# 12934 - German Flare Gun
12/29/2007
Brandy, Bothell, WA

Is this type of gun worth anything.

Answer:
Brandy- Yes, there are collectors of flare guns, but values depend on the exact model and the condition. John Spangler

# 12933 - Harpers Ferry Musket
12/29/2007
Jay, Los Angeles

The length was measured from end of barrel down all the way back to the end of the screw down lip. Half stock, percussion conversion (French?), v-notch rear sight 3 inches in front of hammer, metal butt plate, Under the percussion nub the lock looks like a lazy ''6'' with a screw in the middle. 11/16ths barrel as measured from inside to inside of muzzle. No discernable markings on barrel (rusty). trying to type this weapon as a 1803, 1814, or 1816 model as it is a half stock with a percussion and a lock that says ''1820''...very confusing. It looks an awful lot like 1816 but there seems to be a brass fitting on the lock under the hammer on those and this one does not have that. I'm doing research for my mother in law and hope to get some history for this family heirloom. Thanks!

Answer:
Jay- Harpers Ferry muskets prior to 1840 were rather sloppy copies of the regulation patterns made at Springfield and by various contractors. Significant deviations are found in many details, evidence of the near feudal management and manufacturing practices there. There was a near universal disdain by the workers for rules and regulations, and attempts to require fully interchangeable parts instead of “pretty close” hand fitted parts. Merritt Roe Smith’s “Harpers Ferry and the New Technology” is an excellent account of the frustrations of the Ordnance Department and their dealings with Harpers Ferry. Anyway, in 1820 they were making a fairly close copy of the U.S. Model 1816 smoothbore .69 caliber flintlock musket. These had a brass pan to hold the priming powder (which if it failed to ignite the main powder charge in the barrel was the “flash in the pan.”) Most of these were converted to percussion prior to, or during the Civil War, and the brass pan was cut off with a piece left in place. The regulation barrel length on these was 42 inches, but some were a bit shorter, and some were later shortened to remove defects, or for other reasons. Most of the M1816 muskets converted to percussion were used in the Civil War, and many had been used in the Mexican War (as flintlocks). The M1816 muskets had iron buttplates, trigger guards and bands, while the Model 1803 rifles used brass, as well as smaller lock, part-octagon and part-round barrel and a half stock, so they are quite a bit different, so I am certain yours is a M1816 musket that has been converted. John Spangler

# 12870 - Nickel PP
12/29/2007
Darrel, Howell, MI

LHS-All the normal markings for a Walther PP. RHS Crown over N both on slide and barrel (pre 1940) I have not heard of a 9mm PP that has a nickel (chrome?) finish. Neighbor took it from a German officer. Officer said it was his private pistol. Any information that you could share on this pistol would be greatly appreciated.

Answer:
Darrel, the nickel / chrome finish was added sometime after the pistol left the factory. It is not original and it destroys most interest that collectors would have in a pistol like this. Value will be in the $250 - $350 range depending on condition. Marc

# 12081 - BSA 458
12/26/2007
Frank, Fallbrook, CA

BNP 458 Win Mag 2.50'' 69 GRs NC 510 GRs Bullet BNP 51 Looking for valuation of family rifle. Has a muzzle brake, hinged magazine, recoil pad (old, hard and brittle), and the stock is a fluted Monte Carlo. Cannot find it anywhere and would like to know the model number.

Answer:
Frank, Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) was at one time, Britain's largest privately-owned gunmaking business. Early BSA sporting rifles were built on Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield actions. After World War I rifles were built on the British modified Mauser action featured by the Pattern 1914 rifles. When supplies of surplus P-14 actions ran short, war-surplus 1898 Mauser actions were used.

The only .458 BSA that I could find in the blue book is called the Majestic Featherweight Deluxe - .458 Mag. Values for these rifles range from $200 to about $450 depending on condition. Marc

# 12078 - Remington / Browning?
12/26/2007
Cheryl Lubbock, Texas

Both Remington and Browning engraved on rifle. Patent date July 3, 1902. It seems odd to me to have 2 manufacturers on barrel. What's the story? How much is this rifle worth?

