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Belgian Proofmarks

Belgian proofs are among the oldest and have a very long history. But despite the history the belgian proof stamps are rather straight forward, normally one can’t get more information from the proof more than it has been done if one can’t find the inspectors mark.

The inspectors mark is still an secret so the list here should be regarded as uncertain, but it can in some cases give a more accurate dating that the stamps.

The date stamps is not used on all guns, otherwise that is the most accurate.

Proof Mark	Valid	Proof House	Type of Proof
	1924->	Liege	Mark for voluntary treble temporary or provisional proof on unfinished barrels
	1924->	Liege	Mark for voluntary double temporary or provisional proof on unfinished barrels
	1893->	Liege	On barrels of muzzleloading guns that has passed a re-enforced black powder proof. On barrels of breechloading shotguns after final black powder proof. The same stamp but smaller is found on Flobert guns, selfloading pistols with a excess proof pressure of 50%, on barrels of top break guns for Flobert or revolvers cartridges an excess pressure of 30% and or revolvers which are proofed with 30-50% excess loads. Introduced to designate arms proved in conformity of German Proof Law of 1891. Now represents definitive black powder proof except for muzzle loaders
	1891-1959	Liege	This mark is found on barrels and locks after voluntary semi-smokeless proof Standard smokeless powder proof on military rifles below 8mm caliber. 1898-present Standard smokeless proof for all arms. 1903-present
R	1846-1889	Liege	Mark applied to barrels which failed proof and have returned to makers for reworking
	1894->	Liege	Designates rifled barrel. Introduced for handguns in 1894, rifles over 8mm in 1897. Since 1924 used on all rifled arms.
	1852 ->	Liege	Provisional black powder proof for breech loading guns, since 1924 reserved for smooth bore barrels. Between 1847-1952 the stamp with the letter “F-J C” was used in the same purpose.
	1959->	Liege	Superior smokeless proof
	1853-1877	Liege	Example of inspectors mark, any letter can be used with a crown.
	1877->	Liege	Inspectors mark, normally these are kept secret
	1672 - 1810 and since 1853 ->	Liege	The perron mark, used: 1 On the chamber or or lock on muzzle loading which has passed final black powder proof. 2 On barrel locking system or chamber if the lumps are part of the barrel after final black powder proof
	1852-1853	Liege	Preliminary proof for unfinished barrels, and indicated barrels had not been weakened after proof by breeching, Used on muzzle loaders
18.0	1810 ->	Liege	Bore diameter in millimeters. Until 1894, stamped in .02mm graduations, then in 0.1mm steps
CHOKE	1898-1910 (1924)	Liege	Choke designation
CHOKE 17. 16.3	1897-1910(1924)	Liege	Degree of choke, in this case 0.7mm constriction
	1910-1924	Liege	Degree of choke, in this case 0.7mm constriction
CHOKE 17.0	1924->	Liege	Choke constriction, together with barrel dimension this can give a brief view of the choke.
	1898 - 1924	Liege	Mark for optional superior provisional proof. The mark was seldom requested
	1892-1924	Liege	Chamber dimensions in millimeters shotguns undergoing smokeless proof. Length of chamber over diameter of chamber
	1968 ->	Liege	Smokeless powder proof for rifles
	1924->	Liege	This mark is found on guns that is not made in Belgium by countries that use proofs that is not recognized by the Belgian Proof House. The mark is applied after the gun has passed the Belgian proof.
	1810 - 1853	Liege	Double proof as prescribed by the French law of 1810.
	1810 ->	Liege	Black powder proof for rifles and shotguns. Can be without star and ring. In it’s small version it’s a acceptance mark on barrels that was exported in a unfinished state 1846-1893 In it’s small version it’s a black powder mark on small pistols and revolvers barrels 1866-1893 In it’s small version it’s a black powder mark on small revolvers cylinders 1866-1893
CH B RAYE	1893-1924 1930 ->	Liege	Guns with rifled chokes
CH RAYE	1924-1930	Liege	As above
NON RAYE	1894-1924	Liege	Not rifled, on smooth bore barrels
NON RAYE 94	1894-1894 (1894-1924)	Liege	Variant of the one above, used for some month in 1894 and sometimes later on...
EXPRESS NON RAYE	1894-1898	Liege	Mark for smooth bore express rifles
NON POUR BALLE	1878-1897	Liege	Not for ball, indicates that the barrel has choke
1K355.5	1892->	Liege	Weight of proofed barrels, after 1924 fractions of grams no longer used.
	1924->	Liege	On barrels and actions of smoothbore guns with the gauge size (or nominal bore) plus the shell or cartridge case length
	1924->	Liege	Preliminary proof for unfinished barrels
	1898 to 1924	Liege	On barrels and actions of smoothbore guns with the gauge size.
	1891->	Liege	Smokeless powder proof of military rifles until 1903, thereafter indicates nitro proof for all types of arms.
	1891->	Liege	On barrel action of breech loading shotgun after the gun has passed proof with semi-smokeless powder . SCH or EC is abbreviations of the powder: SCH meaning Schultze.
	1891->	Liege	On barrel action of breech loading shotgun after the gun has passed proof with semi-smokeless powder . SCH or EC is abbreviations of the powder: SCH meaning Schultze.
	1897-1903	Liege	Maximum service load for shotguns having undergone smokeless proof. Always found in conjunction with the stamps above, which would indicate type of powder
		Liege	Mark identifying the Belgian Proof House
	1924->	Liege	Applied to all guns made but not proofed in Belgium - sent to an other country proof facilities.
	1924->	Liege	Applied to all gun not made in Belgium but proofed in Belgium.

