# 11494 - Antique Charter Arms Bulldog?
3/28/2006
Doug, Burlington, ND

None Can you tell me what year this weapon was manufactured and if it considered an antique? Thank You.

Answer:
Doug, the Charter Arms Bulldog was a nice little revolver but it is not an antique. I have not been able to find any production data to confirm when the Bulldog was first introduced, but if memory serves me correctly it was sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s. I was able to find that Charter Arms was founded in 1964. With this in mind the revolver is definitely not old enough to be considered an antique. Marc

# 11491 - Savage 99 Information
3/28/2006
Robert, Conroe, Texas

None Can you tell me the date of manufacture from using the serial number? Also, can you tell me the approximate Blue Book value in fair condition? Thank you, Robert

Answer:
Robert, the best that I can tell you is that Savage Model 99 rifles with serial numbers higher than 398400 were made after 1940. I would expect to see a 300 Savage 99R in fair condition for sale at a gunshow in the $250 range. Marc

# 11862 - European Folding Trigger Pistol
3/28/2006
Kathy

We have a pistol that my husbands father brought back from the war and he told my husband that it was German. I believe that it is a 25 caliber and has a manual ejector rod and a folding trigger. It has the "Crown over N" mark on the chamber as well a GC with larger D over the GC. I took the grip off and the number 44 was stamped inside. I have been looking for information on this gun and found a couple that are close but exactly. Can you give me any more information about this gun?

Answer:
Kathy- Sorry, we cannot help much with that one. The description (a very good one!) fits a type of pocket pistol that was very popular in Europe circa 1890-1920. I think yours was made in Germany, but they were made in Belgium and France, and probably elsewhere as well, in many different calibers. This was a time when ammunition was changing from black powder to smokeless powder and the older guns would not be safe to shoot with modern ammo, even if you could find some to fit. Values tend to be modest with little collector interest. It sounds like a nice family keepsake. John Spangler

# 11861 - Winchester Date?
3/25/2006
Ron

I have a Winchester model 1897, serial number 151315, 27 inch barrel, full choke. When I entered the serial number in your site to discover the year of manufacture, I was given the year 1902. Earlier today I dissembled the gun to accomplish some minor cleaning and found two markings stating \"1920\". One is stamped into the end of the wooden butt beneath the metal butt plate. The other is stamped into the left side of the trigger guard assembly as it protrudes into the underside of the hand grip area of the wooden butt. Granted the trigger guard assembly is machined separately from the rest of the receiver which holds the serial number, but the two look like they've been mated for life and no sign of replacement or prior disassembly is evident. Any thoughts about which date is correct, or what the significance might be of the stamps found? Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Answer:
Ron- I believe the 1902 date in the table is correct. The only dates that Winchester marked on their products is the last two digits of the year the barrel was made (or assembled??) on the underside of the barrel. I believe they started that in the 1920s or 30s, but am not certain. For high volume models in standard configuration this can be a pretty accurate indication of the date of manufacture of the gun. But, oddball barrels/calibers may have remained in stock many years before being assembled and shipped, so that date is not always correct as a manufacture date.

I do not know what the 1920 on your shotgun means. Most likely it is an assembly number needed to keep hand fitted parts matched up during final finishing and assembly. Until the 1950s Winchester did a lot of hand fitting. This was especially true on stocks so that the buttplate sizes all vary a tiny bit. The fit of buttstocks to the action on any that had two piece stocks usually varies enough so that one stock will fit properly on one gun, and be a bit low in fitting the receiver on another and maybe a bit proud of the metal on yet another. Similarly the trigger guard assembly on the M1897 may vary a bit in fit to the frame and to the butt.

If the 1920 is a date (which I doubt) it may reflect a date of repair, perhaps at the factory, or maybe a Bubba's Gunsmithery. John Spangler

# 11860 - U.S. Military M1895 Winchester Usage
3/25/2006
Mike

I've been able to find just a few tantalizing snippets about the history of the 1895 musket in 30/40 Government. There are several pieces of confusing history out there. One is that the 'majority' of the 10,000 rifles (rejected by senior military after the Philippine campaign) made their way to Cuba. Could this have been as the US Governor (General Leonard Wood?) stood up the Cuban Armed Forces (1909) with (made obsolete by the 1903 Springfield) un-wanted US inventory weapons? I've heard that Flayderman sold off a hundred or so-presumably to civilians. I've heard that the 1895s in Cuba made their way to Mexico somehow, that they were a favorite of Pancho Villa's personal guard in the 1915-1916 timeframe. The US Government supported Villa in the early days of the revolution, then reversed positions alienating him. Could he have acquired them directly from the US government early in the revolution? And then there is the case of Villa's raid on Columbus NM, where he made off with rifles and (French made) machine guns from the US Army 13th cavalry (F-troop oddly enough). I've heard the US Army Cavalry used the Winchesters along the border. Could Villa have acquired 1895s from the Columbus raid? Are you aware of anyone who has researched this subject? I have an 1895 Musket and am becoming a student of it's past. Thanks.

Answer:
Mike- Good questions. I believe the trail is solid as far as delivery to U.S. Army inventory, and eventual sale/issue for use by Cuban forces under U.S. control. I have never heard anything suggesting Villa had any of the US marked muskets, although the normal commercial model 1895 rifles and carbines seem to have been popular in Mexico.

