Guns International #: 103177565

Category - Francotte Shotguns - Shotguns - Belgium

Category
Francotte Shotguns
Shotguns - Belgium

Francotte HIGH GRADE 12 Ga – FEATHERWEIGHT, 29.5”, 1945, vintage firearms

Description:
General Specs: Francotte, 1945, 12 Gauge, 6lbs. 3oz., Chokes LM/F, LOP 14 1/4″, DAH 2 3/8″, DAC 1 5/8″
Serial Number:  117275 


Auguste Francotte is world famous as a high-quality firearms maker from the gun making center of Liege, Belgium dating back as far as 1805 and doing business into the early 21rst century making fine shotguns with price tags starting at $18,000.  Francotte is a brand recognized and used by heads of state, business tycoons, and in some cases, the fortunate “Average Joe”.  They are nicely built side by sides with a solid reputation for graceful looks and handling characteristics as well as rock solid dependability. Search long and hard, you will not find another Auguste Francotte like this one.  When have you seen a 12ga. field gun weighing less than most 20-gauge upland guns WITH LONG GRACEFUL 29 ½” BARRELS?  This Francotte, sn117275 proofed in 1945, was built for the European market and is not a standard grade we find here in the USA.  This gun was built as a high-grade gun, with exceptionally deep, well cut hand engraving, deep chiseled vine/foliate breech balls, double sculpting on the bottom of the action, scalloped back of the action, highly figured European walnut stocks with ultra-fine 28 line per inch checkering, hand checkered horn buttplate, and 8 locking points joining barrels to action including double underlug bites, barrel lug through bottom of action, rib extension, hidden Kersten cross bolt, rib extension, and hidden third bite at top of action.  The elegant 29.5” Acier barrels have mirror bores, tight ribs, factory chambered for modern 2 ¾’ shells, choke the ideal LM/F, and retain 98% factory blue.    This is a gorgeous Belgium gun made specifically for the uplands.  Why an ultra-light 12ga you ask?  Because of its larger bore diameter, a 2 ¾” 12ga. will be much more deadly than a 20ga. because it produces a much shorter shot string allowing it to put a higher number of pellets on a crossing target than a    20 ga.  Do the research and you will find the 12ga. load is far superior for your upland needs.  And why would you want to carry a 6 1/2lb. 20ga. when the 12 does the job better and can be bought at bargain prices compared to 20ga. guns?  Most all 12ga. guns made anywhere in the world will weigh well over 6 3/4lbs., so this is a true ULTRA-LIGHT 12 BORE, A VERY RARE FIND.  You will not likely see another for decades to come.  For those of you that recognize what you are looking at in this fine Francotte, don’t let this one get away.  It has everything you want in an upland gun and is a delight to carry over hill and dale.  Just in time for summer practice and the upcoming bird season, I cannot imagine a more perfect pheasant gun or other western birds.  Examine the photos and specifications and you will see a masterpiece from a respected maker at a price that can be afforded by the average working gunner.  A great find indeed!  Thanks for looking.


Barrels
Barrel Length:   29 1/2"
Chokes:   .015/.033 LM/F
Bores:   excellent
Bore Diameter:   .731/.731
Wall Thickness:   .025/.029
% Blue:   98% factory
Chambers:   2 3/4"
Ribs:   tight
Sights:  front silver

Action
Action:   tight
Extractors
Receiver Condition:   40% fading factory case color
Screws:   excellent
Engraving:   deep cut high quality scroll; 60% coverage; floral fences
Trigger Type:   double-crisp
Trigger Guard Color:   98% factory charcoal blue

Stock
Type:   English/splinter; high figure French walnut with lots of fiddleback; nice
LOP:   14 1/4"
LOP To End Of Wood:   14"
DAH:   2 3/8"
DAC:   1 5/8"
Cast:  neutral
Checkering Condition:   Ultra-fine 28 LPI
Butt Treatment:   factory checkered horn

INQUIRIES
There is a 30 day mechanical warranty on long guns. If it is a “VFI Certified” gun there is a 90 day mechanical warranty. Call or email us for more details or questions. Thanks! Vintage Firearms.

Payment and Shipping
Ways to Pay: Credit Card, Money Order, Certified Check, Personal Check, Wire Transfer (Advertised price reflects 3.5% cash discount. Actual price if paid by credit card is 3.5% higher.)
Inspection Period / Return Policy: Three Days from the date the item was received.
Sales Tax Collected: AZ, FL, GA, MI, MO, PA, TX, WI
Shipping & Insurance: Ground $105.00 within continental U.S. Additional fees for HI & AK.
Item Condition: Used
Requires FFL?: Yes. C&R licenses accepted for shipping C&R eligible guns

Other
Terms of Purchase: Check your local and state laws before purchasing. It is the buyer’s responsibility to confirm his/her right to own the firearm or any item before purchasing.
PLEASE SEE OUR OTHER FINE VINTAGE FIREARMS. View all listings and our full inventory of fine sporting and collectible arms will appear. Thanks for looking!We employ full time gunsmiths on premises and can perform alterations to suit your needs within a few weeks of purchase. Common requests are: -stock bending to suit your particular requirements -addition of any specified butt pad to increase length of pull -alteration of chokes to suit your shooting preferences -lengthening of chambers and forcing cones -darkening stock color with penetrating stains -restoring any part of the gun including rust blue, charcoal blue, bone and charcoal case color, wood restoration and checkering recuts. If you like one our guns but it needs “tweaked”, let us know and we can quote you a time and price. Some enthusiasts like the guns “as found” and others want them “just so”. We often list guns as found and let the particular buyer choose how they want their gun to fit or look.

Shotgun Gauge: 12 Gauge

Price: $3,950.00