# 11430 - Sorry We Are Not Attorneys
3/29/2005
Mark, Laurel, MD

WWII Era weapon. My question is one dealing with Maryland State Law concerning the purchase of multiple handguns within a 30 day period. Maryland Law clearly states that no one, in the state of Maryland, may purchase more than one handgun per 30 days. The exception to this rule and the only one that may apply to me is if I can classify this weapon as an antique. My idea of antique is like pre 1899, but I can't seem to find the state law stating specific years for establishing antique status. Thank you in advance for your help. Mark

Answer:
Mark, I am a lowly programmer/gun and militaria dealer, not a highly paid attorney. On top of that I live in Utah not Maryland and I have had no experience dealing with Maryland rules and regulations. You would be foolish to take my advise on the subject and I do not understand what assistance it would be to you even if I told you that I thought you are correct about antique firearms in Maryland being manufactured before 1899.

Like most gun laws, this rule sounds pretty foolish and arbitrary to me. I suggest that you work to have absurd local gun laws repealed. Every year while the Utah state legislature is in session, John and I work with the pro-gun Utah Shooting Sports Council (http://www.utahshootingsports.com) to pass good gun laws and to repeal bad ones. John spends many hours working for the cause, among other things he attends meetings manages the internet site and composes news letters. I help with the technical stuff on the internet site and the mailing list to help keep USSC members informed of what is happening. We have had several successes with fighting bad legislation and promoting good legislation here in Utah. Marc

# 11432 - Looking For A Good Deal On A Red 9
3/29/2005
Alex Nebraska City, Nebraska

I was wondering if you new a broker in which I could get a Mauser Red 9 because no matter how hard I look I can not find a good deal on a fairly decent WORKING Red Nine can you please help me out?

Answer:
Alex, if I knew someone who was willing to sell Red 9 Mauser pistols at a bargain prices, I would buy them all myself. The same goes for Lugers, 1911/1911A1s 1903s 1917s and most other collectible firearms. I am afraid that if you are looking for a good deal, you will have to find it on your own. It has been my experience that if you find a deal and hesitate to act (especially at gunshows) there will usually be someone else there waiting to snap it up. Be prepared to make a decision and to act on it if you find what you are looking for. Sometimes fast decisions are dangerous because a buyer may not have a lot of time to look for defects or inconsistencies. If you are not careful you could get stuck with a lemon. I must admit that it has happened to both John and me, John more often than me (just kidding). If you don't want to wait for a bargain or if you want to have time to do thorough research and inspection, you will probably have to pay the going market price. Marc

# 10948 - Navy Gun Tompion
3/29/2005
L.H.

I have an artillery weather fitting device that fits in the end of a barrel of a naval ship's gun. It seems to be about a 3" bore size and is chrome plated. It has a 5-pointed star on the top with a large wingnut that tightens projecting lugs and holds against the inside of the bore. It appears to be solid brass under the chrome and has no markings, letters, manufacture dates of any kind. I'm curious who made it, it's value if any, and what type of cannon it was made for. Any info would be appreciated as I do not know who else to ask. Thank you.

Answer:
These are called a "tompion" and are indeed used to plug the end of the barrel on Navy guns to keep out water and birds, etc. They were made of brass and sometimes chromed. They were used at least as far back as the 1920s and perhaps even earlier. Wooden versions were used during the Civil War era, and earlier. I have seen the brass ones in 3, 5 and 8 inch sizes. They have been used in guns of those sizes of virtually all models and are still in use today (I think). For 3 inch that would be early WW1 manually loaded guns up to the last of the 3"/70 rapid fire guns of the 1970s. For the 5 inch, everything from the old "broadside mounts" up through the 5"/25, 5"/38 and 5"/54 series.

Maker is probably not very important, and value is pretty much up to a willing buyer and seller to agree on. They might be a nice souvenir, but are not terribly useful unless you happen to have an old 3 inch gun that needs to have the muzzle plugged. My guess is that value is probably in the $20-50 range to some people and zero to most. Hope this helps. John Spangler

# 10836 - Officer Use Of Krags 1898-1906
3/26/2005
Bob, Sevierville, TN

I'm illustrating a poster for a military officers association and accuracy is essential. would you know if it was common for infantry officers in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine insurrection to have used the Krag carbine in addition to their sidearms? I can't document this since officer's standard issue never includes rifles but I find unofficial ''tales'' of this usage in my research.

