Picked this up today.

[freakazoid]

The tag said it is a .22 Short, and that's all I know about it. There is no name or serial number on it, only three little stamps on the part that swings out to hold in the round and the same stamps on the right side. Once I saw this I knew I had to have it. Only payed $250 for it. The engravings are really cool and the barrel is pretty thick. Bore has seen better days and I can just make out the hair lines of what looks like use to be rifling. The hammer and trigger spring is pretty strong. Apparently since it is considered an antique I don't have to wait the mandatory 10 days and it doesn't count as my one pistol every 30 days. The fools! Now I can go use it to hold up the bank down the street!
Any ideas on what this could be?

[never_retreat]

Maybe pop off the wood and see if you can find some more markings.

[lee n. field]

gallery gun?

[freakazoid]

Also posted this up on the Fedora Lounge and someone guessed that maybe it was a Belgian Parlor Pistol.

[Andiron]

Proto NAA mini?

[cordex]

Also posted this up on the Fedora Lounge and someone guessed that maybe it was a Belgian Parlor Pistol.

Yeah, I was going to guess parlor pistol.

The type of action looks similar (though much, much nicer) to a parlor pistol someone I know ended up with years ago.  His ended up being 6mm Flobert, I think.

[230RN]

Parlor pistol was my first thought, too.  Origin I couldn't guess.  Never saw one in person, and most photos are pretty cursory.

The pics in this thread are outstanding !  Thanks !

Interesting breech mechanism.

The oversized grips on the OP's gun were obviously designed to mitigate the tremendous recoil.

Terry, 230RN

[Nick1911]

I don't know what it is.  But, very interesting little pistol.  Thanks for posting it!

Think you'll try firing it?

[freakazoid]

I'll definitely put a few rounds through it once I pick up some .22 short.

[Regolith]

I'll definitely put a few rounds through it once I pick up some .22 short.

May want to take it to a smith first to make sure its still shootable.

[230RN]

Post deleted by poster.

[K Frame]

I'll definitely put a few rounds through it once I pick up some .22 short.

DO NOT SHOOT .22 SHORT THROUGH IT!

It is not chambered in .22 short, it is chambered in 6mm Flobert, which is the European equivalent of the .22 CB cap. The Flobert cartridges used in this gun have no gunpowder, only a priming charge. Dynamit Nobel and S&B still sell 6mm Flobert.

You drop a .22 Short in there (crap shoot on whether it would chamber or not) and it would probably destroy it. Worst case scenario is that you could eat a chunk of metal.

It's not Belgian, it's German. The Eagle over U is a standard German proof mark.

Your breech mechanism is very similar to this one: http://www.gunauction.com/buy/12627696

[Fly320s]

Looking at that barrel, I think Mike is right.  Unless that barrel is wrapped for aesthetic reasons, it doesn't seem like it is designed to contain much pressure.

[K Frame]

Cordex, the proofs on that pistol are interesting.

The one is, I think, a rifle proof, and the other is a proof for guns intended for export.

[cordex]

Listen to Mike on chambering .22 shorts.  Just so you can see, here's what it looked like when we tried it on the 6mm:


6mm Flobert ammo isn't easy to find or cheap but it can be had on auction sites and every once in a while at the big retailers.  Blank ammo is much cheaper.
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/7-A2130505

The one is, I think, a rifle proof, and the other is a proof for guns intended for export.

It is my understanding that the "G" proofmark indicates that the barrel is rifled, not specific to shoulder-fired rifles.

[freakazoid]

The first time I saw the pistol in the store they mentioned they fired .22 short out of it. I'll need to get some to see if it will chamber correctly. Also it doesn't look like the barrel is wrapped, I think it is just a fancy engraving. Also, I don't think the proof mark is an eagle, looks like to different types of crowns, or maybe a circus tent. 

Finally got the grips off. One spring to control the hammer and the trigger.


Found something interesting. I noticed what I had thought were scratches on the loading gate thing when I was first looking at it. I believe they might actually have been put there on purpose. Looks like a "VI". Also got a better picture of the proof marks.




Same markings on the grip under the tang.


Also saw this on the other side. If you get the light just right it kind of looks like they might of been letters but it is really hard to tell.



This VI is under the top tang.


Here it is again. You are looking at the top of the trigger.


And one last time on the extractor piece.


Here is the other proof mark set that I mentioned is on the side.


There is also this interesting line. Don't know why they would of done that.


There is one more marking I found on the extractor. Looks like a vertical line and to the right of it it kind of looks like a "t" or a cross, or maybe one of those wierd looking "f" symbols, doesn't show up in the picture but it kind of looks like there might be a small line attached to the top sticking going left.

You can see here that it has been dry fired with the loading gate open. With the hammer back the knurled piece on the hammer just sticks up blocking the sights. You can see a side view in my original pictures.   I wonder if this can be fixed. The frame is actually kind of grooved in where the hammer rests and you can see how the metal has actually been raised up ever so slightly. With the gate down it doesn't come into contact there.


I didn't remove the screw holding in the hammer to get a better look in there because that spring is really stiff and I'm not sure if I can force it down enough to the hammer back on. I'll have to rig up something to try it later.