Answer:
Cheryl, my guess is that you may have a Remington Model 24/24A Rifle. Remington introduced the 24 before the first world war began, it was a semi-automatic, takedown design with a bottom ejection port that was located ahead of the trigger guard. The 24/24A had a schnabel-tip forend and a long slender receiver. A tubular magazine was contained inside the plain pistol grip stock that had the loading port cut into the right side.

The 24/24A was made in accordance with patents granted to John Browning and it was essentially similar to the FN Browning rifle, this is the reason that the rifle would bare both Remington and Browning names.

There is not a lot of collector interest in Remington Model 24/24A Rifles, values in the blue book range from about $100 to a little over $400. Marc

# 12932 - Cartridge Headstamps
12/26/2007
Dean, Brookfield, WI

WCC 52 and L C 6 9 I have these old military live rounds on stripper clips and would like to know what they are for, the smaller caliber rounds are stamped WCC 52, the longer possibly .300 cal rounds are marked L C 6 9, any help would be great

Answer:
Dean- The headstamp identification list at the International Ammunition Association site http://cartridgecollectors.org identifies WCC as the Western Cartridge Company, and LC as Lake City Ammunition Plant. Both are U.S. Army suppliers. The only small cartridges made in 1952 and packed on stripper clips were .30 caliber carbine ammunition. The larger rounds are probably 7.62 x 51 NATO made for the M14 rifle. John Spangler

# 12929 - A. Tortiglione Of A. Stazzems Snaphaunce Pistols
12/22/2007
Italy

A. Tortiglione on frizzen No one can answer this question for me. What year did A. Tortiglione of A. Stazzems Italy produce snaphaunse. Thanks if Maybe you can help. Jeannann Hood

Answer:
Jeannann- I regret that we are unable to help with that one. The best reference on European makers, “Heer Der Neue Stoeckel” only lists one Tortiglione (first name Gardone Val Tromia?) as working circa 1833, far too recent to be your maker. Since this reference is written in German (may as well be Greek to me) I cannot give an exact translation of the few comments they do make. There are probably other maker lists, but I do not have any in my library to consult. John Spangler

# 12924 - Remington Elliot Ring Trigger Derringer
12/22/2007
Jon, Springboro, OH

wood grips, 4 barrels with shotgun break action, ring trigger, internal rotating hammer, left side inscription is E Remington & Sons Ilion NY, left side inscription is Elliots' patent. May 23, 1860 - Oct 1, 1861. What is the history of this small handgun and approximate value? I have heard it was a gambler's gun.

Answer:
Jon- Remington made three different derringers based on various Elliot patents and using a ring style trigger. The first, and most complicated was the “zig-zag model” which was Remington’s first metallic cartridge handgun. About 1,000 were made 1861-1862, with six rotating barrels using .22 rimfire ammunition, otherwise fairly similar to the traditional old pepperbox appearance. Between 1863 and the 1870s about 8,000 of a simplified five barrel .22 caliber model were made. These, along with the 16,000 or so made in .32 rimfire with four barrels (made circa 1863-1888) were simply called the Remington-Elliot derringer. These latter two had a simple break open breech and a much simpler rotating firing pin.

It is possible that these were carried by gamblers, and also by sweet little widow ladies, bankers, lawyers, merchants, madams, soldiers, tramps, carpenters, preachers or anyone else wanting a small easily concealed weapon for defensive (or offensive) use. Of course the value depends on condition, but examples in .32 caliber with four barrels would probably sell in the few to several hundred dollar range. John Spangler

# 12896 - Page & Louis Info and Parts
12/22/2007
Don, Royse City, TX

On Receiver near bolt Reliance Manfg Date and are parts available

Answer:
Don, Page-Lewis Arms Company started business in 1921 employing about 150 workers. The Page-Lewis factory was located in the old Stevens Duryea automobile plant. Company officers were the president, Irving H. Page; the vice-president, general manager and designer George S. Lewis of East Springfield; and the treasurer Charles H. Leonard of Chicopee Falls; all were experienced gunmakers. The first shipment of Page-Lewis rifles left the factory in July, 1921 but sales were not good and the first year the company just about broke even.

