# 11760 - Remington Mod 14A Information
11/28/2006
Charles

REMINGTON ARMS CO INC ILION NY MADE IN USA PATENTS 1,043,354-1,044,568-1,072,982; 30 REM REP IN OVAL RIGHT REAR BARREL; Under receiver: front, serial # :rear trigger guard, Remington UMC trade mark; helical tube ,ribbed pump grip; barrel open rear sight, front sight raised; tapered pistol grip with black Remington UMC trade mark butt Model, date of manufacture, and value range finish worn, no rust, shoots fine; any other history or references appreciated

Answer:
Charles, the Model 14/A was the first truly successful slide-action center fire sporting rifle, it was capable of handling regular and high-speed ammunition, and had a special spiral magazine that was used to prevent cartridge noses igniting the primer ahead of them. Standard guns had a straight-wrist butt, a ribbed slide handle, and round barrels. Optional extras included half pistol grip butts and differing finishes.

Remington manufactured the Model 14/A from 1912 to 1936, there should be a two or three letter code on the left side of your barrel that will give you the month and year of manufacture. The first letter identifies the month, the other letter(s) identify the year. There is a link on the OldGuns.net menu bar to a program that will give you the date if you enter your code.

There is not much collector interest in this model, blue book values range from $115 - $410. It has been my experience that they are slow sellers. Marc

# 11758 - Walther Model 3 Value
11/28/2006
John

Carl Walther warfenfabrik Zella St.Blasil on right side. Selbstlade-pistole cal 7.65 Walther s-patent on left side. Small crown Z also on left side This pistol has been identified to me as a Walther Model #3. I would like to know its value on today's market, (the condition has been judged at 60% of excellent), and some history of the gun. Also, if possible, some advice as to how I could sell the gun for a fair price.

Answer:
John, The Walther Model 3 was only manufactured in 1910. The design was an enlargement of the earlier .25 caliber Model 2 that would chamber .32 ACP cartridges. In order to make it work with the larger cartridges, the ejection port was moved to the upper left of the slide. Due to the location of the ejection port, with normal right-handed shooters, empty cases are ejected in front of the face. This is somewhat distracting and many consider it to be a design flaw that persisted for some years in Walther designs. The Model 3 had a 2.6 inch barrel, blue finish, fixed sights and hard rubber grips. Blue book value for Walther Model 3 pistols in 60% condition is $430.00 but collector interest in them is low. If I were selling a Model 3, in 60% condition, I would feel lucky to get anything over $200. Marc

# 12229 - Trench Art WW1 Shell Cases Marked SOMME
11/28/2006
Maria

Hi - I have two brass shell cases engraved with flowers and SOMME - obviously from the trenches of the battle. Would love some more info on them - who could help me?

Answer:
Collectors refer to these as "trench art" although most seem to have been made on a more or less production line basis for sale to tourists in the post WW1 years. They do have some collector interest and I usually see the 75mm/3" size cases (about 3" diameter mouth and maybe 14 inches tall) offered in the range of $75-100 depending on the quality of the work and condition. I think they sell well on eBay, so you might check prices there.

Anyone interested in "Trench Art" will be fascinated to see the many variations this can take, and learn some history about the various art forms involved by reading the book "Trench Art: An Illustrated History" by Jane Kimball. Hope that helps. John Spangler

# 12228 - Bayonet Found In River
11/25/2006

I have found an old Bayonet in the Manitowoc River, Manitowoc, WI, where they built submarines during WWII. This piece is stamped with the following markings, RIA flaming bomb 1912. It contains a US stamped serial number of 226463. This piece has a wooden handle and appears, to have been submerged for many years in the water. With the serial number are you able to find where this piece was made and when. Also wondering if this piece is of any value? Is there any websites or books that you can suggest to research the history of this piece?

Answer:
Sir- Your bayonet is (or was) a U.S. Model 1905 made for the 1903 Springfield and also used with the M1 Garand during WW2. These were made with a 16 inch blade, and many were cut down to a 10 inch blade length starting about 1943. Yours was made in 1912 at the Rock Island Arsenal. There is no way to trace its history by the serial number. It may have been lost by military people in the area during the time that submarines were being built, or it could have been used as a fishing knife after these got sold off as surplus, and lost in the last 15-25 years, totally unrelated to submarine construction. Value is probably very modest due to the condition. I would think maybe in the $10-20 range. John Spangler

# 12227 - Thompson Sub Machine Gun Value
11/25/2006

I have not seen it however those that have say it is in mint condition with all accessories. How much is it worth?

