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
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