Answer:
Bob- I do not have a documented answer to your question. However, the largely volunteer forces of the Spanish American and Philippine Insurrection eras were decidedly an independent thinking lot. Teddy Roosevelt, fresh from his job as Assistant Secretary of the Navy probably did not care too much about what some Army Colonels or Generals thought. Indeed, he carried a Colt .38 caliber revolver, nearly identical to the issue or regulation Army model, but in this case it was actually a Navy issue revolver which had been recovered from the wreck of the USS Maine. I believe that he also carried (or had with him) a Model 1895 Winchester carbine, chambered for the same .30 Army (or .30-40) cartridge as the issue carbines of his unit. While in the U.S. at the training camps the officers probably carried the regulation arms. Once at the front, operating in small detachments, especially in the Philippines against guerilla forces, it may have been that use of a long arm became much more appealing, instead of or in addition to a revolver. While the officers may not have been authorized a long arm in the official table of allowances and equipment, there were probably a number on hand from sick or wounded troops, or those to be left in camp. I suspect that the troops in Iraq, and those in Vietnam, and in Korea and every other war varied their armament for specific mission, with or without official approval. John Spangler

# 10833 - Railroad Gun?
3/26/2005
Kim, Long Beach, Kalifornia

An inlet in the shape of a shield on the wrist of the stock below the tang. The shield was not in the rifle when purchased. The shape looked familiar. I figured it was a law officers shield. However, I read an answer you gave in your web site. You mentioned that various rifles (including 50-70 trap door) were loaned or given to the railroads in the late 1800's. This perked me up. The shape of the inlet is that of a rail road company (Union Pacific?). My question: Is there a way to trace the provenance of my rifle through rail road or government records?

Answer:
Kim- Obviously you read our Q&A 7052 from October 2004. There is no documented history on your rifle. While the current symbol for the Union Pacific Railroad is a shield, I do not know how long they have used that. Further, the used of fancy inlet plates for markings is not consistent with the source or use of the guns loaned to the railroads. These were semi-obsolete military arms, put in the hands of track crews and train crews. Any markings needed could be applied to the stock with a set of number stamps and the whack of a hammer, with no need for added expense or fancy work. I think that it is more likely that the shield may relate to use by a veterans organization of some sort, but I do not have any more proof for that than you do for your theory. John Spangler

# 11428 - Information Deficiency
3/26/2005
Robbie Donalsonville GA

German Swastika/Eagle symbols and there is the letters bcd 43 right above receiver. What is possible value and history of weapon?

Answer:
Robbie, with the information that you provided I don't know how you would expect us to even a guess at value. Since we usually only give one free answer per customer its too bad you used up your only chance. If you really need an answer, you could submit a paid question at https://ssl.vds2000.com/ssl.oldguns.net/paid_q/paid_q.php, the price is only $5.50. You could also search our previously answered questions for answers about rifles similar to yours like it says to do in the instructions. If you send in a paid question, we will need information about condition and whether the rifle has had any alterations or modifications to be of much assistance. Marc

# 10611 - Luger Value
3/22/2005
Frank, Bakersfield, CA

I am getting interested in civil war re-enactment groups and have joined one. I would like to start collecting things from that time period and would like to know what a value is for the gun listed above in the event I could sell it to pay for my hobby.

Answer:
Frank, your Luger's value will depend on condition and variation. The blue book lists values for 1914 DWM commercial Lugers at $500 to about $1500. 1912-1918 dated WWI DWM military Lugers are the most frequently encountered of all WWI military Lugers, the blue book lists them at $400 to $1100. It has been my experience that lately WWI Lugers have been much harder to sell then their WWII counterparts. I have also found that while some commercial Lugers have high book values, they just about always sell much slower than examples that were military issue. Marc

# 10608 - Browning 52
3/22/2005
Benjamin, Americus, Georgia

Any information on this gun would be helpful. It was given to my Granddaddy as a gift and I would like to know the history of this model.