In 1923, to increase sales, Page-Lewis introduced a small bolt action .22 single-shot rifle design, the Model D Reliance. The new design was popular and helped to increase sales. On August 6 of the following year Irving Page died suddenly of a heart attack. Without Page's leadership the company went quickly downhill. Page Lewis was purchased by J. Stevens Arms Company in 1926 so your rifle was probably manufactured between 1923 and 1926.

Parts for your rifle may be hard to find, I would try checking with Gun Parts Corp. If that doesn't work, try posting on our free "Wanted" page. Marc

# 13088 - Not Enough Info.
12/18/2007
Mark, NC

942-xx on the barrel Is there somewhere I can read the history of this rifle? Is it rare? Worth anything? It is in good condition. Wd like to have it restored

Answer:
Mark, with the information that you provided for us it is just about impossible to answer any of your questions, but I have a question for you. Why would you want to restore your rifle if it is already in good condition? If the rifle is worth anything now, having it restored will probably reduce that value by half at least or maybe even more. Marc

# 12075 - Sears Mod 54 Info
12/18/2007
Tony, Las Cruces, NM, USA

I bought this gun and am trying to get more info on it. Also maybe a users manual etc. Can you please steer me in the right direction or tell me more about this rifle. Thank you, Tony

Answer:
Tony, you have what collectors call a "house brand gun". House brand guns are firearms that were usually manufactured by one of the big firearms companies and sold with a different model number, under the name of a retail outfit like your Sears. While they may be good shooters, there is just about no collector interest in house brand guns and values for them are always lower than they are for their counterparts that carry the original manufactures brand name.

References indicate that the Sears Model 54, was Winchester's Model 94. The Model 1894 (94) lever action rifle is one of John M. Browning’s designs. The design was a good one and it was still in production over 100 years after the first one was made. When Winchester asked for a lever action rifle capable of handling smokeless powder to compete with Marlin’s Model 1893, Browning gave them the design in two weeks. Browning's design was patented in August of 1894 and the first rifles produced were chambered for 32-40, 38-55 or 44-40 cartridges.

In 1964 Winchester made significant design changes in most of the firearm lines that they were producing which were intended to lower production costs. If you can locate an owners manual for a Post-64 Model 94 Winchester, your gun should be close enough for you to get by. Marc

# 12923 - LeFaucheux Pinfire Revolver
12/18/2007
John, Mechanicsville, VA.

There is a mark on the 6 shot revolver but I cannot duplicate it via e-mail. This weapon was carried by my Great Uncle Charles during the Civil War. He was in Grant's army of the Potomic. The pistol; has a folding trigger, hex barrel, is a pin fire type and has a natural tan finish. Do you know anything about this type of fire arm? Thank you, John

Answer:
John- Better not let the neighbors there know your ancestor fought for the other side! Pinfire revolvers were made ranging from about .22 caliber up to about .50 caliber, and were really popular in Europe circa 1850-1890, but never really caught on in the United States. A few thousand in military calibers were purchased and issued during the Civil War, and Frankford Arsenal actually made some pinfire ammunition for them. However, your small caliber example was definitely not military issue. In fact, the folding trigger is a feature most often encountered after 1870, so while your (ne’er-do-well) ancestor may have been with Grant’s army, he likely acquired the pistol later. There seems to be almost no collector interest in the pinfires, and values are very modest, so you could get a big collection with lots of variations for a very reasonable investment. (However, probably not a very profitable investment except for the joy of collecting stuff!) John Spangler

# 12919 - V.C. Schilling Suh Kar 88 Mauser
12/15/2007
Harold, Silver Spring, MD

V.C. Schilling Suhl 1896 Kar 88 2,75 g G.B.P. 640 Winchester Repeating Arms I have a VC Schilling Suhl bolt action Kar 88 carbine that was brought back from Germany at the end of the Second World War by a relative. It doesn't appear to have a serial number, but it is marked as 1896, and various parts have 640 stamped on them. Other markings are ''2,75 g G.B.P.'' and ''Kar 88''. The gun butt has Winchester Repeating Arms on it. I have searched the internet for something on a 1896 VC Schilling Suhl and not been able to find anything. Can you help with how rare this gun is? Thanks!

