ELG Flintlock

jkimmel · December 10, 2008, 11:02 AM

I have a flintlock "rifle" that had hung over the backbar of an old tavern for years. It has marking on the barrel of ELG with a "star" in an oval. There is also a "LLH", a "FG", a "234" (the 4 looks like a slash, a dash and an undotted i pushed together) and a symbol that looks like a double lira. I had a butt plate made for it years ago as someone at some point had removed it. The gun smith said it was a rifled barrel. The barrel bore is larger than a nickle but not as large as a quarter. There are stamping on the top of the trigger guard but they are small and hard to discribe. Does anyone have any ideas of when and where is was made?

SDC · December 10, 2008, 11:45 AM

The "ELG" is a Belgian proofmark, so that tells you where it was made. There should be an inspector's stamp somewhere on it (usually just a single letter with a star over it) that will let you know which inspector was in charge of the proof-house when this gun passed proof, and that will usually let you know with 30 years or so of when it was actually made. If this gun was made with a rifled barrel, one of the proofmarks should be a capital "R" under a star, for "rayee" (rifled). HTH.

Hawg · December 10, 2008, 01:25 PM

Yeah, it was made in Belgium. Take some good pics including some close ups of the lock and markings and ask here. http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fu.../fusionbb.php? You'll have to sign up to access the forum but there's a lot of knowledge there.

Tom2 · December 10, 2008, 05:31 PM

Belgian? well then it is probably a "trade" gun made between 150-50 years ago. Belgium made economical flint or percussion muskets to use in the African or third world trade pretty late, long after cartridge arms were popular in the developed world. May be hard to identify beyond that.

jkimmel · December 11, 2008, 10:48 AM

Thanks for your help! I will get pictures of the rifle and markings and see if I can learn more. Merry Christmas to you all and a Great New Year!

December 10, 2008, 11:02 AM	#1
jkimmel Junior Member Join Date: December 10, 2008 Posts: 2	ELG Flintlock I have a flintlock "rifle" that had hung over the backbar of an old tavern for years. It has marking on the barrel of ELG with a "star" in an oval. There is also a "LLH", a "FG", a "234" (the 4 looks like a slash, a dash and an undotted i pushed together) and a symbol that looks like a double lira. I had a butt plate made for it years ago as someone at some point had removed it. The gun smith said it was a rifled barrel. The barrel bore is larger than a nickle but not as large as a quarter. There are stamping on the top of the trigger guard but they are small and hard to discribe. Does anyone have any ideas of when and where is was made?

December 10, 2008, 11:45 AM	#2
SDC Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2001 Location: People's Republic of Kanada Posts: 1,652	The "ELG" is a Belgian proofmark, so that tells you where it was made. There should be an inspector's stamp somewhere on it (usually just a single letter with a star over it) that will let you know which inspector was in charge of the proof-house when this gun passed proof, and that will usually let you know with 30 years or so of when it was actually made. If this gun was made with a rifled barrel, one of the proofmarks should be a capital "R" under a star, for "rayee" (rifled). HTH. __________________ Gun control in Canada: making the streets safer for rapists, muggers, and other violent criminals since 1936.

December 10, 2008, 05:31 PM	#4
Tom2 Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,676	Belgian? well then it is probably a "trade" gun made between 150-50 years ago. Belgium made economical flint or percussion muskets to use in the African or third world trade pretty late, long after cartridge arms were popular in the developed world. May be hard to identify beyond that. __________________ Your gun is like your nose, it is just wrong for someone else to pick it for you!

December 11, 2008, 10:48 AM	#5
jkimmel Junior Member Join Date: December 10, 2008 Posts: 2	Thanks Thanks for your help! I will get pictures of the rifle and markings and see if I can learn more. Merry Christmas to you all and a Great New Year!

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December 10, 2008, 01:25 PM	#3
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	Yeah, it was made in Belgium. Take some good pics including some close ups of the lock and markings and ask here. http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fu.../fusionbb.php? You'll have to sign up to access the forum but there's a lot of knowledge there.