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Old September 30, 2008, 04:54 PM   #10
Jim Watson
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 18,543
The "maple leaf" is probably the German Imperial Eagle used in many of their proof marks.
(Eagle) is the provisional proof of individual barrels or guns rough fitted.
(Eagle) (Crown) U is definitive proof test of the finished gun.
(Circle) 16 is for 16 gauge. It is probably the 65mm - 2 9/16" chamber instead of the current 70mm - 2 3/4", which would have been so marked. General opinion is the short chamber guns should not be shot with long shells.
Proper shells can be had, although probably rather expensive.

(Crown) W means that barrel is choked, probably full choke.
Nitro means tested for smokeless powder.

These marks are from the system in use from 1891 til 1939. The gun is probably a world war bringback, confiscated from some German hunter's house.

35 D I don't know, not in my list of German proof marks. A company mark or a local inspector's mark maybe.

8,9 is the BORE diameter of the rifle barrel. Add typical groove depth and it is probably a 9.3 caliber, of which there are several different ones.
As SDC said, it will take a chamber cast to tell for sure. You can get 9.3x74R and maybe 9.3x72R. Others would be harder, either formed and handloaded or a major custom effort, assuming you want to shoot the gun and not just show it.
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