If you spend any time looking at old English and European guns, “proof” is something you’ll hear about.
In Great Britain and throughout the continent, state-recognized “proof houses” test every new firearm built in, or imported into, that country. Basically, they do this by trying to blow the gun up. If it survives. this process “proves” the shotgun, pistol, or rifle is safe to shoot.
The UK has two proof house: The London Proof House, founded in 1637, and the Birmingham Proof House, founded in 1813. Both are still proofing guns today.
With this series of pics, photographer Matthew Brown takes viewers into the inner workings of the Birmingham house and give us a rare look at one goes on throughout the proofing process.
