Some of the most beautiful work of this craftsman, and many others, are in this book “Liège Gunmakers through their Work. 1800 - 1950”.
For more detail see: LIEGE GUNMAKERS
Bernard & Pirghaye
This is
what was almost certainly designed to be a teenager rifle, or more likely a
school rifle (as mentioned in the title of the patent, see below) or a
pupil/cadet/child of the army since it is intended to be equipped with a
bayonet, with a tenon and a guide on the right side of the barrel.
There is only one number, 13, on the tenon for the
bayonet. The total length is 106 cm (for comparison, the
Comblain
1870 rifle measures 120 cm, the
Comblain 1881
rifle 126 cm).
Markings
ELG on
star in oval : acceptance between 1846 and 1893
T under
asterisk: countermark of the controller between 1877 and 1968
Perron:
inspection since 1853
B&P
breveté (Patented)
on the breech: see below.
Bernard
and Pirghaye Armes Liège
in a macaron on the right side of the butt.
No
mention of caliber (neither under the barrel). At the mouth, the barrel is 7.2
mm in diameter. The percussion is central. A .300 Rook cartridge fits almost
perfectly; due to the rarity, the cartridge has not been fully inserted to avoid
damaging it. So there is still some doubt as to the calibre.
It
should be noted that there is no elevation and no notch of sight, so that one
may ask questions about the accuracy of the (?) of the shot...
The weapon is covered by patent 82469 filed on 6 July
1888 by MM.
Victor Bernard and H.A. Pirghaye
for "a mechanism system for school rifles and others", with movable head,
guard/lever and half-moon extractor. These gunsmiths have, independently or
jointly, filed several patents relating to other weapons.
It has
to be said that this weapon is coming very late, since bolt guns have been known
for more than 20 years. And the following year, the Belgian army adopted the
Mauser 1889.
Nevertheless, it is a light and elegant rifle. It remains to be seen whether it
has been adopted by one or the other body, Belgian or foreign. Judging by his
modest presence on the Web, probably not. Hence its rarity...
Another rifle of the same type has in the meantime
emerged, but with a striped gun (and a raised, incomplete it is true). Its
caliber is almost certainly a 320, but the type of cartridge has not yet been
determined. On the thunder is a crowned
B&P
punch, so for
Bernard and Pirghaye.
GP with the effective and appreciated help of the whole team!
