The Francotte Dynasty

[Bob Riebe]

https://littlegun.be/arme%20belge/artisans%20identifies%20francotte/a%20francotte%20revolver%20gb.htm

Auguste Francotte

Company founded in 1810, especially activates between 1860 and 1914, established Rue Mont Saint Martin 61, in Liege.

It was taken again a few years ago by a Netherlander who apparently transferred the company to the Netherlands (the end of 1980, the author still had a telephone contact with the company in Liege, concerning a Martini-Francotte rifle in 22, in the vain hope to know the date of manufacture of it: the files were not already consultable any more...).
The company was one of the principal manufacturers of weapons of Liege during second half of the XIXe century, until 1914, when its activities were blocked by German occupation.

The Taylerson author announces that about 1890, not less than 150 models of revolvers were proposed by A. Francotte.
This last began its career with very good copies (on the basis of licence) of revolvers Adam, Tranter, Smith & Wesson. It also adopted the system of locking allotted to Pryse (the opening of the framework being carried out by the means of two vertical arms releasing two pins on both sides framework), even if it is not established that Pryse was the author.

According to Ian V Hogg, Francotte adopted also a system of stop of barrel allotted to Pryse, consisted a milled button assembled in front of the barrel: while turning it of a half-turn, one frees the axis of the barrel.

Francotte made also amendments to the Lefaucheux system, which enabled him to put thousands of revolvers "Lefaucheux-Francotte" on the market. Initially with cartridges with pin, then with cartridges with central percussion. Francotte also produced a number of military revolvers, like it model 1871 in 11 mm for the Swedish cavalry, or for Denmark: the model 1882 in 10 mm for the cavalry and the model 1886 in 9 mm for the officers.

The Francotte company was also a very important wholesaler, especially as from the years 1880, providing revolvers to arms manufacturers who affixed their names or their punches on these weapons. It is only by dismounting them that one can find the initial AF.
It is also announced that in the years 1890, Francotte was interested in the guns and produced a weapon in a gauge of 8 mm, with charger in the stick and a species of revolving cylinder head and a trigger with ring. One sold certainly some, but no specimen is known to date. With less than one reader...

Idem for a gun with four barrels, patented in England 15891/1885, but according to Ian V Hogg, it could be that the second model built by "Braendlin Armoury" is based on this model whose Francotte would have conceded the licence. What is on the other hand certain, it is that Francotte produced about 1912 a gun gauges of them 6,35 mm, whose production stopped in 1914. It is characterized in particular by the grooves from the slide located on the former part of the weapon.

The Francotte house also manufactured a number of rifle and shotguns (and rifles) based on the system Martiny, possibly renamed Martini-Francotte. Such rifles were still used in the huts of open shooting after the second world war.




Revolver 1870.

Francotte Military Revolver, DA, cal 455, serial # 502 barrel: 165 mm, overall length: 292 mm
Marks: on left side of action behind barrel: A FRANCOTTE (not complete), A LIEGE, 502 on right side of action below cylinder: crown/AF on right side of action behind barrel: marks unreadable on left frame under grip: crown/AF, HC on right frame under grip: R




FRANCOTTE DA Revolver, cal 500 Webley, serial # 418 length: barrel 124 mm, overall length 254 mm


That system had already been patented by Francotte in 1865, and can be observed on innumerable pinfire revolvers. Like the Gasser, those older revolvers show a characteristic open-top pattern made of 3 elements. Due to their conception, these revolvers have always a short aiming line since the rear sight has to be placed ahead of the cylinder.

Francotte innovated by adopting a solid-frame with screwed-in barrel, which made the weapon far sturdier. More, the solid frame allows for a longer aiming line, since the rear sight can be placed on the top strap behind the cylinder.

Another innovation was the spiral spring around the ejector rod, which pushes the latter back in its housing after use.
A remarkable difference between the Gasser and the Serbian Model is the cylinder locking system. While the Gasser cylinder bears a crown of protruding locking cams, Francotte preferred locking notches cut in a strengthening crown around the cylinder. This feature will be currently used in the development of later revolvers.

According to Muller, the actual calibre of the Francotte revolver is the 12 mm; as there is no documentary evidence, we can consider that it could be the .450 as well.


From a rather technical point of view, the revolver described in the above article is identical to the Serbian model. Only the luxury finish makes it different from the plain military version. The gun is richly engraved with arabesques and floral motifs. The gold plating is yet almost gone. The grip plates are of ivory.

[Bob Riebe]

Modified.

[Bob Riebe]

11mm Husqvarna Model 1871 military revolver. These were originally designed in Sweden but built by August Francotte in Belgium. Those made in Belgium were issued to the Swedish Cavalry. Husqvarna then manufactured approximately 530 for the Swedish Navy