Glad to have a safe indoor range nearby! Went to Tim's on Tuesday...no wait,very friendly guys, well lit and had the place (almost) to ourselves. Very convenient for me so I know I'll be back.
I've been advised against restoring it, as Im told it would damage the value of the gun. For now I'm holding on to it...the gf wants to sell it though so if I got the right offer I mighy part with it!
The barrel is rifled, it is marked "T Bis" on the top of the barrel just behing the rear sight/nipple. Sadly I don't read french, will have to see if my bable fish translator will work on that page...
All she can tell me is that her grandfather or great-grandfather may have taken it in trade for dental services in Vincennes at some time. Her family is from there, and apparently that practice wasn't uncommon. Did a quick google search and found something called an "1822 bis" made at one...
Her family is from the Vincennes area, so I assume it came from that region, or found it's way there somehow. It has "S! ETIENNE stamped on the wood under the numbers 3598, the same numbers appear on the barrel so it's a match. At the top it says 1829 with some stylized script which appears to...