[SWAMPUS]

:)New to forum.Discovered it while searching for info on Belgian made(researched the proofs)12ga double.Scroll lettering on bbl-"Jamart & Cie"Liege,Belgium."MATADOR" stamped on rib.Pinlock stock.Prince of Wales grip.Horn buttplate.No serial no.ELG stamp w/crown.Choke marks 18.3 + 18.4.Splinter fore-end.Barrels are scalloped where they meet breech.Greener crossbolt.Rt.bbl choked tighter than lft.Believe made this way for driven birds-1st shot being furthest.Re-blued bbls+lightly sanded stock before hand rubbing 20 coats of tung oil-warm.It's a beautiful gun!Killed alot of pheasants with it last year!Oh-crossbolt is round,not square.Saw your site and thought I'd take The HIgh Road in hop[es of finding someone familiar with this old and prized shotgun I found at a pawnshop for $350.Thanks in advance,Swampus

[Ron James]

At first I thought you may have misspelled the name, nope, i found several references to them, one long reference was in French, so I don't have the foggiest of what it read. I gather they were very decent guns. On several references I found them listed along with Holland and Holland. Pull the fore arm. Unless it's been polished off there will be an ELG, Belgium proof law. I think you did very well at 350 but and this is a big but, if it has Damascus steel barrels then it's best not to shoot it. If you are a hard case like me and insist on shooting every gun you acquire, then have it checked out by a gun smith and use only Black powder or very light loads. Not much but I hope it helps:)

[SWAMPUS]

Mr.James,Found that same ref in the French HUnting Guns catalog.Interpreted,it says Jamarts were comparable to purdeys + H&H.Barrels are not Damascus.Had an old gunsmith check.He knows his doubles-has about 200 and won't come off any.Little,broken down shop in Bristol,Fla.called Old Dominion.Has quite a collection of revolvers,also.I also know bbls are good cause I've shot high brass pheasant loads in it.Performed excellantly.Does have Belgian proofs-crown shaped enclosure topped w/small crown.Inside EL w/G under.Curious as to whether 'MATADOR' stamp on rib has any relation to the horn buttplate.Maybe made for a bullfighter that supplied the horn?!?In same pawn shop is another Belgian 12ga nearly as nice-diff name-same $.I get off this damn towboat Mon. and believe I may make it a project.THanks for the comeback.