Answer:
Benjamin, references indicate that Browning only manufactured about 5000 Model 52 rifles during a short production period in 1991 and 1992. The 52 was a .22 caliber bolt action rifle with 24 inch tapped barrel that was drilled for scope mounts. Metal finish was deep blue, triggers were adjustable and the safety was the two position type. The detachable magazine held 5 shots and the pistol grip walnut stock had an oil finish. Weight was 7 pounds. Except for minor safety enhancements, the Browning 52 was virtually identical to the original Winchester Model 52C Sporter. Blue book values for this rifle range from $300 to $500. Marc

# 10824 - A & S Willets Long Fowler
3/22/2005
Julie Lighthouse point Florida

It's got a very long barrel almost seven feet long! How old is it? It looks like it's from the Revolutionary War and should be in a museum!

Answer:
Julie- I am not sure if you really mean 7 feet long barrel (close to 84 inches?) or if that is the overall length. In either case, that is a LONG gun. The only information I can find on A. & S. Willets is that they operated in the New York City area circa 1800. Extremely long barrels are usually associated with fowling pieces (what we call shotguns nowadays), either as shoulder fired light weight guns or as very heavy and very large guns mounted in boats as "punt guns." Photos would really help with a gun like this. If you want to send us some, make sure you reference this question so we will know what they relate to. It sounds like something that an advanced collector or museum may indeed be interested in. John Spangler

# 10823 - Sharps Four Barrel Pistol
3/19/2005
Coop, Manchester, MD

I inherited a bronze in appearance, four barrel sharps pistol. It has the number 46 or 49 on the underside of the grips. It appears to have plastic grips. could you tell me anything about this pistol? caliber, worth, etc? Please answer also to thanks, Coop

Answer:
Coop- Sharps (actually C. Sharps & Company, and later Sharps & Hankins, both of Philadelphia) made nearly 140,000 of the four barrel "pepperbox" or "derringer" type pistols circa 1859 to 1874. These were made in .22, .30 or .32 rimfire calibers, and while most had square butts, some had bird's head grips. The grips were made from walnut or gutta percha (a sort of hard rubber material) with a fancy vine type design. Most had a brass frame, but some were iron, and the barrels were steel. Barrels were usually blued and the brass frames were silver plated and the iron frames case hardened. Values vary greatly depending on which of the many variations you have, and of course the condition. These were popular during the period 1860-1880, and I think that the design has been copied various times since then. These are nifty pistols and most collectors own one at some time just to play with it and figure out how it works. John Spangler

# 10816 - Remington M1903 Barrel Date
3/19/2005
Cameron, Napa, CA

Has a worn marking on the barrel just behind the front sight...can only read ''R A'' and a ''5'' below it. Almost sure this is a Remington make of the Springfield 1903...curious what year it was manufactured and if the barrel has been changed from the original.

Answer:
Cameron- Remington did indeed make the Model 1903 Springfield rifles, using the machinery formerly used by Rock Island Arsenal. They began at serial number 3,000,001 in December 1941 and the numbers continued upward until the number block was split up for Smith Corona to use some for their production of M1903A3 rifles. By that time Remington had switched to production of the more easily made and cheaper M1903A3 as well. Barrel dates are usually a pretty good indicator of date of manufacture, with the barrel dates usually being one to three months earlier than the actual delivery of the completed rifle. However, barrels are easily (and often) changed, and not an infallible indicator. There are a number of somewhat speculative tables that try to correlate the number of rifles produced in a month and then deduce the serial number reached. There is also a problem of the company reported how many they made, versus Army reports of how many were accepted which may differ due to rejected arms, or delays n acceptance. Although sound in theory, the inconsistencies of receivers being reworked or otherwise delayed, or scrapped tends to mess up the results, but it is probably as close as anyone can come now. Based on your serial number it was probably made in mid 1942, and my guess is that you can see part of the barrel date 5-42. John Spangler

# 11328 - Remington 58 Skeet
3/19/2005
David

A triangle with an M in the center K REP J2 I would like to know the age of this gun and it's value. It is in good condition with only some minor wear on some of the bluing.

