RE: What the heck is this?
Pull the cylinder out and check the front face for markings. My replica cylinder has a marking that looks like a badge on the one side of the face of the cylinder and directly across from it a star like marking with the letters PN under it. I believe they may be italian proof markings. The original cylinder was so badly rusted I doubt I could see any if there were any. I doubt an original had any proof markings as they probably did not even proof those.