Answer:
Harold- First, the Winchester buttplate is just something someone stuck on it long ago, and Winchester never made or modified your gun.

The Kar 88 (Karabiner 1888, or Model 1888 Carbine) was the short carbine version of the Gewehr 88, better known as the Model 1888 Mauser or “Commission Rifle”. It was made in 1896 by V.C. Schilling in the city of Suhl, Germany. The number 640 (possibly with a letter after it) is the serial number. The Kar 88 is a rather scarce collector gun, and we have only seen a handful over the years. I suspect yours may have been modified to the point where it has lost most of its collector value. John Spangler

# 12916 - Ashmore Percussion Musket
12/15/2007
Brian, Sebago, ME

Brass trigger guard with an ornate floral design. Brass Ramrod retainers. Brass butt. Under the hammer it is stamped ''Ashmore & C0. Warenteed'' It has a crude sight. Basically a flat head screw on stock that lines up with a bump on barrel. This Was my fathers wall hanging piece. I am not a gun expert by any means. This piece looks to me to be turn of the century. It is Percussion fired and the bore is very big (roughly 3/4''). I don't think its Military due too the amount of bronze work. I'd like some information on this gun. If you can help, That would be great.

Answer:
Brian- We would need to see some photos on that one. I suspect it is a fairly typical “New England Militia Musket” circa 1820-1840, but it may be a true rifle instead of a smoothbore. A 45 inch barrel was most common prior to about 1830. The New England Militia Muskets were intended to meet the requirement under the 1808 Militia Act that all able bodied men have a musket of the specified caliber. These were made with full length walnut stocks, brass buttplate, trigger guard, side plate and ramrod thimbles and often a nose cap. Most used pins rather than bands to hold the barrel and stock together. They were fitted for bayonets, but were intentionally quite suitable for use as a smoothbore fowler firing bird shot, as well as for a militia musket when used with a round ball. Many are found in Maine and Massachusetts, and it is possible that some were provided by Massachusetts (which included Maine until the mid 19th century) for militia companies to issue to men unable to provide their own guns. The rear sight you describe, however, sounds more like a rifle sight, so it may be a rifle instead of a smoothbore musket.

Ashmore was primarily a lock maker, so that does not identify the actual maker of the gun. Often these will have a date, some initials and the letters PM (such as PM / LH / 1828) indicating it passed proof testing under Massachusetts law in 1828 and that Luke Honeycutt was the inspector. Hope that helps. John Spangler

# 12072 - Savage 29 Date And Value
12/15/2007
Alison - Mt Barker, W.A., Australia

Hi, as you can see I'm from Australia, my son has just purchased the above rifle, we know it is old, but we don't know when is was manufactured or what value it would be on the open market. It would be appreciated if you can give us any information on the rifle. Thank you.

Answer:
Alison, it is hard to pin down a date of manufacture for your Savage because there is no serial information available for the 29A. The model had a long life, it was manufactured from 1929 to 1967. One piece of information that can help a little is that the octagon barrel was discontinued in 1940. Values here in the USA for pre-war Model 29/29A range from around $100 to a little over $300 depending on condition. Marc

# 12898 - FMJ Ducktown, TN Information
12/11/2007
Kristin, Sebastopol, CA

I just got this gun and just wanted to know how old it is and the year that it was made in. I also wanted to know how much one of these was worth on the open market. I paid $150 for it and wanted to see if I had overpaid. Thank you so much, Kristin

Answer:
Kristin, I have not been able to find a lot of information on the FMJ pistol. A quick Internet search led to a forum posting that indicates that they have a nasty trigger pull and an awkward safety set-up that takes two hands to manipulate. FMJ is not listed in my blue book so I can not give you a ''book'' value. The consensus on the internet forums seems to be that values top out at around $40. Marc

# 12901 - Colt 1911 Value? Need More Information.
12/11/2007
Aaron

H&P on top of barrel inside the injection port, barely visible. H&G stamped inside the injection port on the top of the lower receiver near the rear. 2 original magazines stamped with a L and the other with an R. Does have US issued black hip holster and a TM 9-1005-211-34 maintenance manual. Gun has a lot of it's original bluing and the surface does show a lot of wear. I am considering selling this handgun and want to get an idea of roughly what it might be worth. I do not have a clue.