Belgian date codes

Please note! These might cursive as well.

Stamp	Year	Stamp	Year	Stamp	Year
a	1922	α	1948	p	1977
b	1923	β	1949	q	1978
c	1924	γ	1950	r	1979
d	1925	δ	1951	s	1980
e	1926	z	1952	t	1981
f	1927	θ	1953	u	1982
g	1928	λ	1954	v	1983
h	1929	μ	1955	w	1984
i	1930	ξ	1956	x	1985
j	1931	π	1957	y	1986
k	1932	ρ	1958	z	1987
l	1933	σ	1959	P	1988
m	1934	τ	1960	N	1989
n	1935	φ	1961	L	1990
o	1936	a	1962	J	1991
p	1937	b	1963	H	1992
q	1938	c	1964	K	1993
r	1939	d	1965	I	1994
s	1940	e	1966	R	1995
t	1941	f	1967	S	1996
u	1942	g	1968	A	1997
v	1943	h	1969	V	1998
w	1944	i	1970	W	1999
x	1945	j	1971
y	1946	k	1972
z	1947	l	1973
		m	1974
		n	1975
		o	1976

Belgian inspectors

Letter with a star *	Name	From	To
A	Woit Nicolas Cominoto	1911	1940
A	Louid Croux Francois	1951	1954
A	Unknown	1974	->
B	Roland Charles	1927	1959
B	Soubras Jean-Marie	1976	1976
B	Degrijse Pierre	1977	1978
C	Brenu Louis	1924	1948
C	Francard Dieudonné	1959	1968
D	Marchal René	1951	1968
D	Marchal René	1974	1982
D	Jawze Daniel	1979	->
E	Jamart Auguste	1924	1959
E	Hanssens Fabrice	1995	->
F	Alexandre Lambert	1927	1953
F	Scholtissen Joseph	1974	->
G	Charlier Josef	1928	1959
H	Woit Christophe	1938	1968
I	Never used	-	-
J	Neuprez Pierre	1930	1968
K	Delsaux Walthere	1929	1968
L	Salmon Antoine	1937	1968
M	Couchant Louis	1923	1952
M	Scorpion Maurice	1959	1968
M	Scorpion Maurice	1974	1990
N	Couchant Louis	1923	1952
N	Scorpion Maurice	1959	1968
N	Scorpion Maurice	1974	1990
O	Watrin Charles	1928	1965
P	Delcommune Adolphe	1952	1960
Q	Dewilde Gaspard	1952	1968
Q	Dewilde Gaspard	1974	1984
Q	Dosogne Alain	1991	->
R	Wagemans Sylvain	1951	1965
S	Daenen Charles	1952	1968
S	Daenen Charles	1974	1980
T	Laenen Clement	1952	1986
T	Vostes Gustave	1974	1988
U	Charlier Hubert	1923	1953
U	Fuchs Jaques	1960	1968
V	Macon Isidor	1929	1953
W	Wolfs Nicolas	1952	1968
X	Reignier Alfred	1937	1964
Y	Chesnoy Leon	1927	1955
Y	Chesnoy Leon	1959	1968
Y	Delsaux Francios	1974	1996
Z	Degobert Theodore	1924	1949
Z	Luyten Martin	1952	1968
Z	Luyten Martin	1974	1989
Z	Rivas Francios	1990	->

Last updated: 2011-03-18