BELGIAN PROOF MARKS

Mark Number	Description	Dates Used	Mark
1	The Perron, sole proof mark until dropped in 1810, Since 1853 used to indicate inspection or proof of breeching system. Not used on revolvers. Can be either of these.	1672 – 1810, 1853 - present
2	Replace #1 in 1810. Sole proof mark until 1853, when it became the mark for definitive proof. Since 1893, used on muzzle loaders only. Can be any of these 3 marks.	1810 - present
3	Double proof as prescribed by the French law of 1810	1810 – 1853
4	Bore diameter in millimeters. Until 1894, stamped in .02mm graduations, then in 0.1mm steps	1810 - present	18.0
5	Initials of M. Champiomont, used to designate provisional proof for barrels prior to permanent breeching.	1847- 1852	F-J C
6	Replace #5 for provisional proof of barrels. Since 1924 reserved for smooth bores	1852 – present
7	Mark applied to barrels which failed proof and returned to makers for reworking.	1846 – 1889	R
8	Indicated barrels had not been weakened after proof by breeching, Used on muzzle loaders	1852 – 1853
9	Introduced for handguns, 1846 to 1924. applied to barrels exported in rough state. Since 1925 reserved for muzzle loading pistols	1846 – present
10	Example of an Inspector's mark which could be any letter of the alphabet	1853 – 1877
11	Example of an Inspector's mark which could be any letter of the alphabet	1877 – present
12	“Not for Ball” indicates choked barrel	1878 – 1897	NON POUR BALLE
13	Introduced to designate arms proved in conformity of German Proof Law of 1891. In now represents definitive black powder proof except for muzzle loaders	1893 – present
14	Designates guns with rifled chokes.	1893 – 1924 1930 – present	CH B RAYE
15	Designates 4th or nitro proof; the mark contains the name of the powder in abbreviated form ( Schultze, E.C.)	1891 – present
16	Barrel weight in grams of nitro proofed shotguns. After 1924 fractions of grams were no longer used	1892 – present	1K355.5
17	Chamber dimensions in millimeters shotguns undergoing smokeless proof. Length of chamber over diameter of chamber	1892 – 1924
18	Maximum service load for shotguns having undergone smokeless proof. Always found in conjunction with #15, which would indicate type of powder	1897 – 1903
19	Smokeless powder proof of military rifles until 1903, thereafter indicates nitro proof for all types of arms.	1898 – present
20	Designates rifled barrel. Introduced for handguns in 1894, rifles over 8mm in 1897. Since 1924 used on all rifled arms	1894 – present
21	“Not Rifled” used on smooth bore revolvers, multi-barreled pistols and Flobert arms	1894 – 1924	NON RAYE
22	Variation of #21 used for a few months in 1894	1894 – 1924	NON RAYE 94
23	Mark applied to smooth bore express rifles	1894 – 1898	EXPRESS NON RAYE
24	Nominal gauge designation applied to shotguns given black powder proof	1898 – 1924
25	Mark for optional superior provisional proof. The mark was seldom requested	1898 – 1924
26	Briefly replaced #12 as choke designation	1898 – 1924	CHOKE
27	Replace #12 as choke designation	1897 – 1898	CHOKE 17. 16.3
28	Replaced #27	1910 – 1924
29	Replaced #28. Diameter of choked portion of bore is no longer indicated	1924 – present	CHOKE 17.0
30	Optional provisional proof of barrels in the form of rough tubes.	1924 – present
31	Optional double provisional proof of smooth bore barrels completed except for chambering. May be used in place of #6	1924 – present
32	Optional triple proof	1924 – present
33	Gauge and chamber length in millimeters	1924 – present
34	Replaced #14	1924 – 1930	CH RAYE
35	Mark indicating proof of foreign arms	1924 – present
36	Mark applied to unproved Belgian barrels exported directly to a foreign proof house	1924 – present
37	Superior smokeless proof for shotguns at 17,600 psi for 16 gauge and larger. 20,000 psi for smaller gauges	1959 – present

BELGIAN DATE CODES

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

BELGIAN DATE CODES CURSIVE

Controller of Proof Codes

Letter with a * above it	Name of the Controller of Proof	From	To
A	Woit Nicolas Cominoto Louid Croux Francois	1911 1951 1974	1940 1954 Present
B	Roland Charles Soubras Jean-Marie Degrijse Pierre	1927 1976 1977	1959 1976 1978
C	Brenu Louis Francard Dieudonné	1924 1959	1948 1968
D	Marchal René Marchal René Jawze Daniel	1951 1974 1979	1968 1982 Present
E	Jamart Auguste Hanssens Fabrice	1924 1995	1959 Present
F	Alexandre Lambert Scholtissen Joseph	1927 1974	1953 Present
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 Scorpion Maurice Scorpion Maurice	1923 1959 1974	1952 1968 1990
N	Couchant Louis Scorpion Maurice Scorpion Maurice	1923 1959 1974	1952 1968 1990
O	Watrin Charles	1928	1965
P	Delcommune Adolphe	1952	1960
Q	Dewilde Gaspard Dewilde Gaspard Dosogne Alain	1952 1974 1991	1968 1984 Present
R	Wagemans Sylvain	1951	1965
S	Daenen Charles Daenen Charles	1952 1974	1968 1980
T	Laenen Clement Vostes Gustave Crommen Hubert	1952 1974 1994	1986 1988 Present
U	Charlier Hubert Fuchs Jacques	1923 1960	1953 1968
V	Maçon Isidor	1929	1953
W	Wolfs Nicolas	1952	1968
X	Reignier Alfred	1937	1964
Y	Chesnoy Léon Chesnoy Léon Delsaux Francois	1927 1959 1974	1955 1968 1996
Z	Degobert Théodore Luyten Martin Luyten Martin Rivas Francois	1924 1952 1974 1990	1949 1968 1989 Present