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
Galand
Charles-François and René Galand
Charles-François Galand is a French citizen (1832-1900) working in Liege, Rue Vivegnis, 296, then rue de la Loi, 7. Also active to Paris Street D' Hauteville, 13. Registered with the Bench of Test of Liege of 1869 to 1942 (in fact, although deceased in 1900, it remains registers until 1920. His son Rene will continue the activities until 1942. Prolific manufacturer of revolvers, civil and military, unhappy competitor of 1873 Chamelot-Delvigne. Especially known for its Galand revolver, also called Galand-Sommerville or Galand-Perrin, of the name of the cartridge with large pad used in a number of its revolvers. Also inventive out of famous Velodog (deposited on April 20, 1904 per Rene Galand), out of the Novo revolver and the revolver Tue-Tue.
The revolver Galand (Galand-Sommerville or Galand-Perrin) is a revolver with open framework and double action, patented since 1868; the principal characteristic is the lever, placed under the gun and the carcass, also acting as trigger guard. By actuating the aforementioned lever, the gun and the barrel move forwards; in the course of movement, the plate of the extractor is blocked while the barrel continues its race ahead: the casings thus retained by the plate of the extractor fall and can be replaced by news cartridges. The lever is then positioned back, so much the barrel which the gun go back to their place and arms is closed and locked. The weapon is called Galand-Perrin when it draws a Perrin cartouche with large pad, gauges of them 7,9 and especially 12mm. According to D. Casanova (Gazette des armes n°198), the first specimens are manufactured in Great Britain by the munitions factory of Birmingham which Braendlin and Sommerville direct. But as of October 1868, the mechanical manufacture of the revolver is also organized in Liege and meets a sharp success. Also in France where, in front of the imminence of a conflict with the German neighbor, numbers officers are allured by this new revolver, with central percussion and especially automatic extraction. The civil market will not remain indifferent since the revolver was also marketed there gauges 12 mm of them, the same gauge being used for Galand Sportman with removable stick skeleton, and in 9 mm, being also said "of belt" (but with ring of cap!). The Russian imperial Navy adopts the Galand revolver on March 12 1871 pennies name "gun revolver of boarding model 1870" (see Gazette des armes n° 101). It will be noted that if the number of ordered specimens is not specified, the revolver was manufactured not only by of course Galand, but also by N Vivario Plombeur, Warnant and Nagant, and by N.I. Goltiakoff in Toula in 1878. The Rumanian army also ordered Galand revolvers.
Let us return to France where Galand takes part, after the war of 1870-71, with the tests having to carry out to the adoption of a new weapon of fist, in fact a revolver. Galand thinks initially of a version improved of its model 1868, but as the Standing committee of shooting of Vincennes wants a weapon "homogeneous" (thus with closed framework), it is not more question of proposing an open framework weapon to him. Consequently, Galand establishes in 1872 (patents of February 28, June 24 and September 24 of this year) weapon of a very great simplicity and elegant, but more expensive than Chamelot-Delvigne which was finally to carry it. The Commission will also reproach Galand the too small door of loading and the push-buttons releasing the rod of ejection. There are two models (extremely rare) of this revolver, one confined for the ammunition Galand with large pad, the other for the 11 mm Chamelot-Delvigne. The civil version of this revolver known as of War success, although had not presented much with very neat completions and a special grip for the recharging of the 18 steel casings. Quite as rare is the second type of this revolver, with like principal differences a turntable rebounding and a screw to make the plate left unlosable. This second type even existed with two barrels, one for the 11 mm Galand, the other for the 11 mm Chamelot-Delvigne. After these failures on the military level, Galand will turn to the civil market and thus it will put on the market as of 1892/93 its revolver hamerless "TUE-TUE" with open framework which takes again the old system with side key. There is thus no door of loading, nor of rod of ejection, the ejection of the empty cases taking place if necessary via the axis of the barrel... This weapon will be manufactured until about 1935, primarily in the gauge 8 mm 1892 but as the 8 mm Tue-Tue or 8 mm NR for not-lawful (this cartridge being a little less long as the lawful 1892), in all its alternatives (see gazette des armes 210, 211 and 212). There will also exist in 32 S&W and in 7,65 ACP and in versions with apparent hammer, tallies closed and even tilting gun. Without speaking about the copies...
Mignon/Novo
It seems that the famous revolver "Novo", by D.D. Oury, was inspired by the "Mignon" of Galand. There would exist in 22, 320 and especially 6,35. (see photo in the heading unknown Arms manufacturers); There are also specimens manufactured by A. Francotte (or at least signed). It is a revolver with opened framework, closing with side key, and especially, principal characteristic, a collapsible stick and digs, a foldable trigger and thus not of trigger guard. The obstruction out of pocket is minimum, but when it should be left and to use it... On certain versions, the hammer, although no apparent, exceeds slightly with an end knurled of a slit in the carcass in order to be able to arm it with the inch (a exercise certainly not very advisable in the action!).
Velodog
Curious combination between vélocipède and dog, this weapon, designed by Galand, was originally sold for the defence of the calves of the cyclists of the end of the 19th century, it was before the League of the Protection of the Animals! With the origin, the ammunition of these revolvers, at the beginning similar to Novo but without foldable stick, with fixed trigger and trigger guards, was famous the cartouche of the same name in 5,5 mm, with a long case of 30 mm and a central percussion. Possibly charged with pepper! Thereafter, there was also with a foldable trigger, in 22 and 6,35.
GP
Galand "à extraction" / Sportsman / Sommerville