Answer:
Rodney- We do not deal in full auto weapons and do not have a good feel for the rapidly changing values in that market. My gut feeling, based on your description, is that it would be in the $20,000-$30,000 range perhaps even higher. Actual value can only be determined by a willing buyer and willing seller agreeing on a price. However, that assumes it is currently legally registered and that the sale is made in full compliance with all applicable National Firearms Act procedures which involve FBI background checks, written permission from the local chief law enforcement officer, compliance with all state (and local, if applicable) laws, payment of the $200 transfer tax, and receipt of approval from the BATFE (which takes 4-6 months or longer). If the buyer and seller live in different states, then you will need to transfer through a specially licensed "class 3" dealer.

Any attempt to buy or sell (or even mere possession of) a machine gun without going through the legal process is illegal and places those involved in position to spend 10 years in jail and pay a $10,000 fine, and probably many times that amount in lawyer fees. Reportedly the BATFE often tries to set people up with good deals on machine guns so they can arrest them.

If the gun is not currently registered, there is no way to make it legal. The only options are to turn it over to BATFE to be destroyed, or donate it to a museum, or strip the parts that are legal to own, and turn the "bad" part (the receiver) in for destruction.

Laws pertaining to machine guns are very complicated and the above is not legal advice, merely my understanding of a complex topic. Consult a qualified attorney specializing in firearms law, or the BATFE for formal advice. Any request for advice from BATFE should be in writing (preferably from your lawyer so lawyer-client privilege will protect your identity) so you get a written response. The BATFE people may not recall a conversation the same way as you do. Reportedly (much like the IRS) people are subject to prosecution for following advice received from one agent in the agency if someone else in the agency does not agree with that interpretation. At least with a written response you have a better argument that you did nothing wrong. John Spangler-

# 11756 - Lee Enfield Mk 3 Info
11/25/2006
Chad, Thurmont, Maryland

What looks like the royal crown. I have a .303 British Enfield, I would believe that it was built in 1917 because it actually says it on the side below the bolt handle. It has a hole drilled into the right side of the faceplate of the stock. What was this used for? I think it may of had either a sling or a coin. I have seen it on other pictures of the same rifle. Also the rear sight is adjustable and is marked with a scale that reads,2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20; with little tick marks. Is this 200 yards to 2000 yards or what? The sight does go up 2 1/4 inches at the 20 mark. So I think it could be 2000. Thanks in advance

Answer:
Chad, the hole drilled on the right side of the stock is for the unit identity disk. It is a brass disk secured by a screw. The unit numbers and designation were stamped into the brass. Most of these were removed when the rifles were taken out of service.

You are correct, the date of manufacture is stamped on the right side of the buttsocket. The other markings identify the maker. Commercial makers names were stamped there (BSA, LSA) and the Royal arsenals can be identified by the design of the crown, the words Enfield.

The rifles were sighted to 2000 yards. Marc

# 11754 - Arisaka Carbine Stock?
11/21/2006
Rich, Andover, NJ

The stock is a cut down Type 38 long rifle stock which appears to have been done in the same way other stocks were cut during normal manufacturing. Not a sporter. Maybe they ran out of Carbine stocks and started using full size stocks?

Answer:
Rich, I have seen Type 38 rifle stocks that have been cut down to fit a Type 38 carbine. The biggest problem is securing the front barrel band/bayonet lug. It is attached to metal inserts in the stock. This is usually not done correctly, and it is obvious that something is not correct. Another big problem with having a cut down rifle stock on a carbine is proving that the stock is original configuration, since this is an operation that would be easy for Bubba to perform in the back yard. Marc

# 11755 - Navy Arms Imported Beretta
11/21/2006
David, University Park, Maryland

Description of the pistol is the same as your posting 2789 16 May 00. This pistol manufactured 1955. Additional marking on left side of frame: N.A. Rdgfld, NJ, which I assume is the importer. Who was N.Arms(?). of Ridgfield, New Jersey? Any idea how many of this variant of the 1951 they imported? Thanks for maintaining this service. I come to your site at least weekly to continue my education in the history of firearms. NRA Life Member, US Army 1967-1970

