S/V says that FN offered factory engraving options in 1903 and by 1909 had standardized 6 Types. I’ve learned that when the book says by 1909 it can be as early as 1904. However, this being one of the first 10,000, I think it’s safe to say that it predates the standardization. By the way, the terms Grade and Type are not interchangeable. FN offered 6 Types, of those, Browning only offered 3, and used the term Grade. A Browning import with FN Type I engraving would be a Browning Grade 2. A Type 6 would be a Browning Grade 4. So the difference in terms is important.
Joining lot late here but back to your screws you find screws of this era were generally polished and flame quench blued to give an practical quick oxide protection. It will look different to rust blue and may have odd spectrum colours trapped depending on the base material and quench medium. Not generally rust blued as difficult to manage and continually handle and card such small components repeatedly even in screw plate jigs. Nitre process came much later in time but makes that task with little fiddle stuff a one off breeze in a basket.
Your showing my age Rudolph! Lol My personal experience has been that about 3/5 survived but most were worn to a point of needing replacement. Original buttplates in good condition from that era? Nearly non-existent! Lol Will
Please provide us with an update on the restoration. And we’d also appreciate a link to the eventual auction. I’m pretty sure that’s allowed. Ranger?
Yes that's fine. Op has contacted me about his membership and will be allowed back as a member following the rules.
Thank you Ranger6 for the mulligan. I made contact with a good friend & master gunmaker, Monte Manderino and we meet this past weekend at the Kalispell gun show. After seeing the A5 in person he said he was willing to help with the project. He took the gun home the first evening and reshaped the trigger guard. I also located a pre-war pistol grip stock & forend at the show… we came to the conclusion that a “nice used stock would look more appropriate than a repro straight stock”. He will weld up the extra hole and recut the engraving and then “age” it. I’ll add a couple pics of what he calls his personal “creative masterpiece”…it took 4 years to create. Since Monte has taken this project up, I've decided to not sell it... it will join the 1903 Griffin & Howe NRA Sporter in .220 Swift for me a couple years back. Cheers… Ben
The tang bend will need to be modified (reduced) to match the pre-war stock and the stocks lower tang inlet will need to be enlarged slightly too. I have more pics that I can make available if desired.
Below was a possible "donor" gun, but noticed the fore end was cracked and was priced at $699 This gun was purchased for it's stock & fore end... It was only $200... the butt stock & fore end are solid, buttplate is great condition... hope to have the completed project in hand by Thanksgiving...
One issue that will be interesting to overcome is the lower tang to receiver... it's a square corner on the earlier gun and the donor A5 has a radius corner... Monte said it shouldn't be a problem to patch & blend the coloring... right now the waiting feels like watching water boil...
Just a question, but why is this master gun smith not making a straight stock? This one is pretty rare, and in my opinion, it needs the straight stock.
My thought was since the gun is fairly worn... putting new wood on it would look rather inconsistent appearance wise....
I just noticed in the last pic, does the engraving show traces of gold inlay, or is that wishful thinking?
In my mind new wood that is correct does not take away from the gun, however, incorrect stock is not worth a second look.
I just messaged Monte... his response was "follow input from those that know the market"... so, I'm going to look for an old straight stocked gun to use as a donor...
If that’s the original trigger plate, it was probably bent to accommodate the pistol grip stock. That’s why it needed a different stock hole. If it can be bent back to its original shape, the original hole should line up perfectly with the one on the top tang.
Monte says he can reshape the pistol grip stock to a straight stock... he hates to do checkering, but has someone that he knows that would do a good job. Has anyone here "reshaped" a pistol grip stock to a straight stock before? Any insights? Thanks in advance.