Answer:
David, the Model 58 Sportsman was a Semi-Automatic, gas operated shotgun that could be ordered in 12, 16, or 20 gauges. Available barrel lengths included 26, 28, or 30 inches with various chokes. Stocks were checkered pistol grip type and there was a game scene scroll engraved on the receivers.

The Model 58SA Skeet Gun was similar to the 58 but it came with a 26 inch skeet bore vented rib barrel and skeet stock. Values for Model 58SA Skeet Guns range from $175 to about $350 depending on condition.

The Model 58SC Skeet Gun had a "C" suffix to the serial number, this designates C-grade wood was used. Values for Model 58SC Skeet Guns range from $275 to about $450 depending on condition.

Approx. 271,000 Model 58 Sportsman shotguns of all different types and configurations were manufactured between 1956 and 1963. There should be a two or three letter code on the left side of the barrel that identifies the month and year of manufacture. The first letter identifies the month, the other letter(s) identify the year. None of the markings that you sent are a proper code. If you can find the code and send it to me, it will help pin down the year your shotgun was made. Marc

# 11404 - Special Agent Pistol?
3/15/2005
Jay, Elm City, NC,USA

On the side of the Pistol It reads Dickson Special Agent Caliber 32 and under that the word SPAIN in all Capital letters. It's a Chrome Pistol with a White-Ivory looking handle 7 in the clip, 1 in chamber 8 shot Semi- auto Right side of gun by the hammer is what seems to be a circle with an Tiny F in it. I would like to know What year could this gun have been made? Why don't I see or hear anything about these pistols, and Exactly, Which Special Agents carried these Guns. My granddad Owned the gun, He died in 1981, at around age 65, leaving the gun to my mother and me I was born in 1981.

Answer:
Jay, "Dickson Special Agent" is a name used by Echave y Arizmendi of Eibar Spain on a cheap 7.65mm automatic Saturday night special type pistol. According to my references, these pistols were marketed in the USA in the early 1960s. I would guess that a low quality pistol like this was never used by any type of official special agents. The name is probably just a sales gimmick intended to deceive those who are not familiar with firearms that the pistol is of better quality than it actually is. Marc

# 11412 - Nickel P .38
3/15/2005
Reid

Three number serial number. Nazi stamps on both sides of pistol. Black grips. I've acquired the above pistol but am uncertain whether the finish is nickel or chrome. How rare is the P .38 with the nickel or chrome finish?

Answer:
Reid, the original finish that your WWII P.38 pistol left the factory with was blue. The nickel finish was applied some time after that. If you would have taken the time to read some of our previous answers you would have learned that P.38 pistols that have been re-finished with nickel plating are not that uncommon but collector interest is ruined when this is done. Value for your pistol will be less than 1/2 of what one with original finish would be worth. Marc

# 10810 - Sharps Carbine History
3/15/2005
Steve, Buckeye, AZ

Patent Markings: Sharps Sept 12th 1846, R.S. Lawrence April 12th 1859, CSharps' Pat Oct 5th 1852. Initials ''H G S'' stamped on the Lanyard Ring Mount I have done very little research on this gun and wonder if I can find who this was issued to without buying any of the books out there. I understand from your site that some serial numbers were cataloged by previous researchers. Is mine one of them? Are the initials on the lanyard mount an indication of who might have possessed it?

Answer:
Steve- The initials are probably those of the inspector or subinspector, applied at time of manufacture, commonly called a "cartouche" and have no relationship to who used the gun.

There are only two really worthwhile sources of information on guns by serial number that I know of.

For military arms (and a few civilian models which may have been used by the military) Springfield Research Service has the results of decades of searching through mountains of records in the National Archives ranging from pre-Civil War to recent events. We are proud to be the sponsors of http://ArmsCollectors.com where the SRS numbers are listed. Find the model of gun you are looking for, and enter the number, and it will list the ten closest numbers on either side of that, and of course info for yours, if any has survived, and been found.