Answer:
David, N.Arms stands for Navy Arms- Val Forgett's operation, established about 1960. Val is now deceased and his son Val III runs the outfit now. Navy Arms is located in Martinsburg, WV now, they just bought out Old Western Scrounger. Their tables at the famous Baltimore gunshow show are 1 row over and 8 down from John's. Sorry but I cant help with any information about numbers of 1951 Berettas that were imported. Try checking at their site, the URL is http://www.navyarms.com/. Marc

# 12226 - Venezuela Mauser Rifle
11/21/2006
Mary

We found a bolt-action rifle that says made in \"Belgique\" and has "Venezuela" and "guerre" on it. It has a leather strap. Do you have any idea the age or value of such a thing? Thanks.

Answer:
Mary- It is one of the Mauser rifles made for Venezueala by Fabrique Nacional in Belgium. I believe these were made either in the 1930s or after WW2. They have some collector interest if they have not been altered for use as a sporter. I would expect to see ones at a gun show priced in the range of a few hundred dollars retail, depending on condition. John Spangler

# 12225 - Bayonet Display
11/18/2006
Jack

Do you sell mounting brackets or hooks for bayonets? If not, do you know where I might find some? I will appreciate your reply. Thank you.

Answer:
Jack- I assume you mean for display purposes, not for attaching to different guns. Pegboard with the various hooks available for it seem to work well. Most bayonets have muzzle rings and these can be stored efficiently by taking a piece of board attached to the wall (say a 1" x 2") with a 3/8" peg (sticking up about an inch) installed in a hole every 3 inches or so. Both these allow rearranging of the collection as items are added or sold. A more permanent display can be done with a piece of plywood covered with fabric (cheap stuff from Walmart will work fine). Then use some screw hooks (or cup hooks) and you can display them horizontally using one hook to engage the muzzle ring and another to support the blade. Jim Maddox' great new book "Collecting Bayonets" [available on our edged weapons page http://oldguns.net.catedw.htm] has an excellent section on cataloging and displaying a bayonet collection, in addition to all the other interesting info and great photos.

Of course, we also recommend displaying the bayonets attached to the end of the rifle it was made for.... John Spangler

# 12224 - Civil War Guns W Issued To Famous Units
11/18/2006
Doug

I would like to know more about the above topic. I have a Starr revolver with serial number 27504. According to the records this was issued to Co k of the 7th Mich vol cavalry in 6/64. If that is the case, this gun went through the 1864-65 campaign led by George Armstrong Custer and more than likely saw the surrender at Appomatox. What I want to know is, just how valuable of gun could this be? Any advice on the matter is appreciated.

Answer:
Doug- A revolver with documentation to verify a history as you describe would certainly have greater value than one with an unknown history. I did not see your serial number listed in the SRS database, so my first, and most important question is- What evidence do you have that a Starr revolver with that serial number was connected to the unit you list? If this is the claim of a seller, I would demand to see what evidence he has to support that claim. The fact that one, or even quite a few, with nearby numbers were issued to a unit is not even close to convincing evidence that a number not listed ever got anywhere near that unit. John Spangler

# 11753 - Please Identify My Pistol
11/18/2006
Sandy

On one side of barrel are words waffenfabrik Mauser a.-g. Oberndorf an. Mauser's patent on other side of barrel is only a symbol of a u with what appears to be two scrolly lines on top (see the picture that I sent). Sorry I don't know the model or caliber. The finish is all silver looking. Would like to know about this gun. And also there are no handle grips. If you can direct us as to how to get some, we would like those to complete the gun. Forgot to mention we would like the value.

Answer:
Sandy, your phone camera worked just fine. The pistol is a Model 1914 Mauser, this model was manufactured from 1914 to 1934. The 1914 pistols were used by the German army in WWI and they were also exported and sold on the domestic civilian market. The pistol is silver in color because all of the finish is gone, this is a bad thing. I would estimate value to be in the $50 range because of condition and missing parts. In my opinion, the pistol is not worth purchasing parts for. If you decide to go ahead and spend money on the gun, I recommend that you check with Gun Parts Corp (the old Numrich Arms people) for parts at the following URL:

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/.