Answer:
Aaron, It is hard to say what the value of your pistol is without being able to examine it in person. The serial number that you gave me would date the pistol from 1918 if it is a Colt, but the ''original magazines'' that you mention are WWII vintage. You did not indicate any markings on the frame or slide except for the serial number so I have no way to know if the frame and slide are original or replacements. Values for a government issue Colt 1911 pistol can go quite high depending on condition but value for a 1911 parts gun would be in the $350 range. Marc

# 12914 - Colt Pistols From Family Members
12/11/2007
Jerry Bernard

tiny S stamps The original history of this firearm. It has been in my Family since Washington Bell. 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry brought it home from the Civil War. He also Brought home a Colt 1849 .31 5 shot serial number 120170. That fire arm is missing the loading lever and the plunger and I'm looking to purchase one it put back on the gun. The .31 has the stage coach scene. The barrel is 5 inch's and its a 5 shot. I will continue the tradition of passing down my firearms.

Answer:
Jerry- Congratulations on having some nice heirlooms, and we are delighted to see them stay in the family to be appreciated by future generations. We cannot provide any history on the guns beyond what you already know. Finding a replacement loading lever for the 1849 should not be too hard or expensive, so you might want to try for an original in similar condition, although a reproduction would probably fit fine, but just look “too new.” I don’t have a good source to recommend for parts like that, but a Google search for “Colt 1849 parts” may turn up something. John Spangler

# 12913 - Cartridge Designations
12/8/2007
Aaron , Decatur, Alabama

what is the difference between a .380 and a .38 and are the cartridges the same? obviously I know nothing about guns. I have an engineering degree and a .38 and a .380 in engineering terms are the same except the bore is closer with the .380. with a .44 and .357 is about the size difference of a human hair in diameter.

Answer:
Aaron- Don’t let that engineering degree and a bunch of facts get in the way of understanding that cartridge designations are often the product of advertising people, not engineers, and that many of the “good” names have already been taken. There are more than a dozen “.38 caliber” cartridges, and while they may all share the number “.38” that may be the only similarity.

Here are a few examples: .38 Smith & Wesson, .38 S&W Long; .38 S&W Special; .38 Colt, .38 Colt Long; .38 Colt New Police, which are all rimmed revolver cartridges. The .357 Magnum is part of the .38 family as it is basically a longer version of the .38 Special with a heavier powder charge, and the same .357 bullet diameter used in nearly all the .38 or 9mm cartridges. People shoot the shorter .38 Special in the .357 Magnum guns, but the longer .357 Magnum case prevents using it in the .38 Special guns not safe for the higher pressures.

The .38 short, long and extra long rimfires were used in early rifles and revolvers, but were rimfire, not centerfire cartridges.

The .38-40, .38-55 and .38-56 are all rifle cartridges, with the second number reflecting the powder charge weight in grains of black powder, although the cartridges are often loaded with different amounts of smokeless powder, Note that the .38-40 was very popular in revolvers are well. Some more .38 caliber rifle cartridges include the .38 Ballard Extra Long, .38-35 Stevens, .38-40 Remington Hepburn, .38-45 Bullard, .38-45 Stevens, .38-50 Maynard, .38-50 Ballard, .38-50 Remington Hepburn, .38-70 Winchester, .38-72 Winchester, and the .38-90 Winchester Express.

With rimless cartridges you have the .38 Automatic Colt Pistol (.38 ACP) which is not to be confused with the shorter .380 ACP, or the longer .38 Super, also used by Colt in automatic pistols. All differ in overall length, bullet weight, size and shape of the base and extractor groove, and the pressure generated when fired. Attempting to use ammunition other than the EXACT type specified for a gun is a potentially life ending decision.

