Belgian Double-Action Early Cartidge Revolver (I think...)

[RadarsRUs]

See pics of an early (what indicates may be) Belgian made Double-Action revolver. It appears to chamber a .38 S&W cartridge nicely. It is a bit of a contraption and the break-down is a peculiar Un-Screwing of the Barrel and Cylinder Assembly away from the breach-face when 1 screw is removed...

There is a number "17" under base of barrel and stamped inside grip frame. The Grips are Horn of some sort. A strange little animal for sure (and not very nicely machined inside)

My guess is very late 1800's. I am curious for Anyone to jump in here and fill in with any information / knowledge they care to add.

[schutzen-jager]

iirc the crown w/ EL is a Belgian proof for many arms including cartridge pistols -

[Hick]

My book "The Illustrated Book of Guns" (Miller) has several pictures that look very, very similar, but with slightly different shaped grips. All the ones in the book are pinfire revolvers (Austrian, Belgian and German).

[Texas by God]

It looks like a Rast-Gasser to me.
But that’s a guess.


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[Hick]

Just found a even more similar revolver in my books: Trantor Revolver, 38 caliber?

[john.k]

It also has the ELG in a circle proof on the cylinder,.......there were hundreds of small gunmakers and co operatives in Belgium,mainly in Liege and Herstal......thousands of cheap import revolvers flooded the US market,and after much lobbying the US makers got a $6 per gun import levy ,plus the existing import duties ,to price them out of the market.

[RadarsRUs]

Hello Gents'. Those are some really interesting notes you are adding into this.

Yes, it seems like it takes a piece of .38 S&W Brass Perfectly with the right amount of Open Cylinder in front of it for the Loaded round to be at correct Length for operation.

Do any of you know of an Internet Site that has lots of info on the sorts of old European guns?? Something / pictures of these "Trantor" or "Rast-Gasser" revolvers?

Very interesting about the $6.00 Protective Tax too! That would have been a significant Price Bump back then...

Thanks, SD

[Texas by God]

I think the Gasser was close but no cigar.
Search “Montenegrin revolver “ to see what I mean. If it’s Belgian, maybe search Nagant?


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[Battis]

The Belgians copied many other guns (Brevettes). Here's one that looks like yours, but there's no info on it.


https://s3.amazonaws.com/mgm-content/sites/armslist/uploads/posts/2012/11/30/690403_01_1880_s_engraved_belgian_revolv_640.jpg

[rintinglen]

I would place a small wager that is a Belgian Galand action revolver made sometime between 1880 and 1914. The caliber was popular in Europe at that time, while the style was widely copied by Belgian, and extremely popular within Balkan countries. I have seen photos of Albanians, Montenegrins and Greeks wearing similar revolvers that date from that era. As has been mentioned, there were scores (if not more) of small gunsmithys in Belgium producing firearms ranging from first quality to "hold-your-nose-and-wash-your-hands-after-touching" and which one made that particular revolver is anybody's guess at this late date.

[Dutchman]

The best site on the net, far as I know, for Belgian guns of vintage dates.

http://littlegun.be/

Beware it will take considerable time to negotiate this website, but fun.

Dutch

[Dutchman]

I'd also like to recommend a book for European handguns:

The Handgun by Boothroyd (c)1974. You can find it sometimes on ebay or Abe's books.

Lots of them on ebay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3519243.m570.l1313&_nkw=The+Handgun+by+Boothroyd&_sacat=0

Dutch