Gun Parts Corp has just about everything. If that doesn't work, try posting it on our free "Wanted" page and at the new forum at WWW.ArmsCollectors.com. Marc

# 11752 - High Standard Derringer Value And Date
11/14/2006
Bob

Eagle holding ribbon on one side. Bluing in good condition. Ivory grips Would like to know year of gun and any possible worth.

Answer:
Bob, you have a High Standard D-100 first issue derringer, these are identifiable because they have an eagle logo on left side of the barrel rather than the trigger logo of the second issue derringers. The High Standard D-100 was available in .22 or .22 WMR calibers, it was a double action only, over and under, 2 shot derringer with 3.5 inch barrels. The first D-100 derringers were manufactured about 1962 in Hamden, CT., my references tell me that your derringer was manufactured in 1965. Values for first issue D-100 derringers range from about $100 to a little over $250 depending on condition.

# 11751 - Help Identifying A Pistol
11/14/2006
Cheryl

cat? emblem on handle grip. wooden grips. emblem also on side of barrel with 'deutsche Werke (symbol)werk erfurt'. on flip side of barrel is 'ortgies patent. under this side of barrel is a sideways N with, what appears to be a stained-glass circle with a cross on top, after it. bluing is in beautiful condition with absolutely no wear

Answer:
Cheryl, this pistol is an Ortgies. The founder of Ortgies was Heinrich Ortgies, he was a German but he lived in Liege for many years and he may have been connected with the firearms business there. During his residence in Belgium, Ortgies designed an automatic pistol in about 1916. After WWI, Ortgies returned to Germany and set up in business in Erfurt manufacturing the Ortgies pistol. Ortgies manufactured upwards of 10,000 pistols and they proved to be such a great success that Deutsche Werke of Erfurt made him an attractive offer to buy his business which was accepted. In 1921 Deutsche Werke took over the Ortgies patents, tools and stock, and began making Ortgies pistols.

Markings on Ortgies pistols vary, early models carry the slide inscription DEUTSCHE-WERKE AKTIEN-GESELLSCHAFT WERKE ERFURT and have the monogram 'HO' (for Heinrich Ortgies) let into the butt grips. Later models are inscribed DEUTSCHEWERKE (monogram) WERKEERFURT, The monogram for later pistols was a 'D, formed by a stylized lion. This monogram was also on the grip medallions. Unfortunately there is not much collector interest in Ortgies pistols and values for them fall in the $125.00 range... Marc

# 12222 - Remington 511 Scoremaster
11/11/2006
Jane

My mother gave me a shotgun that my dad had and I was wondering if you can give me any information on it. It looks very old and I want to keep it for my kids when they are grown, just would like some history to it.

Answer:
Jane- I believe that the Remington 511 Scoremaster is a .22 caliber bolt action rifle, not a shotgun. They were introduced in the late 1930s and continued in production until the late 1950s. They are well made and durable guns, and well suited for teaching youngsters how to shoot safely. Collector value is very modest, probably about $100 or so. John Spangler

# 12221 - Krag Rifle Sporterized By Melvin Johnson
11/11/2006

I have a 30-40 Krag that was sporterized by Mel Johnson. It is in great shape. Blueing must by 90% or better. He was the inventor of the Johnson Rifle and started the Johnson Automatics Company. Johnson also had his custom shop located in Hope Valley, Rhode Island where he made custom conversions of surplus bolt action rifles into 'state of the art' hunting rifles by converting them to .270 or other high power chambers. The barrel is stamped with Johnson Automatics 30-40. It is heavy barreled and has Redfield peep sights. Great bore. Any idea as to the value of such a piece? May be interested in selling.

Answer:
Sir- The sporters made by Johnson are nice quality guns. Most were nothing fancy, just good solid rifles. The Johnson name probably makes their value about 20-50% higher than a comparable sporter by a "no-name" gunsmith. There are a handful of people who would be interested in one and pay a premium due to the Johnson connection. However, most people would only care about the shooting condition. In either case, I think we would still be talking in the few hundred dollar range- maybe $500 at the upper end. I don't think we would be interested in this one at any price. John Spangler

# 11750 - Mod 94 Safety Device?
11/11/2006
Fred, Alabama

On the left side of the receiver is a special socket head cap screw which when screwed in keeps the action from being opened. Was this intended to be a child safety feature ? Thanks, Fred

