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
RONGE Jean-Baptiste
Here is a large caliber revolver with six rounds in . 44 CF type Smith & Wesson First Model DA, manufactured or sold by Liège-house JB Rongé.
See the crowned JBR marking which corresponds to that of the second revolver visible on this page.
The absence of a visiting hatch on the left is typical of the Liège revolvers of that time, whose mechanism is much less complicated than the American ones, with only three moving parts.
The markings
R crowned: rifled barrel, in use from 1894 to 1968
L crowned: already met but not identified
AH (?) under star: countermark of a controller between 1877 and 1968.
There should still be at least one other punch on the barrel, an ELG on a star in an oval crown, indicating that the weapon passed to the profhouse of Liège between 1893 and 1968.
GP with the help of MC
Rongé Jean-Baptiste
Rongé
Copy Smith & Wesson cal. 320.
