1876 11mm what ???

[bigbird34]

I have just moved my inlaws from their old home into a new house ....my father inlaw has had this gun since I have known him ,over 30 years ,he never fired it ,and stated he paid $3.00 bucks for it at a factory outlet store here in Vt when he was real young ...he states it's an 11mm (he thinks Mauser) I don't believe he is correct ....then today he said "Queens Ann gun ??? British made ,I truly think he has forgotten what it is ...

Anyhow,I have disassembled the gun ,as it is rather rusty/dirty has has not been taken care of for over 30 years ....stamped on the barrel is "1876" ,a P8,a s/n 329R (all parts are stamped this way),and 1889 on the buttplate ...the stock has a cartouchea circle witha large W,on the left of the w is 18,on the right 77 (1877),above the w is DELFT ????

Overall the gun is in good condition for it's age ,once the parts are cleaned to my satifaction,then i will reassemble the gun .....if it is worth anything at all it would be a miracle ,the only piece missing is the cleaning rod ,so if someone has one for sale I may be interested :D

Here's some pic's...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/bigbird34/DSCF2962.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/bigbird34/DSCF2961.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/bigbird34/DSCF2960.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/bigbird34/DSCF2959.jpg



Any and all info will be appreciated ...BB34:)

[B. Lahey]

Looks like a M1871 Dutch Beaumont converted to take magazines.

It looks a little like a French Gras, but the trigger-guard and bolt are way more Beaumont-ish.

I saw one of these with that very distinctive magazine in a book or magazine not long ago, but now I can't find it. Until I find it, take the wild guess above with a grain of salt

[B. Lahey]

Found it on the internet, still can't find the book source.

It sure looks like an M1871/88 Dutch Beaumont-Vitali to me. Take a look for yourself:

http://www.militaryrifles.com/Holland/BmontVit.htm

[Scorch]

The shape of the magazine and the trigger guard are too distinctive for it to be anything else. Chambered for 11X52R M71/78, approximately 45 caliber.

[Jim Watson]

Big W cartouche for William III, King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Barrel might have been made in 1876 and the rifle not assembled and marked until 1877. Converted from single shot to repeater in 1889, most likely. P8 is likely the stamp of some long forgotten inspector.

[dutchy]

Delft is a city in Holland that had an armory for centuries.
Recently it was converted into the ntional army museum.

www.legermuseum.nl

Very nice museum in a stunning city.

Dutchy