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Look at the proof marks on the watertable of the reciever and the bottom of the barrels for the proof marks.
Here's what to look for.
https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/Firearm/Proofmarks.pdf

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On an Army & Navy .450 DR, that link won't be of much help.

The marks on the flats indicating full, original nitro proof for a .450 Nitro Express would be:

Pre-1904: "Cordite 70 grs, 480 grs bullet max'm". There will be no Nitro Proof mark.

Post-1904: "Cordite 70 - 480 MAX". The letters "NP" will appear on the flats.

If one of the above doesn't appear, it's a Black Powder Express.

If the marks say "Cordite 52 - 365 MAX" and the letters "NP" appear, then it was proved for the Nitro for Black load, which would also mean that it's a Black Powder Express, the Nitro Proof mark being essentially meaningless in the case of the NfBs.

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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

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