The other source is information would be a "factory letter" available from the manufacturer, usually limited to information such as when it was made, shipped, and configuration (barrel length, sights, etc). Some maker records have information on where it was first shipped, usually a wholesaler or a government location. Sometimes in the case of guns ordered by an individual, it will tell you that it was shipped to Bill Cody, North Platte, Nebraska or something really cool. These factory records are spread out over many archives, some owned by the company (e.g.- Colt and Ruger); some by museums- (Winchester and Marlin records are at the Cody Firearms Museum); and some are privately owned (Sharps records). We have sources for factory letters listed on the http://armscollectors.com site. A few are free (Ruger once again sets the standard for the industry!) but the fees for the others ranges from modest to obscene. (Letters for Colt single actions sent anywhere interesting cost as much as some of their guns!)

Unfortunately, many records have not survived, or are incomplete or so poorly organized that finding information on a specific gun is rather uncommon. The Sharps records may exist for this gun, but would likely show it as delivered to the U.S. Army circa 1864-65 and the trail would end there. You can check the SRS records yourself to see what is there. Just as a reminder, guns were not shipped or issued in exact serial number order, so although it is possible that a pattern of guns nearby could indicate that missing numbers had a similar history, it is just as possible that their history is wildly different. Close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades. John Spangler

# 10793 - Springfield 1838 Musket History
3/12/2005
Barbara Federalsburg, MD USA

On stock above trigger, left side are markings that read TW. On right side of stock--U.S. with an engraving of an eagle with arrow and olive branch in claws. At the base and top of barrel is a P, eagle's head, and V posisioned one under the other. On base of stock towards the but is US. Total inches 57 1/2 inches. ''17'' on top of stock where barrel meets stock. CBC is imprinted on underside of trigger housing. My grandfather found this buried in his backyard many many years ago in Wysox, Pennsylvania. He always kept it hanging in house. He gave it to my son before he died. We will also hang it our house. We know nothing about guns and would appreciate any information about the gun to pass on.

Answer:
Barbara- Starting with the obvious, your musket was made at Springfield Armory, Massachusetts in 1838 as a flintlock .69 caliber smoothbore. We cannot be sure from your description if it is still a flintlock or has been converted to percussion. Wysox, PA is way off in the middle of nowhere, but along the Susquehanna River, which was a travel route in the days long before Interstate highways were built. This could have been a route used by military units going to/from western New York state for service in the Mexican War or the Civil War, as the Model 1816 muskets were widely used in both. It is possible that one of them decided to desert and got rid of his gun so he could travel lighter and not be recognized as a soldier. It is also possible that some militia unit from the local area lost it on one of the drunken sessions that sometimes passed for militia musters in the mid 18th century. At the end of the Civil War, soldiers were allowed to keep their arms, having the cost deducted from their final pay. It is possible that a recently discarded soldier eventually decided that it just was not worth the work to lug a musket any further. Another explanation could be that it was sold off as surplus by Bannerman or other large dealers in the 1870-1940 period and ended up in a small town hardware store or private collection, or for use as an inexpensive hunting arm. Maybe the hunter had to chose between dragging a deer home or carrying the musket, and decided to leave the gun and come back later, but could not find it. It may have been stolen from a collector somewhere and thieves decided to get rid of the evidence. Sadly, we will never know, but you can have great fun speculating. John Spangler

# 10792 - J. How Percussion Carbine
3/12/2005
Susan: Tifton, Georgia

''J How'' stamped into the barrel, probably during manufacture, as the bluing (which has turned brown) is intact there. Between the J and the How are four dots in roughly rectangular placement. On the underside of the barrel, the following has been scratched in by hand: ''LX 325''. This is through the bluing, as rust has formed in the grooves. The side plate, whose surface is worn, has the letter ''B'' on it. What can you tell me about this piece? Who was ''J. How'', and what do the hand-engraved letters mean?

Answer:
Susan- I regret we cannot help with that one The hand engraved letters are probably match marks which were used to keep the parts of a gun identified so after final finishing they could get the right ones back on the same gun. Prior to about 1842 nearly all guns were handmade and not fully interchangeable. John Spangler

# 10580 - Be Careful When Carrying .22s And Paperclips!
3/12/2005
Allen, Princeton, NC

It has load storage in the stock. Semi auto. I have been told this rifle is special because it could be easily modified to full auto and the Gov. stooped manufacture of this piece before many were built. Who built this rifle and do you believe what I have been told is true. If so is it worth at least the 150.00 I paid for it. P.S. it has not been modified nor do I intend to do so. I want to have it as it was built from the factory. Thank you!