Answer:
Fred, it has been a while since I have had to disassemble a Model 94 Winchester. Whenever the need arises, I always rely on the firearms disassembly book to guide me through the process. If I remember correctly, there are several screws located on the left hand side of a Model 94 receiver. Some of the screws hold internal parts in place and others, when removed, allow internal pins to be driven out for disassembly. The original Winchester screws that were supplied by the factory have slotted heads and a shoulder that keeps them from being turned in so far that they would interfere with the functioning of the firearm. My guess is that the socket head cap screw in your Winchester is just an incorrect replacement for one of the original screws that was lost. Since the screw does not have a shoulder, it can be screwed too far into the receiver. I remember that some of the original Winchester screws have an unusual thread pitches. If a commonly available screw of the wrong thread pitch was forced into your receiver, it may have damaged the original threads. Another possibility is that your receiver could have been drilled and tapped for a scope mount. The socket head cap screw could be a plug screw used for filling an empty scope mount hole. I do not think that it is a Winchester safety device. Marc

# 11748 - Marlin Model 47
11/7/2006
Richard Chewelah, WA,

No. 47 What is value In near mint condition?

Answer:
Richard, I was unable to find mention of the Marlin Model 47 in my blue book. References indicate that the Model 47 was about the same design as the earlier Model 20A except that it had a 23 inch round (rather than octagon) barrel and an improved magazine. The receiver was color case-hardened, and checkering was cut into the straight-wrist butt and forend. Only about 6,000 Model 47 rifles were ever manufactured, this was in 1930 and 1931. Blue book values for the Model 20 range from about $90 to over $400 depending on condition. Model 47 values could be even higher because of the rarity of the model or lower if the model is less popular with collectors. Marc

# 12266 - Air Surveillance Department Luger
11/7/2006
Steve, Madisonville, KY

L.Sch.249 on inside of pistol grip, WaffenAMT Markings on Receiver and barrel, three types on receiver 1 on barrel, number 76 on back of weapon on what I call the charging handle, number 4279 on both barrel and receiver I have researched the markings but can not determine if Luger is worth more than the next. Also would like to know the history....

Answer:
Steve, "German Small Arms Markings From Authentic Sources" by Joachim Gortz and Don L. Bryans's indicates that "L.Sch." is a Prussian Police (Shutzpolizei) marking for the air surveillance department of the Schleswig-Holstein municipal poliece force. This is an interesting detail to go allong with your Luger's history, but I think that the main factor to affect the value are the numbers you mention. The 4279 on the barrel and receiver does not match the 4276 serial number or the 76 on back (probably the rear toggle). Values for mis-matched Lugers usually top out in the $550 range. Marc

# 12220 - Preservation And Display Of Old Japanese Gun
11/7/2006
Dana, North Carolina

I have no idea where to aim this question, but when I did a search for antique gun preservation, you guys came up! My husband has an old Japanese rifle (WW2 era) that was given to him by his grandfather, who took it off a soldier in the Pacific in WW2. The gun is beginning to show a little surface rust. It has not been fired recently, as the stock (I believe that's the term- forgive me, I'm not a gun person!) was a little weak. It is just a showpiece- I don't think it's worth anything other than sentimental value. I would like to have it preserved and encased or something for my husband's 30th birthday. I really can't spend a lot of money, but I was hoping you guys might have some direction to send me to investigate this. My husband is an avid collector and takes care of all his guns well, so encasing the rifle might not even be a good idea- I don't know!- but I thought it would be nice to have it put into a shadowbox or something to hang on the wall and display with pictures of his grandfather in the background. Is there any way to do this while preserving the gun?

Answer:
Dana- Sorry, we cannot help much with that one. I have seen this sort of thing done a couple of times, but usually it is a custom framing job and people who do that sort of thing as a business seem to have a good idea of how to do it. The second potential problem is finding sufficient wall space to hang it up. A more workable solution might be to frame up a group of photos of Grandad along with two photos of the rifle (one overall, and one close-up showing the markings on the left side). This could be done in a much smaller area. Photo places can digitize old photos and play around with the size quite easily, so cost should be modest.

