[jonasb]

Hello,
I have an old revolver that I have found to be a pin fire lefaucheux 7mm(i think) .
What i am wondering is wether it is real or a replica, and how old it might be. It has an oval ELG marking with a crown on it on the cylinder. Right next to that is what seems to be an A and a K combined, with a star above. Then right at the beginning of the barrel is the same AK stamp, but also an R with a crown on it. Apparently it come in our family's posession fram USA. That is why I fear it might be a replica. Anyone have any answers?

 

[lefaucheux 54]

Hello
This is not a Lefaucheux revolver, but a 7 mm pinfire revolver made in Liège - Belgium.
It's a real pinfire revolver and not a replica, nevertheless a very commun model.
The ELG with a crown above indicates that this revolver has been made after 1893 and the R with a crown means that the barrel is rifled after 1894.

Lefaucheux sold his factory in Liège in 1873 and died in 1892.

Lefaucheux from France

 

[jonasb]

It is not a lefaucheux? because it was produced after 1893? What do the AK markings with a star mean?

 

[Grizzley1]

That would be the mark of the controller of proof for the Liege proof house.

It is not a lefaucheux? because it was produced after 1893? What do the AK markings with a star mean?

 

[rhmc24]

Lefaucheux was French & credited as inventor of the pinfire, the first metallic cartridge, in the 1850s. A single action military version was used & mfgr-ed by several countries in Europe & some were imported by the South in the Civil War. I had one as a kid in the 1930s, probably Confederate. In Spain, 1975, a dealer had a mess of the Spanish version then recently surplussed & I bought one for $4 like new, very similar to mine 40 years before.

Yours, hardly of any collector interest, was among the cheapest of its time, almost obsolete by 1900 & for sure never reproduced in modern times. Pin fire shotgun shells were carried by gunshops in France in the 1950s, probably of some popularity for rural users ----->

 

[jonasb]

is it possible to buy ammo for this gun?

 

[Grizzley1]

is it possible to buy ammo for this gun?

I don't believe anyone manufactures ready to fire ammo for them but you can get reloadable cartridge cases for some calibers that you will have to load yourself, I don't know if there are any available for your gun.

 

[BobMcG]

IF you find the ammo it'd likely be collector ammo, sold by the single cartridge for many dollars each round. What I've seen over the years is that the 9mm is one of the more commonly found cartridges and the 7mm not so much.

 

[jonasb]

Lefaucheux sold his factory in Liège in 1873 and died in 1892.

Lefaucheux from France

Are you talking about Casimir lefaucheux? didnt he die in 1852?

 

[sharps4590]

The pin fire in shotgun form was brought out by Lefaucheux in the 1830's.

You can make ammo but you would need considerable experience as a handloader.

 

[Firedoc]

jonasb, Yes, Casimir died in 1852, but his son Eugene carried on the family business achieving much success providing arms throughout the world. Your pistol although maker unknown was manufactured using Lefaucheux patents. Manufacture of pinfire ammo continued in Europe as late as 1950 and Ely continued shotgun shell production until 1970 largely due to popularity of pinfire shotguns in UK. Should you find ammo I'm sure you would not find it cost effective to shoot. Should you be interested in the history of the pinfire, let me recommend "The Pinfire system" by Gene P. Smith and Chris C. Curtis published in 1983 and "System Lefaucheux" by Chris C. Curtis published in 2002. Just my 2 cents worth and good luck.