Italian Year of Proof Date Codes
Interpreting the Italian Proof Date Codes
All black powder replica revolvers coming out of Italy have to be "proof" stamped by the Italian proof house. The Italian proof houses in Gardone and Valtrompia, Italy have been around for a very long time, but as far as modern reproduction black powder arms are concerned, the proof dating begins in 1954. Prior to 1954, the year of proof was indicated in full Arabic numerals.
From 1945 to 1953, the date code was simply the year in Arabic Numerals (1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953). From 1954 to 1970, the date code was written in Roman Numerals. Roman Numerals and Arabic Numerals were combined in 1971, 1972, and 1973, and Roman Numerals were used again in 1974. Since 1975 the two capital letters have been used exclusively in a combination of capital letters inscribed in a square box.
Following is a chart displaying the year of proof symbols used from 1945 to 2024. Following a new resolution of the Board of Directors of the Banco Nazionale di Prova di Gardone Valtrompia of 09 March, starting from 01 June 2020 the trademark attesting the year of test of the weapon will consist of the last two digits of the current year inscribed in a rectangle. These are traditionally found within a box next to the individual proof house symbols.
The Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives ("Permanent International Commission for the Proof of Small Arms" – commonly abbreviated as C.I.P.) is an international organization which sets standards for safety testing of firearms outside of the United States. As of 2015, its members are the national governments of 14 countries, of which 11 are European Union member states. The C.I.P. safeguards that all firearms and ammunition sold to civilian purchasers in member states are safe for the users. To achieve this, all such firearms are first proof tested at C.I.P. accredited Proof Houses.
Today, after passing testing they are then stamped with the three standard stamps on every Italian-made black powder firearm. Previous to the new resolution of the Board of Directors of the Banco Nazionale di Prova di Gardone Valtrompia of 09 March, starting from 01 June 2020, these are the three standard stamps from left to right as seen in the above photo:
Year of manufacture, Gardone V.T. black powder proof house stamping, and Gardone proof house stamping. The PN is the acronym for "polvere nera", black powder in Italian.
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