Just to further befuddle your mind, our European friends have that nifty metric system of measurement instead of our English inch system, and a tendency to do stuff their own way, just to be different. Thus you will find metric counterparts for most of the American cartridge designations. These are often (and most logically) expressed using the metric measurement of the bullet diameter, followed by the case length, and then an “R” if it is a rimmed cartridge, but nothing if it is rimless. However, we Americans have decided to just go along with some of the European names and not try to give them an American name. Fore example the 9mm Luger is a shared designation on both sides of the pond, although is it sometimes expressed as 9 x 19mm, or called the 9mm Parabellum instead of 9mm Luger, but all these terms refer to the same cartridge. However, the 9mm kurtz or 9mm Largo, 9mm Mauser or 9mm Bayard ore all different.

The British are, of course, very British, and do things their way, with their own names often reflecting the bullet diameter in inches instead of metric measurements. Thus the .38 S&W cartridge is known in the U.K as the .38-200 revolver cartridge, or more often the .380-200 as they like to use three decimal places to indicate the caliber, while we Americans are content with two (most of the time- until you get to the .243, .270 or .458 Winchester calibers and .444 Marlin and a few other oddballs.)

Many cartridges are (or were) known only by the name of the arm they fit. Thus the mental derangement of many Civil War ordnance officers in receipt of requests for “carbine ammunition” without a model, or sometimes with a caliber but no model. Was that .52 caliber carbine ammunition for the Burnside, Jenks, Joslyn, Merrill or Starr carbine? But, the name alone did not always help much without a caliber as they has Spencer ammunition designated as .56, .52 and .50 caliber, some of which was also used on carbines made by other makers as well as the Spencer.

Armed with that background, we predict that in the case of a Colt semi-auto pistol marked “caliber .380” you should ask for “.380 caliber” or “.380 ACP” ammunition.

While such diversity and seemingly minor differences in ammunition may drive gun collectors and shooters, nuts, they are cause for celebration amongst cartridge collectors. Merely getting one cartridge of each of the .38 caliber cartridges mentioned above would be a challenge for a beginning collector. Of course, the truly addicted, err, ADVANCED collector would insist on having one from every maker who made that specific caliber, and the truly certifiable would want every minor headstamp variation and different bullet weight ever loaded! If you think you might be suffering from cartridge collecting tendencies, go to http://CartridgeCollectors.org and seek help with the experts at the International Ammunition Association. John Spangler

# 12912 - Winchester Rifle Value
12/8/2007
Richard

Takedown Model, Ivory front bead, Straight stock, Fine-line checkering, Shotgun butt, Engraved receiver, 98% - Bright Blue, Wood condition, very good. I called Cody: They said all records burned in a fire containing info on my Winchester. They suggested your web-site. My question is; What would be the apprx. value of my gun?

Answer:
Richard- Your rifle sounds like a really nice one with all the special order features that collector love. You did not mention the model, but we can narrow it down by the fact that Winchester only made a few rifles in .45-70 caliber. The bolt action Winchester Hotchkiss was not made as a takedown, so we can rule that out. That leaves the Model 1885 Single Shot models, or the Model 1886, both of which were offered in .45-70 caliber, and available as takedown versions. We really cannot put an accurate value on it, but based on your description, I would expect to see similar guns (of either of these models) offered in the several thousand dollar range if all correct, original and unaltered. John Spangler

# 12902 - EIG Information
12/8/2007
Chutty, Stewartstown, PA

It has the letters E I G in an oval on the barrel. It might have another letter on the top of the oval, maybe a T, or maybe a blemish. Then above the oval, it has a single letter R. Kind of in script, not block letters. What can you tell me about this little gun? Year made? Who made?

