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Brittish Proof

London Proof in context

Birmingham Proof in context

Proof Masters in London and Birmingham can be contacted at the addresses below:

The Proof Master
The Proof House
48 Commercial Road
London E1 1LP
United Kingdom

 

The Proof Master
The Gun Barrel
Proof House
Banbury Street
Birmingham B5 5RH
United Kingdom

Proof Marks

Ref

Mark

Proofhouse

Valid

Type of proof

L1

London

1637->

“GP” surmounted with a crown. London definitive proof.

L2

London

1670-1955

“V” surmounted with a crown. View mark

L3

London

1813->

“GP” surmounted by a lion. For provisional proof for barrels

L4

London

1868-1925

“VGP” surmounted by a lion. Provisional proof for barrels in definitive proof state

L5

London

1904->

Definitive nitro (smokeless) powder proof for all guns

L6

London

1916-1954

Definitive nitro (smokeless)  proof for military guns

L7

London

1925->

“R” surmounted by a crown. For reproof.

L8

London

1925->

“SP” surmounted by a crown. Indicates that a barrel has undergone a special proof for heavier loads than normal.

Before 1954 this mark was used together with normal definitive mark, but after 1954 it is used as definitive mark as well.

L9

 

London

1925-1954

The letters means the same thing as for the marks above. The circle means “not English made”.

L10

London

1989->

Reproof of a barrel with have had removable chokes added

L11


NOT NITRO
 

London

1954->

London black powder proof together with L1

L12

London

1988->

“RM” and scimitar over the last numbers of the year. For magazine shotguns with a restricted magazine capability. Year denotes the year of change.

L13

London

1988->

“DA” and the last numbers of the year. “DA” stands for “DeActivaded”. Year denotes the year of deactivation.

 

 

 

 

 

B1

Birmingham

1813-1904

From 1855 definitive black powder proof for all guns with B3

B2

Birmingham

1813-1904

View mark

B3

Birmingham

1855->

“BP” surmounted by a crown. Provisional proof.

B4

Birmingham

 

“VGP” surmounted by a crown. Provisional proof for barrels in definitive proof state

B5

Birmingham

1904->

“BP” surmounted by a crown. Definitive Birmingham proof.

B6

Birmingham

1904-1954

“BV” surmounted by a crown. View mark.

B7

Birmingham

1904-1954

“NP” surmounted by a crown. Definitive nitro proof.

B8

Birmingham

1916-1954

Definitive nitro (smokeless)  proof for military guns

B9

Birmingham

1925->

R” surmounted by a crown. For reproof.

B10

Birmingham

1925->

“SP” surmounted by a crown. Indicates that a barrel has undergone a special proof for heavier loads than normal.

Before 1954 this mark was used together with normal definitive mark, but after 1954 it is used as definitive mark as well.

B11

Birmingham

1954->

“BNP” surmounted by a crown. Definitive proof.

B12

Birmingham

1925-1954

The letters means the same thing as for the marks above. The circle means “not English made”.

B13

Birmingham

1989->

Reproof of a barrel with have had removable chokes added

B14


BLACK POWDER
 

Birmingham

1954->

Black powder proof together with B5

B15

Birmingham

1989->

“MR” and the last numbers of the year. For magazine shotguns with a restricted magazine capability. Year denotes the year of change.

B16

Birmingham

1989->

“DA” and the last numbers of the year. “DA” stands for “DeActivaded”. Year denotes the year of deactivation.

 

 

 

 

 

BL1

London & Birmingham

1887-1954

1954-1984

1984-1989

1989->

Bore in three diffrent measurements.
Gauge was used 1887-1954. Decimal inches was used 1954-1984. Decimal inches or mm was used 1954-1984. Mm only is used from 1989.

BL2

London & Birmingham

1875-1887

12B means “bore”, 14M means muzzle in the meaning that the gun is choked and not suitable for ball.

BL3

London & Birmingham

1887-1954

Replaced BL2.

BL4

London & Birmingham

1887-1896(1989)

A mark used before nitro proof was regulated with a mark (1896). SCH stands for Schultze a german powder. See BL5

BL5

London & Birmingham

1896-1989

In three different forms.
1896-1904 also used Max, Shot and Grs (Grains).
1904-1925 omitted Max, Shot and Grs (Grains).
1925-1954 just the load followed by oz (ounce).
1954-1989

BL6

London & Birmingham

1887-1925

Between 1887-1904 for guns intended for larger than normal powder load.

From 1904-1925 the powder and bullet maximum was used, on non-Express as well.

BL7

London & Birmingham

1904-1954

For shot and ball

BL8

London & Birmingham

1925->

Chamber length. From 1925 only in inches, between 1954-1989 in inches or in mm. From 1989 in mm only.

BL9

London & Birmingham

1984-1989

For metric proof the marks indicates proof pressure and not service pressure.

BL10

London & Birmingham

1989->

Proof pressure according to CIP.

Date marks

London

The initial London date stamp from 1972 also included the letter “H”, but that was dropped and after that it has only the letters “LP”

The millenium was stamped as “MM”.

Birmingham

Birmingham used date stamp of five different types: the first from 1921 to 1941, the second from 1950 to 1974, the third from 1975 to 1984, the fourth from 1985 until 2005 and the last one from 2005 and onwards.

1921-1941

1950-1974

1975-1984

1984 ->2005

 

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Last updated: 2011-02-22