A small oval, containing the letters ELG, stamped into the metal of a firearm, would indicate the gun was made in Belgium, and was tested by the government Proof House in Liege Belgium.
If you do a web search on "Belgian proof marks", one or two sites will have examples you can look at.
I am looking for a firing pin for a Crescent Firearm I believe the serial # is 8894
www.gunproofmarks.ru
sorry- no public serial number records.
It is a shotgun not a rifle- and Crescent was bought by Savage in 1931.
50-125 USD
No records.
I would assume what you are looking at are Belgian proof marks. Which, of course, tell the country of origin and not the manufacture. The P.V by the way implies that the firearm has been nitro proofed.
It is a Belgian proof mark
404019
Need serial number to date most any firearm. Check Browning's website under customer service, then date your firearm. Value is determined by condition of firearm, and area of the sale.
Are there no other markings anywhere on the pistol? Check out the link below for various European proof marks. Might be Belgian if the lion is above the PV.https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/Firearm/Proofmarks.pdf