Answer:
Allen, I have heard rumors like this before about various models of inexpensive house brand guns. The old joke is that the feds consider it illegal to have the gun and a paperclip in your possession at the same time. I am afraid that even if the rumor is true, most law abiding citizens will probably not be willing to pay extra for a firearm just because it can be easily converted to fire in full automatic mode. I would advise that it may not be smart to sell a firearm to someone who would.

References are not clear on the Wards 488A, it may have been Mossberg's Model 50. The Model 50 was manufactured from 1939 to 1942, this would fit in with your story about the model not being manufactured for long . Production of the Mossberg Model 50 was discontinued due to WWII. Marc

# 10578 - Military PP Pistol
3/8/2005
Robert ONeill

Left side of barrel: Walther - Banner followed by Waffenfabrik Walther, Zella Mehus (Thur.) - Ther is a oomlud over the u - next line Walther's Patent Cal 7,65 m/m. On the slide and grip there is an emblem with the number Wa4359 ( I can't make our the emblem without magnifying glass, but it looks like an eagle. Letter are kind of small and my eye sight is not so good. On the right side of the bar and handle are the numbers 253245p (looks like a serial number). My father passed away and left it as part of inheritance. Can you tell me about this pistol and its significance. My dad fought in World War 2 in Europe in the Black Watch and also in the South Pacific with the Marines.

Answer:
Robert, it sounds like you have a military issue Walther PP because of the " WaA359" marking you mention. The Walther PP was manufactured by Waffenfabrik Walther at Zella-Mehlis, Germany, from 1929 to 1945, PP stands for Police Pistol. PP pistols were sold on the commercial market and also procured by the German government for use by the military and the police. Your pistol should have the following markings:

• The serial number on the right side of the frame to the rear of the trigger. It mayor may not be on the right side of the slide just forward of the ejection port and/or on the base of the magazine. All of these serial numbers should match.
• "WALTHER WAFFENFABRIK WALTHER, ZELLA-MEHLIS(THUR) WALTHER'S PATENT CAL. 7.65m/m MOD.PP" on the left side of the slide.
• Military acceptance stamp eagle over "WaA359" (not Wa4359) on the left side of the frame to the rear of the trigger and on the left side of the slide just forward of the slide grip.
• Commercial test proof eagle over "N" on the right side of the slide below the ejection port, on the right side of the chamber (barrel), and on the right side of the barrel near the muzzle.

Military issue PP pistols are quite popular with collectors, there seems to be more demand for them than there is for their commercial or police issue counterparts. I have seen all matching examples in excellent condition being offered in the $750 or more range at gunshows. Marc

# 11388 - National Ordnance Vietnam Sniper?
3/8/2005
Richard, Miami, Florida

I have a "Springfield" 1903 30-06 Cal. with the following markings: Nat. Ord. Inc. 1903, SN 6001495. The weapon has been sporterized with a customized wooden stock with a semi-hard rubber but plate and a Redfield rear site. I purchased the weapon in 1964 from the original Hialeah Gun Shop in Hialeah Florida and worked the weapon into an immaculate sporting rifle. It is accurate at 300 yards. (All in the Black) and is tapped for a full scope. I am aware of the fact customized versions of this exact same model were used in Vietnam as a snipers rifle (Preferred) I have been attempting to find a history of the weapon without success. Can anyone tell me when National Ordinances year of manufacture was. How many Springfield models did Nat. Ord. Inc. manufacture.

