46 AM

When dealers have one of those at the gunshows, they ask out of line prices for them, they have minimal collector interest but are an interesting novelty. Might be shootable but I suspect they were meant to be carried alot and fired very little.

00_Green · April 19, 2009, 09:14 AM

Gents, Thanks for the info!!

I bought this quite sometime ago at a yard sale for $5. It sat on my reloading bench as a conversation piece and then sat for years stored away. I recently considered putting it in a shadow box and tried to research it some but odds are it will go back in storage.

I thought if someone had serious interest in it I'd rather see it enjoyed than sitting around my place.

If I find out any more about it I'll post again.

Thanks to all who took the time to comment,

Dave

James K · April 20, 2009, 02:43 PM

There were a zillion variations, but an almost identical one is shown the the ALFA catalog of 1911, at 18 German marks, which was about $4.50 at the time, so you paid too much. Today's value basically is what a buyer can get. There is a mild collector/novelty interest, and one in like new condition can bring $200 or more; most bring half that. That gun is missing the ejector rod.

The .320 was the equivalent of the obsolete .32 Colt, so .32 S&W cartridges might not fit.

Most of those guns have no maker's marking since they were put out by Liege consortiums, groups of small workshops in which one company made cylinders, another barrels, etc. Those made by a single factory are uncommon. Some people call any small European revolver of that general period a "Velo Dog", but that term really applies only to revolvers chambered for the Velo Dog round, a long .22 caliber center fire.

Jim

April 16, 2009, 09:25 PM	#3
RJay Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2005 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,936	All the described markings are Belgium, so if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and so on. As noted it is typical of many thousands of personal defense revolvers made in Belgium and sold around the continent. .320 was a popular European cartage at the time. Most , like yours are unmarked as to maker. I feel the value is more as a curiosity or decorative item than anything else. These are common on the market place and only a few collectors. Time line.1880's to 1920's Last edited by RJay; April 16, 2009 at 09:57 PM.

April 17, 2009, 07:46 AM	#4
Tom2 Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,676	When dealers have one of those at the gunshows, they ask out of line prices for them, they have minimal collector interest but are an interesting novelty. Might be shootable but I suspect they were meant to be carried alot and fired very little. __________________ Your gun is like your nose, it is just wrong for someone else to pick it for you!

April 16, 2009, 05:38 PM	#2
old knife buddy Member Join Date: January 14, 2009 Location: n.j. Posts: 36	could be a belgian bossu {hunchback} 1910 europe... many copys of this pistol also called ladys purse gun or house pistol try to see if it says galand any where your marks say it could be made by charles francois galand a frenchman try this name to francotte and may also trend guns

April 19, 2009, 09:14 AM	#5
00_Green Junior Member Join Date: April 13, 2009 Posts: 14	Gents, Thanks for the info!! I bought this quite sometime ago at a yard sale for $5. It sat on my reloading bench as a conversation piece and then sat for years stored away. I recently considered putting it in a shadow box and tried to research it some but odds are it will go back in storage. I thought if someone had serious interest in it I'd rather see it enjoyed than sitting around my place. If I find out any more about it I'll post again. Thanks to all who took the time to comment, Dave

April 20, 2009, 02:43 PM	#6
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	There were a zillion variations, but an almost identical one is shown the the ALFA catalog of 1911, at 18 German marks, which was about $4.50 at the time, so you paid too much. Today's value basically is what a buyer can get. There is a mild collector/novelty interest, and one in like new condition can bring $200 or more; most bring half that. That gun is missing the ejector rod. The .320 was the equivalent of the obsolete .32 Colt, so .32 S&W cartridges might not fit. Most of those guns have no maker's marking since they were put out by Liege consortiums, groups of small workshops in which one company made cylinders, another barrels, etc. Those made by a single factory are uncommon. Some people call any small European revolver of that general period a "Velo Dog", but that term really applies only to revolvers chambered for the Velo Dog round, a long .22 caliber center fire. Jim