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WesF
.224 member

Reged: 17/03/10
Posts: 27
Loc: Montana

.405 double. Who made it and when?
#157488 - 26/03/10 09:50 AM

I'm sure some of you have seen the Rigby .303 I started my posting career here with. This is the other double rifle in my families collection. The folks over at doublegunshop.com said I might be able to find out more about who / when it was made. It's a .405 caliber. Grandpa shot a number of gaur and elephant with it. I don't know enough about proof marks or even where to look to find the information on a gun such as this. The words on top of the barrels are "A. Thonon" on the right and "Namur" on the left. My apologies for the poor photography. Any help or expertise you can apply would be greatly appreciated.
I know the butt pad is not original. The original had simply disintrigrated.

~Wes

Edited by CptCurl (26/03/10 11:57 AM)

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4seventy
Sponsor

Reged: 07/05/03
Posts: 2210
Loc: Queensland Australia

Re: .405 double. Who made it and when? [Re: WesF]
#157492 - 26/03/10 10:31 AM

Hi WesF and Welcome!
That is a Belgian double you have there, and the letter f on the barrel flats suggests a proof date of 1927.
Looks like a very nice rifle, thanks for showing us.
Regarding the "A Thonon" on the barrels, I cannot offer much help other than this link to a site with some info on Belgian gunmakers including the Thonon name.
http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/a%20a%20artisans%20identifies%20gb.htm

Would love to see more photos if you get a chance.
I own and use a Belgian .470 proofed in 1928.

Edited to add..."Namur" would most likely be the town in Belgium where the A Thonon was located.

Edited by 4seventy (26/03/10 06:11 PM)

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Anonymous
Unregistered

Re: .405 double. Who made it and when? [Re: 4seventy]
#157498 - 26/03/10 11:12 AM

PM sent

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39881
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: .405 double. Who made it and when? [Re: WesF]
#157519 - 26/03/10 02:19 PM

Quote:

It's a .405 caliber. Grandpa shot a number of gaur and elephant with it.

Wes,

Sorry can't help re the rifle, but you wouldn't have access to any old photographs or photo albums from your Grandfather's Indian and other hunting trips?

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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WesF
.224 member

Reged: 17/03/10
Posts: 27
Loc: Montana

Re: .405 double. Who made it and when? [Re: NitroX]
#157532 - 26/03/10 05:53 PM

My dad might have a few NitroX. I can ask him if he does. It might take awhile to find them though.

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Sville
.400 member

Reged: 23/03/10
Posts: 1189
Loc: Sweden

Re: .405 double. Who made it and when? [Re: WesF]
#157549 - 26/03/10 10:14 PM

I am new in this forum. I´m glad if I can contribute in some way. I have a double rifle that looks like yours, but in the calibre 9,3x74 and made by Demarteau. Fore end and action looks the same. Not stock and engraving. My barrels was made by Falla which I don´t think yours are, but I cant see the punches properly. Your rifle was made in Liege. I have made a lot of investigation on my rifle and learned some. This link are good http://pagesperso-orange.fr/mallorquina/source/pageT.htm.
Here you find the different members of the Thonon family. You can learn about proof marks etc. Why do our rifles look alike? The answer is that most old Belgian weapons only were put together of in this case Thonon. The parts were produced by different craftsmen, one did barrel, stock, mechanism etc. And then the one that put their name on the rifle put it together. I don´t know how to show pictures in this forum, so I can´t show my rifle.

Best regards
Sville

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450_366
.400 member

Reged: 17/01/07
Posts: 1068
Loc: Sweden, west-coast.

Re: .405 double. Who made it and when? [Re: Sville]
#157552 - 26/03/10 10:23 PM

Quote:

I am new in this forum. I´m glad if I can contribute in some way. I have a double rifle that looks like yours, but in the calibre 9,3x74 and made by Demarteau. Fore end and action looks the same. Not stock and engraving. My barrels was made by Falla which I don´t think yours are, but I cant see the punches properly. Your rifle was made in Liege. I have made a lot of investigation on my rifle and learned some. This link are good http://pagesperso-orange.fr/mallorquina/source/pageT.htm.
Here you find the different members of the Thonon family. You can learn about proof marks etc. Why do our rifles look alike? The answer is that most old Belgian weapons only were put together of in this case Thonon. The parts were produced by different craftsmen, one did barrel, stock, mechanism etc. And then the one that put their name on the rifle put it together. I don´t know how to show pictures in this forum, so I can´t show my rifle.

Best regards
Sville

Welkome to the forum, good to se another swede here.

To post pictures you need to download them on a server and attach the link to your post.
An easy way is to sign up for photobucket. photobucket

--------------------
Andreas

"Yeas it kicks like a mule he said, but always remember that its much worse standing on the other end"

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Sville
.400 member

Reged: 23/03/10
Posts: 1189
Loc: Sweden

Re: .405 double. Who made it and when? [Re: 450_366]
#157555 - 26/03/10 11:36 PM

Thanks for the information. This DR looks like the Thonon rifle. Demarteau DR. Put together in Liegé by Jeanne Demarteau in 1966. Simple but well done engraving. Very good to shoot with, 40 mm at 90 meters. I bought it a year ago and have shoot some elks and wild boars with it.
Link: http://s968.photobucket.com/albums/ae166/demarteau/Demarteau%20DR/

Sville

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450_366
.400 member

Reged: 17/01/07
Posts: 1068
Loc: Sweden, west-coast.

Re: .405 double. Who made it and when? [Re: Sville]
#157576 - 27/03/10 05:29 AM

Sorry my fault, click image instead and attach the link.

btw, nice rifle.

--------------------
Andreas

"Yeas it kicks like a mule he said, but always remember that its much worse standing on the other end"

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4seventy
Sponsor

Reged: 07/05/03
Posts: 2210
Loc: Queensland Australia

Re: .405 double. Who made it and when? [Re: Sville]
#157592 - 27/03/10 08:15 AM

Sville,
Welcome to NE. Great to see another Belgian double rifle owner here.

Regarding the .405, I think the barrels have been made by Falla.
They are stamped with a Crowned JF, which I think is one of the marks used by Jean Falla. My .470 has the same marks.

Thanks for linking some photos of your Demarteau, it looks like a very nice rifle.

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