Need Help to ID this Rifle

[jamned]

Had it for several years, cannot find what the action should look like. Came to me with a broken hammer & just as you see it here. About .28 or .30 cal six sided bore, barrel is 22" long, octagon. Overall length 38 1/2". I am thinking a kids or ladies gun, or maybe some type of indoor target rifle? Here's hoping someone out there has seen it before, thanks, Jim.

[Robert Wolfe]

Well, that's different. I don't think a standard sized nipple will fit........

[RockLock92]

Well, that's different. I don't think a standard sized nipple will fit........

No kidding... 

[Mike Brooks]

It's European.

[Gun_Nut_73]

Looks like an early screw breech breech loader of some sort.

I know I've seen something like that before, but darned if I can remember where.

[jamned]

It does have Belgium proofs. I have taken it to several big shows & can't find a match. What does a pill box action look like? That has been suggested to me.

[Ky-Flinter]

I don't think it's a pill lock.  Here are a couple of pill lock guns in the ALR Virtual Library.

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=1f50c3ec96abb882d9d5a740c4d2d4f0&topic=34484.0

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=2817.0

-Ron

[Chris_B]

I do not know what kind of lock it is, but I once owned a small needlefire gun by Franz von Dreyse
(the son of famous Nikolaus), the stock and triggerguard locked quite the same. It was
obviously meant for indoor shooting. So maybe this one is German, too?

[jamned]

I have taken a closer look at the proof marks on this gun. There is a mark on the side flat of the barrel, "ag". Cannot find a proof mark that would match it, but I did find a German date code mark. A=0, & g=6. Now would it be 1806 or 1906? Also a circular mark on bottom of barrel, but can't make out what it is, even with my 20 power loupe. So I am leaning toward German manufacture. Jim.

[Chris_B]

I did find a German date code mark. A=0, & g=6. Now would it be 1806 or 1906?

Is it possible the "g" is a "7"?
From the looks of the gun 1876 seems to fit better than 1806 or 1906.

[Mike Brooks]

1906 wouldn't surprise me.

[Jerry V Lape]

Germans didn’t date stamp guns until the 1920s
and even then some of the parlor guns were
exempt.  I think it is probably a parlor rifle 
powered by a percussion cap. 

The ag with a Belgium proof would be the
proof inspectors initials from which the date
Could be established if I were home near my
references. 

[Chris_B]

Germans didn’t date stamp guns until the 1920s

I collected Prussian needlefire guns before concentrating
on the Civil War and American longrifles (I am pretty new in that field...)
All Prussian guns I had from the 1840s to 1870s were date stamped, one small parlor gun included.
The military arms were often double stamped, the year when they were made and the year
when they were put out of the arsenal and given to the troops (twice the same date on some guns)