Answer:
Chutty, the EIG Corporation was a distributorship that was active in 1960s. They sold an assortment of inexpensive European imports including Rohm revolvers and Tanfoglio automatic pistols prior to the passage of the 1968 Gun Control Act which banned the import of many of this type of handguns. Marc

# 12892 - 1863 Zouave Rifle Disassembly
12/4/2007
Charles, Highlands Ranch, Co

Where can I find a guidebook on how to disassemble this rifle? None came from the manufacturer. Thanks for your consideration. CJM

Answer:
Charles- The 1863 Zouave was originally made by Remington during the Civil War, but most curiously, none seem to have ever been issued. They are very handsome guns, with brass mountings, and a 33 inch barrel, made in .58 caliber. They were really little more than an updated version of the Model 1841 “Mississippi” rifles which had been made by Remington (among others) circa 1851-1855. The M1841 had a flat rear band and “trumpet” style upper band, and was .54 caliber. The Zouave used the rounded bands adopted for rifle muskets in 1863 and a simple upper band and nosecap instead of the trumpet band, and changed to the .58 caliber adopted for all small arms in 1855. They were also one of the first of the replica black powder military rifles made starting in the 1960s, and are still made today. Reportedly they are great fun to shoot. They are actually used in competition by teams from the North-South Skirmish Association representing Union and Confederate Army units. They shoot at targets (not each other) in all sorts of matches, and are very interesting to watch and more fun to participate in. The Zouave rifles are also popular with Civil War reenactors participating in living history events such as camp life or mock battles (with blanks, unlike the skirmish guys who fire ball ammo!).

As far as disassembly, they are pretty basic and instructions for nearly any military muzzle loading musket (flintlock or percussion) will tell you all you need to know. John Spangler

# 12904 - Winchester 67 Value
12/4/2007
Dave Atco NJ

Can not find this in any program. What it is worth ? The blue and stock are in A one shape.

Answer:
Dave, Winchester manufactured approx. 383,000 model 67 and 67A rifles between 1934 and 1963. Standard rifles would chamber 22 Short, Long or Long Rifle cartridges and came with a 27 inch barrel. Rifles with shorter 24 inch barrels were also available as well as a 20 inch ''Boys Rifle'' model. Some few Model 67 rifles came equipped with a "sporting" or smooth bore barrel and still others were chambered in .22 WRF.

The blue lists vales for 67 and 67A rifles between $50 and $225 depending on condition. The book says to add 25% for the 20 inch Boys Rifle, add 100% for .22 WRF chambering and add 100%- 150% for smooth bore models depending on condition. Marc

# 13062 - Source For Beretta Magazine
12/4/2007
Dal, W.Monroe,LA

P.Beretta - Cal .9 Corto - Mc 1934 - Brevettato Gardone V.V. 1940 XXVIII I'd like find out where I can get replacement clips for the firearm. This gun was left to me by my father. The story goes that he traded a camera to a French sailor for the gun. At the time, he about to ship home during/after World War II. I would like to continue to take care of it and maintain it in working order. Thanks for any help.

Answer:
Dal, you came to the right place, we have the magazines that you are looking for. Send us an e-mail ( http://oldguns.net/email/ ) and we will set you up. Marc

# 12890 - Historic Colt 1851 Navy
12/1/2007
Howland

PAT Sept 10th 1850. COLTS PATENT on left side trigger guard. Ivory Grips with initials ''R.G.S''. ADDRESS COL SAM COLT NEW YORK, US AMERICA on barrel. Robert Gould Shaw is in the family tree. 1st cousin to Henry S Russell who is my Great-Great-Grandfather. Value and restorability. The gun has not had a hammer or trigger for at least 40 years. sliver is worn. The rest is surface rusty with a couple of nicks. Any information or direction would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Answer:
Howland- It is possible that is a very historically significant gun! If proven to be once owned by Robert Gould Shaw, that would be a true collector prize with a handsome price tag. It would be an equally valued family heirloom, and personally I would rather see it stay with the family than be auctioned off to some rich guy collector

Although you have identified it as a Colt Model 1851 Navy in .36 caliber, I believe that the barrel length of 4 ½ inches indicates that this is actually a Model 1862 Pocket Navy in which was also.36 caliber, but have a 4 1/2 inch barrel while the Model 1851 had a 7 ½ inch barrel. The “E” after the Colt serial number in the percussion era usually indicates a gun selected for special finishing (engraving or grips or plating). It would be well worth purchasing a “factory letter” from Colt, although the greedy SOBs charge several hundred dollars for letters on an engraved gun or one with any good history.