As far as caring for the rifle- just treat it the same as any other gun. A bit of gun oil or WD40 will prevent rust. You should be able to remove the current rust with a little oil or WD40 on some extra fine (0000) steel wool. If it won't come off with that, just leave it alone. Hope that helps. John Spangler

# 12219 - M1941 Johnson Bayonet
11/4/2006
Ed

Thank you for this excellent site...tried using the area to pull up bayonet for M1941 Iver Johnson but could not. I understand that the B designation before serial number of this Semi indicates the first year produced, but where might one find out which serial numbers, which were carried by US Para marines (SN:B470)? Any idea of cost of bayonet for this weapon (if in fine condition)? Have any idea where I might look for any of this information? Thank you for any assistance. God Bless our troops

Answer:
Ed- THE reference book is Johnson Rifles & Machine Guns by Bruce Canfield. Your number is not a USMC rifle, according to the partial list which exists. There is an excellent Johnson rifle website you should be able to find (I think we have it on our links page). Bayonets are around, but they have been reproduced in large numbers in the last 10 years (by SARCO) and are hard to tell from the real ones. Be careful you don't pay a real price for a repro. Congratulations on owning a very desirable gun. By the way, "Iver" Johnson had nothing to do with the Johnson rifle, that was Melvin Maynard Johnson. John Spangler

# 12218 - Winchester Model 97 Trench Gun project
11/4/2006
Rick

I purchased a M1897 shotgun with short riot cyl barrel and SN in range of WW1 at a local gun show a while ago. With it came a separate bayonet adapter but is not the \"pat appl for\" of original. Rather it is gray parkerized and has \"PAT.JAN.15 & MAR.19.1918\" stampings on the left side. I see you have an original 97' trench for sale missing the handguard. Any idea what this bayonet adapter is? Should I sell separately and keep as riot gun or try and make into fun but incorrect trench gun? Get rid of all of it and just go with something like yours? Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

Answer:
Rick- Your handguard is an original Winchester handguard/lug and that is a plus. I would not worry too much about the difference in markings, as it is probably closer to being correct than anything else you will find---- as long as the finish looks about right for the rest of the gun. Remember, the trench guns had three crosswise grooves in the underside of the barrel for the screws that tighten the lug in place. If yours has them (and a butt swivel) then it would be a trench, and worth adding a handguard/lug to. If it is a really minty gun, then it may be worth searching and paying thru the nose for an original guard/lug if or when you find one. If it does not have the grooves, and it is a riot, then you have a handguard/lug that you might as well get rid of (unless you want to wait for a gun missing the lug to turn up). If you just want a shooter, then I would recommend one of the Chinese repros- they are scary good looking copies and reportedly function pretty well too, and at about $450 or so, are less than the cost of a nice original handguard.

Some people like projects and are willing to wait a while to save some money. Others want instant gratification and are able to spend as much as it may take to get as nice a gun as they want. Some prefer minty new condition, others prefer used but not abused examples and some are happy with heavily restored and refinished items. I know that does not answer your question, but maybe it will help you work through and figure out what the best answer would be for YOUR situation. John Spangler

# 12294 - Pecar Scope
11/4/2006
James Spokane, WA. 99205

This scope is in great shape. What is the approx. value? It is a rare scope that I should hang on to or should I just sell it?

Answer:
James, the Pecar company was founded in 1953, by Leavall Sumter who was a GI from South Carolina. Mr. Sumter imported high quality scopes from Germany that were manufactured by Koehler and he labeled them with the Pecar brand name for sales in the US. Pecar scopes featured a unique interchangeable reticule which is suppose to have worked quite well according to various shooting magazine articles from the time that the brand was introduced. Pecar scopes were available with steel or alloy tubes and a European style model was available without windage adjustment or clicks in the elevation adjustment.

Your scope is probably the Pecar V-IS 3-7X Vari-Power model which was offered from 1959 to when the company ceased operations in 1961. Technical details for the V-IS 3-7X Vari-Power are:

• Magnification 3-7X
• Field of view 43.0-20.0 feet at 100 yards
• Luminosity 139-25
• Eye relief 3.1 inches
• Length 12.2 inches
• Weight 13.0 ounces
• Tube diameter 1 .024 inch (26 mm with interchangeable reticule steel tube only windage and elevation only)
• Value: $200-$400 (add $20 for additional reticule)
  

Hope this helps. Marc