Answer:
Richard, glad to hear that your rifle is so accurate, you must enjoy shooting it. I usually cringe when I hear that a perfectly good 1903 or 1903A3 has been drilled and tapped for a scope and painted black but fortunately not in this case. National Ordnance assembled 1903A3 rifles from surplus military parts on somewhat crudely finished, receivers that were manufactured in Yugoslavia and/or Spain from 1965 to 1974. Serial numbering started at 5,000,000, and several thousand were put together. National Ordnance rifles were made strictly for commercial sale, they were NEVER used by the US military for snipers or anything else. They have no collector interest or value so no harm was done when the modifications were made. Marc

# 10736 - 1894 Krag Jorgenson Rifle
3/8/2005
Keith Huntington pa

I have read a lot about models 1892, 96 and 98. Mine is clearly marked as an 1894. Where would I look to read up on the history of this particular model?

Answer:
Keith- The Krag Jorgenson was adopted in 1892, but production was delayed until 1894 mainly due to political concerns about the adoption of a rifle based on foreign designs instead of one thought up by Americans. Initially the receivers were marked U.S. SPRINGFIELD ARMORY the serial number, and the date of manufacture (1894). This continued until sometime in 1896 when the Model 1896 was adopted and the then marked them MODEL 1896 and did not change that until 1898 when they again changed the model. There are two excellent books on Krags, the best is Frank Mallory's "Krag Rifle Story" (2nd edition) which we sell on our gun books page. The other which is almost as good is William S. Brophy's "The Krag Rifle". Of course the best place to search for the history of a specific gun by serial number is on the Springfield Research Service page at our other site http://ArmsCollectors.com - John Spangler

# 10709 - M1911 .45 Auto Made By Springfield Armory [Mass]
3/5/2005
Sando; Reading, PA

''Model of 1911 Army''; ''United States Property''; ''Springfield Armory USA''; An American Eagle on the right slide; what looks like a target with flames from it on the left slide and next to trigger; and patented dates on left slide. I was told and I also read that Springfield did not make 1911 models. What is the approximate value?

Answer:
Sando- You need to stop listening to people who do not know what they are talking about, and reading books that are filled with nonsense. You also need to knock off that "XXX" in the serial number crap that is used by paranoid jerks afraid the black helicopters are going to steal their guns. Springfield Armory made 25,767 of this model in several blocks in the 72,000 to 133,000 ranges. Most small parts will have the letter S on them, and the magazines are different from the Colt production. Value is in the $xxx-$xxxx range. John Spangler

# 10734 - Jukar Muzzle Loaader
3/5/2005
Dave, Albuquerque, NM

My neighbor unearthed this small muzzle loading pistol. Any idea how old it might be and if there is any value?

Answer:
Dave- Jukar brand guns are replicas mad sometime in the 1970s-1980s, and the value in excellent condition is probably under $50 so an "unearthed" example is probably not worth much at all. Sorry. John Spangler

# 10562 - Prize 513 T Matchmaker
3/5/2005
Al, Utica, NY

In 1945 or 1946 I won this rifle in a National Rifle Shooting contest. It was presented to me by Remington Arms. I want to sell this and want to know a ball park figure as to what is worth retail.

Answer:
Al, Remington manufactured about 166,000 Model 513T Matchmaster rifles from 1940 to 1968. For those who are not familiar with the model, the Matchmaster was designed for target shooting, it came equipped with a sturdy half stock with sling swivels, beavertail forend and a straight comb which rose at the heel. Matchmaster barrels were 27 inch heavy target semi-floating type. The patented Matchmaster trigger mechanism had an adjustable stop. Rear sights were usually Redfield patterns, with a replaceable-element tunnel at the muzzle. Pre-war Matchmaster magazines held seven rounds while post-war examples held six. Total weight was about 9 pounds.

The blue book lists values for this model from $150 to about $400 depending on condition. If you can provide some documentation of your rifles provenance/history some collectors may be willing to pay more for it. Marc

# 10560 - Haenel 25
3/1/2005
Mick San Anselmo CA

Possibly WWII-era. Reportedly brought back by my grandfather from Berlin (69th Infantry) Do you have any information on the maker/history of the Haenel company?

Answer:
Mick, when first founded in 1840, the Haenel company was principally concerned with light engineering. Haenels first experience with firearms manufacture, was a contract that they were awarded jointly with the sporting firearms manufacturer V. Ch. Schilling to produce M1879 and M1883 Reichsrevolvers for the German Military. The Reichsrevolvers that Haenel manufactured under contract with Schilling were marked 'VCS CGH Suhl'.