For those who do not recognize the name, Robert Gould Shaw was a 26 year old Captain of the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry when the Governor selected him to raise and command the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, as its Colonel. They were mustered into service May 13, 1863, and two months later he led the Regiment in a ferocious charge against the massive Confederate defenses at Battery Wagner on Morris Island, S.C. The 54th fought bravely and their efforts, although unsuccessful, confirmed that black troops would fight as hard as any others. Col. Shaw was killed in the attack, and the Confederates spitefully threw his body in the mass grave with his black soldiers. When his family was later offered the opportunity to have his body recovered for burial in Massachusetts, they declined, saying that Shaw would have wanted to be with his men. If this sounds familiar, it is the story told pretty well in the 1989 Academy Award wining film “Glory.” He was also the subject of several books, such as Peter Burchard’s One Gallant Rush: Robert Gould Shaw and His Brave Black Regiment.

As far as restoration, I would caution you not to do anything other than protect it from further deterioration. If absolutely insisted upon, the hammer and trigger could be replaced with original parts in matching condition, as they are interchangeable and easy to change. (Have someone who knows what they are doing change them for you as you don’t want to scratch anything or break anything else. You may need to replace the trigger spring and the hand that fits on the hammer as well, if they are broken or missing.

Even if it turns out not to be related to Robert Gould Shaw, it is a very nice representative example of the type of gun that was often presented to, or carried by officers during the Civil War. John Spangler

# 12885 - Senator No. 1 Revolver
12/1/2007
Mark Q. Holland, Moore, Oklahoma, USA

I was at a friend’s house; he had a pistol that he wanted some information on. It was made pre 1900. Stamped on the top of the barrel is ‘Senator No 1’, on the bottom of the barrel the numbers 6533 are stamped. It is a small pocket pistol 22 short, looks like walnut grips, no trigger guard. If anyone could help me, ID this pistol, and give me some info. on it, or where to look. And the approx. worth. I would appreciate it. Sincerely, Mark H. in Oklahoma

Answer:
Mark- Your pistol sounds like one of the typical “Suicide Specials” made circa 1870-1890 to be sold at very cheap prices, for which a great deal of quality was often sacrificed! They are usually nickel plated, and were made for use with the black powder ammunition of the period, and if fired at all, the powder residue tended to ruin the nickel leaving most sort of rusty and ugly looking. In that period they had not yet adopted the sort of terminology we have today for metallic cartridges (remember, percussion revolvers were being made up until the mid 1870s). The terminology in use at the time tended to designate handguns with a “Number” to designate the cartridges to be used. Number 1 was .22 rimfire (mostly .22 short, although the .22 Long was introduced about 1871). Number 1 ½ usually meant the .32 short rimfire, and the Number 2 was the .32 long rimfire. I think the Number 3 was usually .38 rimfire and Number 4 was either .41 or .44 rimfire.

All sorts of fanciful names were used on these “suicide specials” such as Avenger, Tramp’s Terror, Jewel, Dictator, Red Hot, Robin Hood and Smoker. Sometimes collectors can spot mechanical or manufacturing similarities to identify the culprits who made them, but the blame for many names has not yet been placed on their true maker. Senator is among the anonymous, and Donald Webster’s “Suicide Specials” only lists it as being made in a Number 1 size. As far as value, I see similar guns offered at prices in the range of $20-125 depending on condition, but few selling unless in really great condition. Although these will chamber a modern .22 caliber cartridge, it is UNSAFE TO SHOOT WITH MODERN AMMUNITION. John Spangler

# 12906 - Sources For Firearms Information.
12/1/2007
Mike

three markings next to kal 9 kurz 380 short one is a 69 incased one is a man standing out and the final one looks like a checkered board insignia I would like to know where I can find out more information on this hand gun. Such as date of manufacture and what the symbols on it stand for.

Answer:
Mike, two good resources would be ' Pistols of the World by Ian V. Hogg and John Walter ' and 'The Official Guide to Gun Marks by David Byron' . Pistols of the World is available on Amazon. I believe that The Official Guide to Gun Marks is out of print so you will probably have to search around a little to turn up a copy. Marc