Home | Ezine | Forums | Links | Contact
NitroExpress.com: Proofmark puzzle

View recent messages : 24 hours | 48 hours | 7 days | 14 days | 30 days | 60 days | More Smilies


*** Enjoy NitroExpress.com? Participate and join in. ***
You are not logged in. [Login] Main Index · Search · Active Topics
New user · Who's Online · FAQ · Calendar

Double Rifles, Single Shots & Combinations >> Double Rifles
Previous topic Previous   View all topics Index   Next topic Next   Threaded Mode Threaded  

Pages: 1
casper50
.400 member


Reged: 18/10/07
Posts: 1599
Loc: Alaska
Proofmark puzzle
      #394793 - 05/12/25 12:07 PM

If I am reading the proofmarks correctly this was first proofed as a .577 BPE. With the smokeless proof does this mean it is now a nitro express?

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
3DogMike
.400 member


Reged: 29/01/15
Posts: 1500
Loc: Western Slope, Colorado USA
Re: Proofmark puzzle [Re: casper50]
      #394806 - 06/12/25 03:24 AM

Belgian Proof Marks: The (partly indistinct) Lion over the PV indicates smokeless proof.
The .577 and "express" certainly look like typical British stamping. "Express" has zero to do with differentiating BP or smokeless.
What rifle maker? What length cartridge?
Without knowing the maker or the approximate age it is hard to tell if it was originally BP Express….

- Mike

--------------------
"Will Rogers never met a fighter pilot"
- Anon

“Always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake."
-- W. C. Fields

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
casper50
.400 member


Reged: 18/10/07
Posts: 1599
Loc: Alaska
Re: Proofmark puzzle [Re: 3DogMike]
      #394807 - 06/12/25 03:57 AM

It's not mine so I can't give you any of those answers. The owner is all hyped up that it's a .577 nitro express. I have told him that it isn't built for nitro loads.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
3DogMike
.400 member


Reged: 29/01/15
Posts: 1500
Loc: Western Slope, Colorado USA
Re: Proofmark puzzle [Re: casper50]
      #394809 - 06/12/25 04:39 AM

The owner needs to weigh the rifle.
The weight would give a "best guess" as to BP Express versus full on Nitro Express.
- Mike

--------------------
"Will Rogers never met a fighter pilot"
- Anon

“Always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake."
-- W. C. Fields

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Huvius
.416 member


Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3645
Loc: Colorado
Re: Proofmark puzzle [Re: 3DogMike]
      #394824 - 06/12/25 11:18 AM

Looks like a Jones style lockup which could be black, light nitro or full nitro.
Mike’s suggestion of weighing the rifle makes a lot of sense.
The only 577 I’ve ever owned was an Alex Henry double which, of course was a black powder rifle, but was a really heavy rifle.
Way heavier than a 500.
And, in the shooting, was WAY more powerful than a 500.
Unless someone is looking to turn a purchase and make a pile of money, I don’t see any desire to own a full house 577!
Well, that’s a little lie…. I’d like to have one but I don’t necessarily want to shoot one!!

--------------------
He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
casper50
.400 member


Reged: 18/10/07
Posts: 1599
Loc: Alaska
Re: Proofmark puzzle [Re: Huvius]
      #394825 - 06/12/25 01:17 PM





Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
eagle27
.400 member


Reged: 24/01/09
Posts: 1240
Loc: Rolleston, Christchurch, New Z...
Re: Proofmark puzzle [Re: casper50]
      #394826 - 06/12/25 03:01 PM

Some Belgian proof info that shows black powder proof and nitro proof with some pressure limits.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
DarylS
.700 member


Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 28059
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: Proofmark puzzle [Re: Huvius]
      #394833 - 07/12/25 04:30 AM

Quote:

Looks like a Jones style lockup which could be black, light nitro or full nitro.
Mike’s suggestion of weighing the rifle makes a lot of sense.
The only 577 I’ve ever owned was an Alex Henry double which, of course was a black powder rifle, but was a really heavy rifle.
Way heavier than a 500.
And, in the shooting, was WAY more powerful than a 500.
Unless someone is looking to turn a purchase and make a pile of money, I don’t see any desire to own a full house 577!
Well, that’s a little lie…. I’d like to have one but I don’t necessarily want to shoot one!!



I've only held one nitro express .577. It was a monster and I don't remember the make. bad on me. It was back in the 70's when I saw it. Huge action compared to any shotgun action I've seen, much larger than my 10 bore of later years. I would suggest it was 14 pounds and that number seems familiar.
Greener's "The GUN" 9th edition has glowing "letter reports" on the BP version of the .577 using 160gr. pdr and 560 gr. bullets.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
3DogMike
.400 member


Reged: 29/01/15
Posts: 1500
Loc: Western Slope, Colorado USA
Re: Proofmark puzzle [Re: DarylS]
      #394856 - 08/12/25 01:27 AM

Quote:


I've only held one nitro express .577. It was a monster and I don't remember the make. bad on me. It was back in the 70's when I saw it. Huge action compared to any shotgun action I've seen, much larger than my 10 bore of later years. I would suggest it was 14 pounds and that number seems familiar.
Greener's "The GUN" 9th edition has glowing "letter reports" on the BP version of the .577 using 160gr. pdr and 560 gr. bullets.



That was my point earlier, the true "Nitro" rifles are/were way more stout than the BP rifles. Depending upon the loading, maker, and era the BP rifles were anywhere from 9lbs to ~12 1/2lbs. True Nitro rifles from back in the day were, as Daryl noted, usually on the order of 13-14lbs or a bit more. However, there always seem to be exceptions?
Get out an accurate scale and weigh the thing.

As well, figure out if the chambers are 2 3/4", 3", or 3 1/4", all were available in BP, NfB, Light Nitro, and Nitro loadings, the 2 3/4" is the odd one out because these days it is a hand loading only deal. The nice thing about the 2 3/4" is that it will keep "Joe Lunchbucket" from casually dropping a .577 3" 750 Nitro load into a possibly BP Express rifle.
Beware tho of vintage rifles that "may" have originally been a shorter BP Express version of .577 then had the chambers lengthened to 3" when the shorter cartridges became unavailable. They will work as originally intended with Black or Nitro for Black loadings but could be damaged or destroyed by a careless (ignorant) use of a full house .577 3" Nitro load.


Once again, weigh the rifle to get a better idea of what it might be.

- Mike

--------------------
"Will Rogers never met a fighter pilot"
- Anon

“Always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake."
-- W. C. Fields

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
casper50
.400 member


Reged: 18/10/07
Posts: 1599
Loc: Alaska
Re: Proofmark puzzle [Re: 3DogMike]
      #394863 - 08/12/25 01:38 PM

Mike it's not mine and is in Hungary. I have asked him to make a chamber cast.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Pages: 1


Previous topic Previous   View all topics Index   Next topic Next   Threaded Mode Threaded  

Extra information
0 registered and 116 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator:  CptCurl 

Print Topic

Forum Permissions
      You cannot start new topics
      You cannot reply to topics
      HTML is disabled
      UBBCode is enabled

Rating:
Topic views: 221

Rate this topic

Jump to

Contact Us NitroExpress.com

Powered by UBB.threads™ 6.5.5


Home | Ezine | Forums | Links | Contact


Copyright 2003 to 2011 - all rights reserved