In 1921, Hugo Schmeisser, who had been working for Bergmann, came to Haenel as designer and chief engineer. Schmeisser brought designs for a 6.5 mm pocket pistol which he had patented in Germany in 1920. Haenel production of the Schmeisser design (the Model 1) began in 1922 and continued until about 1930. Model 1 slides were marked 'C. G. Haenel Suhl Schmeisser's Patent', and grips carry the monogram 'HS'.

About 1927, Haenel introduced the Model 2. The Model 2 was mechanically the same, as the earlier Model 1 but the external appearance was different. The Model 2 was more squared-off shorter, and lighter. The Model 2 bore the same slide inscription as the Model 1 , but the grips were marked with the word 'Schmeisser' across the top. Model 2 production did not continue for long because by the late 1930s Haenel was focusing on submachine-gun design and military weapon production. It is theorized that all pistol manufacture at Haenel probably stopped in about 1932. During WWII Haenel's production code was 'fxo', they were responsible for much of the production of the Machine Pistols 38 and 40.

After the war, the Haenel factory was dismantled by the Russians, and Hugo Schmeisser vanished into Russian hands, never to be heard of again. The Haenel plant later operated as the Ernst Thalmann Werk VB, making sporting firearms. Marc

# 10555 - 8" Fixed Site Luger
3/1/2005
Charles

This is an auction gun so I'll list what I know: claims orig. finish, clip and grips appear aftermarket, bore ''good'', matching no. s except clip & grips, no import marks, fixed sights. Could this be a legit long barrel variation? ˙I saw a similar gun listed in Gun List as an ''artillery model with fixed sights'' If this sounds legit any range on value? Would you give me a value range on original artillery models (without stock). ˙Need a good book on Lugers-any recommendation? ˙

Answer:
Charles, I did not think that the Luger you are interested in was correct, so I double checked. I have been unable to find any mention of Lugers with 8" barrels and fixed sights in my reference books. Can you find out if there are any markings on the barrel? The description mentions military proofs, the barrel should also be marked with the serial number, bore size in millimeters and a military proof. If the barrel has all of these markings, it is probably correct. If there are no markings, I suspect that it is a replacement.

If the barrel is a replacement, value will be in the $400 to $500 range.

Value for a correct Artillery Luger will be in the $1500 to $2000 range.

If the barrel is correct I don't know what the value will be. I think that you will have a hard time convincing prospective buyers that the
pistol is OK so it may be a good idea to stay away from it in any circumstance. I know that if I purchased an Artillery Luger, I would want
the tangent sight. I would not buy a Luger without one. I suspect that most collectors will feel that way and that only an advanced
collector would want one with fixed sights (if correct).

My book recommendations are:

Imperial Lugers
by Jan C. Still (Hardcover )

Third Reich Lugers
by Jan C. Still (Hardcover )

They are out of print now so will be hard to find. Amazon has Third Reich Lugers for $125.00. Marc

# 10731 - Revolutionary War Manton Percussion Rifle
3/1/2005
Robert, El Paso, TX

The side place, slightly engraved says Joseph Manton Warrented No other markings are evident. The stock is cracked buy repaired and is length of the gun. Muzzle loader, percussion. How old? Value? I bought it in Pennsylvania. Any chance this is a revolutionary war weapon?

Answer:
Robert- If we saw some pictures that would be a big help in evaluating the age and use of your gun. However, going on the information we have, the barrel length is typical of the late 18th and early 19th century military arms, so that is a good start. Percussion arms were not made until about the 1820s, or more commonly the 1830s or 1840s, so unless there is evidence that this was converted from flintlock, it could not have been used in the Revolutionary War (1776-1783 for those of you who slept through your history classes). The famous Manton family of gun makers operated in England from the late 18th century through most of the 19th century. Joseph Manton was born in 1766, and superceded his half brother John Manton as the foremost English gunsmith in the 1820. Unless Joseph was a child prodigy making guns on his own at the age of 17 a gun made by him could not have been used in the Revolutionary War. We can only confirm what it is no, but cannot positively tell you what your gun really is. John Spangler