Can you help identify this?

[Adamant]

Hey everybody,

Sorry for the terrible looking pictures. I couldn't get any close-ups on the markings. All I know is that my father-in-laws grandfather owned this pistol. On the top of the gun on one side it says "Mexicain" and on the other side it says "Central Fire". Just below the cylinder it says Cal .380 but he says he has put .38s through it. The picture I drew there is my best rendition of the markings. The R with the crown is on the side by the cylinder and the N with the star over it is right below it. If you look at the back of the cylinder, there is a ELC in a circle with the crown above it. We have no clue of the history of the gun. It fires but after you pull the trigger, you have to manually push the trigger back to reset it. Maybe its missing a spring? Anyway, just wondering if anybody has seen one of these before. Thanks in advance!

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[Adamant]

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[Murgatroy]

Looks similar to a Rohm .22L I have, but the markings don't sound the same.

[Rightwinger]

I think its a Bulldog.

This one is smaller but carrys similar markings.

Bulldog revolver mfg'd. in Belgium, .380 caliber : Antiques / pre-1899 at GunBroker.com

Some talk about the Bulldogs here, again your markings are described.

Please Tell Me About this British Bulldog Revolver - TheFirearmsForum.Com

I'd keep diggin around the net but the female side of the house wants some attention

Hope that gets you started.

RW

[Jonnin]

From the web:Crown over R is the mark for the CENTAURE C&B 1894 to 1968. The Star over R identifies the inspector, Sylvain Wagemans, who inspected for Centaure from 1951 to 1965.

[Jonnin]

http://damascus-barrels.com/Belgian_All_Proofmarks.html shows your ELC mark, but the dates do not match the above. Its confusing.

[Jonnin]

Pretty sure this is a black powder gun, and firing any sort of modern ammo in it may destroy it, be sure of what you do before you fire it again.

[Jonnin]

The last tidbits I found say they were made by a consortium in belgium (which the above already indicated) --- each part made by a different company, so no one was given a label / that is why there is no manufacturer listed. They are not highly sought or collectable, value from $100-300 roughly unless in extremely good condition, which this one is not. They were apparently sold for $5 in the USA by the truckload from the 1800s through the depression.

[Adamant]

Very Interesting!! My father in law played cowboys and indians with it when he was a little boy. It is sentimentally worth way more than money but he was curious as to its origins. Thank you very much guys!!!