Pin fire Shotgun

[Huttles94]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask but:

Just bought a old pin fire shotgun at auction. Seems mid 1800s and is probably French. Bought since it can be held as a Section 58 so no licence is needed. Got it for a decent price and it looks to be in good nick.

My question is: It is stamped STE Fox on the action. I am guessing this is the maker? Anyone on here knowledgeable on French pin fire shotguns?

[Huttles94]

This is an image of the action. Looks like it is stamped STE Fox, but I cant quite make it out..... damn my eyesight!

https://i.imgur.com/f7nRfsr.jpg

[Huttles94]

This is an image of the action. Looks like it is stamped STE Fox, but I cant quite make it out..... damn my eyesight!

https://i.imgur.com/f7nRfsr.jpg

Edit: After a closer look, it might me STE FOY. After a quick google search, I have found someone asking about a shotgun that has a somewhat similar marking.

[tacfoley]

Aha, let's pretend that this was your first post - Ste Foy = Sainte Foy. It was, as I surmised, French-made and sold in Ste Foy la Grande. Roturier, the name on the example subject of this post for another forum, was a retailer. You do not need to pay me the usual eu450 pd for the translation - I am a fluent speaker of French and welcome the practice.

“Roturier, Ste. Foy la Grande.” - this looks like this is the seller or perhaps the firm which assembled the gun. This is normal in French guns. Little hardware stores all over France marketed guns assembled from imported parts...sometimes not even putting a name on them...or if they got enough aristocratic patronage, they'd add a name....

Sainte-Foy-la-Grande is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France on the River Dordogne 30 miles east of Bordeaux. (Aquitaine - think Gascony and D'Artagnan from 3 Musketeers). I believe it was once two towns…the Port Sainte Foy de Pinuilh and Sainte Foy…they apparently merged in the 19th century into Sainte Foy la Grande. (I believe Porte Sainte Foy was the head of navigation on the Dore River and was quite prosperous for a time). The River Dordogne runs due east from Bordeaux then up into the Midi and forms the border between Gironde Departement and Dordogne Departement. There is a canal up the river starting at Ste Foy.

There apparently was a very well known company there, called the Etablissmente Roturier - 1920’s-50’s - that manufactured tools, assembled bicycles, repaired motorcycles, tractors and sold hunting and fishing equipment, etc., iow, a typical French hardware store serving a region. Monsieur Jean Edmond Roturier may have been the founder or a descendent. I can’t find much about Messieur Roturier or his company. However, in 1976 the “Maison Roturier,” listed as an “Armurerie” (a gun store i.e firearms supplier/purveyor), was established by Jean Marie Edmond Vircoulon, identified as an former employee and associate of Roturier… Another post indicated M. Vircoulon took this firm or at least the name over in 1955 and ran it for 54 years.

Vircoulon retired in 2009 and his shop at 41 Rue Victor Hugo was closed. The name, however, ultimately was taken over by a young 26 year old protege Bastien Pierrot. His shop is at 19 bis de l'avenue Leclerc à Pineuilh (part of Ste..Foy la Grande). Here is an article about him.

http://www.sudouest.fr/2010/09/17/l-...87242-3038.php

By French law there MUST be a lot more markings on this gun than you have told us about, but it might not be worth dismantling - such guns as these can be bought for eu50 in Sunday markets in the South of France.

[Huttles94]

Here are all the images I have taken of the gun. Just realized today that the left barrel has a hole in it. Oh well was not expensive and bought to go on the wall anyway.

https://imgur.com/a/Cu6B36a

[tacfoley]

You have an answer - E Bernard was a Liége barrel maker - http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge...rnest%20gb.htm

So, Belgian-made barrels on a French action = a bitsa gun made for the lower end of the market and retailed via a local hardware store...

[Huttles94]

Thanks for the link to that website. Yes looks like it is E Bernard barrel. Though I have just seen that the barrel and action serial numbers do match 16506. So I would not think it is made from two different guns.

Also I am no expert but could a gunsmith fix that small hole? Since it is not near the breach where all the pressure is? Again, no expert on the logistics of shotguns

Cheers

[tacfoley]

Depends on how much you are already into for it. Is it worth a hundred pounds to fix? Me, think it adds character to an old gun.

[Huttles94]

Depends on how much you are already into for it. Is it worth a hundred pounds to fix? Me, think it adds character to an old gun.

True. I paid £130 for it. So not in it for much. One day I would like to shoot it but for now, its ok as is.

Cheers

[tacfoley]

True. I paid £130 for it. So not in it for much. One day I would like to shoot it but for now, its ok as is.

Cheers

Shoot a 170 year-old pinfire shotgun? How's that? And more to the point, where?

[Huttles94]

Shoot a 170 year-old pinfire shotgun? How's that? And more to the point, where?

I know a few places and although ammunition is old as balls. You can get 16 bore pinfire cartridges. Though the local gun shop wont have them :P

Just google pinfire shotgun shells and you will find heaps of info.

[tacfoley]

I know a few places and although ammunition is old as balls. You can get 16 bore pinfire cartridges. Though the local gun shop wont have them :P

Just google pinfire shotgun shells and you will find heaps of info.

Ah right. You do, of course, have a shotgun certificate?

[Huttles94]

Ah right. You do, of course, have a shotgun certificate?

Ah no not at the moment, I would not think of trying to shoot any gun without the appropriate licence! I rather like not having bars on my window, and not worrying about dropping the soap thank you. I was just talking about sometime in the future.

[tacfoley]

Ah no not at the moment, I would not think of trying to shoot any gun without the appropriate licence! I rather like not having bars on my window, and not worrying about dropping the soap thank you. I was just talking about sometime in the future.

Make it quick, before Mr Corbyn's new government takes ALL our guns away....

[lew07]

Good advice from everyone above especially concerning prison.Is Your arse worth more than 20 Rothmans?😬