Manufacturer ID help?

[Shotgun Willy]

Hello,been doing some reading here for a while, but now I actually have a question to ask. I recently purchased an Italian copy of the 1863 Rem. Contract rifle (Zouave). It has DART on the side, as well as a PR, with the P overlapping the R. I've seen where someone said DART was Riva Esterina, but a few months ago I picked up a Colt 1851 copy (brass frames .36 cal.) with the same PR, stamped on the bottom of the grip. The pistol doesn't have the DART, or any other manufacturers mark, beside the normal two proof house stamps. Is this PR something anybody could enlighten me on?
Thanks,
Bill

 

[windwalker_au]

the pr is a prof stamp as well i have a ransum plains rifle that has the same pr mark runsum where taken oer by investarms, it could be a antonio zoli or armi sport or euro arms take your pic lol, if you take the barrel out of the stock the makers name might be on the under part of the barrel up by the breach. a pic would helphow old is it.
bernie :thumbsup:

 

[Shotgun Willy]

Thanks, I'll see if I can't figure out dis/re-assembly. Hopefully it'll say.
Bill

 

[Sarge]

This might help.
http://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/POWDER/MBPProofmarks.pdf

 

[Shotgun Willy]

Thanks Sarge, I was going to have to find that again, to see what the year of manufacture was.('77) Unfortunately, the only two things it mentions, that have any use, is the two proof house stamps.
I did pull the stock, and look under the breech for more marks....zip,zero, zilch. Plus,now I get to repair some damage to the rifles furniture. :cursing:
Thanks
Bill

 

[windwalker_au]

Thanks Sarge, I was going to have to find that again, to see what the year of manufacture was.('77) Unfortunately, the only two things it mentions, that have any use, is the two proof house stamps.
I did pull the stock, and look under the breech for more marks....zip,zero, zilch. Plus,now I get to repair some damage to the rifles furniture. :cursing:
Thanks
Bill

bill i had a talk with a friend in eastern australia who is very up with italian guns, the pr is ransun stamp so your gun is a ransun of italy it was a subsidiary of antonio zoli, i did not think they made the musket type guns of pistols but he said they made quite a lot of them, he also said it is quit funny that it does not say ransun itlia spa made in italy just in front of the breach on the under side of the barrel,if the gun was second hand the last owner could have sanded it of who no's hope this is sum help.ps my ransun was made in 1979 it ha an AE stamp.
Bernie :thumbsup:

 

[Shotgun Willy]

Thanks Bernie, Ransun is a new one on me. Time to give my google-fu a work out. Why it doesn't have anything but the PR is odd, but my 1851 Navy doesn't have anything else on it either.
Thanks
Bill