While I am sure that esteemed dealer author Norm Flayderman has indeed sold a number of these over the years, I suspect you really meant that Francis Bannerman Sons supposedly sold a hundred or so, not Flayderman. I have never seen anything to suggest that any M1895 muskets were used by U.S. forces after the initial trials period, and hence none would have been around U.S. posts in New Mexico for Villa to cart away.

Considering that 10,000 were made, these are exceptionally scarce on the collector market, and appear in tiny numbers compared to virtually any other U.S. military rifle of the later 19th century. I have a heavily restored example in my collection, and have seen only about 4-5 others in over 30 years of collecting, about a third of the frequency I would expect. Every one I have ever seen was in rough to completely ratty condition. Congratulations on owning one.

Good luck with the research. There is precious little about them in the Annual Reports of the Chief of Ordnance, and the best account I have seen is in Bruce Canfield's "A Collector's Guide to Winchester in the Service". Although that is somewhat dated, and not quite up to the research standards Bruce has achieved in his later work, it is a good starting point. John Spangler

# 11490 - H & R Value
3/25/2006
Ronny, Arab, Alabama

Pistol has never been fired. It is in excellent condition. This pistol belonged to a friend who just passed away. He was 86 years old and his wife said he has owned it for a very long time. How old is the pistol and what is the current value?

Answer:
Ronny, first series H&R Model 929 Sidekick revolvers were manufactured from 1956 to 1985. A second series H&R Model 929 Sidekick was introduced in 1996, they were manufactured to 1999. First series revolvers had a 9 shot swing out cylinder, plastic grips, and could be ordered with 2.5, 4, or 6 inch barrels. Second series revolvers had a square butt with brown laminate grips, 9 shot swing-out cylinder, blue finish and 4 inch heavy barrel. There is not much collector interest in H&R handguns, values are usually in the $125 or less range. Marc

# 11484 - Krag Bolt Removal
3/21/2006
Bill, West Jordan, UT

How do you remove the bolt from the rifle?

Answer:
Bill, you are in luck. We have posted instructions for removing Krag bolts at our other site ArmsCollectors.com. There is a link to the instructions on the left hand menu bar. Marc

# 11441 - Special Order 94?
3/21/2006
Rodney NH

Round barrel with same length feeder tube; 80%blue some silvering wear on receiver and lever, saddle ring left side, checkered forearm (2inch crack on front of forearm), and checkered pistol grip, dark walnut stock. Marble fold down adjustable peep sight (marked pat oct.20-03, nov15-05.) on tang of receiver. (covers Winchester model #); this sight is round tapering to top with checkering to ad grip to aide adjustment. Barrel marking .30 W.C.F. Some dings from wear on stock and very slight chip on bottom of hard rubber butt plate. Very minor pitting on barrel. Considering age and use I believe it is in very good condition I have never seen one like it I believe it was mfg. 1923. I was wondering how special it is and if stock's are custom order from Winchester back then as I don't believe they were standard issue. I would like to know the approximate value and did Winchester apply the rear Marble sight? How would you rate the condition of the gun by my description? Thank you !

Answer:
Rodney, your rear sight was an after market add on. Its presence doesn't add much to the price of the carbine, but such sights often sell in the $50 to $100 range so dealers often remove them and sell them separately.

Winchester offered custom order features on its rifles starting sometime in the 19th Century. These included take down, short magazine tube, flat buttplate, custom wood with checkering, and custom wood with a pistol grip. Check to see if your buttplate is curved or flat. The custom rifles had flat buttplates. The custom wood will have finer graining, often with interesting figures in the wood. Custom wood adds considerably to the price of a Winchester. A factory letter from the original Winchester records now on file at the Cody Firearms Museum, in the Buffalo Bill Historical Center would tell you if the wood was original to the gun and when it was made or if it was added by someone else. For a very modest cost the Cody Firearms Museum will provide a letter stating what information is available on any gun they have listed (unfortunately the records are not complete), and this usually includes the date shipped and a brief description of the model and any special features. You can contact Cody Firearms Museum at - Cody Firearms Research, C/O Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, Wyoming 82414, Phone: (307) 587-4771. Marc

# 11859 - French Mle 1916 Rifle
3/21/2006
Brian

I have been given the guns of my grandfather. One of them is a Berthier Model 1916 Infantry Model Cal 8 Lebel: St Etienne MLe M16. The stock butt stamp: FN 63014, Barrel stamp: FN63014, Bolt Stamped:L(in a circle) a figure can't make out, and the numbers 8838. Is there any info you can pass on to me about the gun? History, value, accuracy, shootability? The story is that my grandfather and dad used the gun for deer hunting. My dad said it kicked like a mule and he could shoot a long way with it. There was a box of ammo for it. and when it was gone they put it up in the attic and never used it again. They did oil it down and so it is in really nice condition. They both have passed away and I'd like to collect the missing pieces and shoot it. I'd like to have the bayonet, but I need at least the clip and ammo or at least the brass for it. I have a gunsmith who will load for me IF I can find the brass... Can you direct me somewhere for the purchase of the bayonet, clip and ammo/brass?

Answer:
Brian- Your rifle is not all that rare or valuable, but it should have some sentimental value, and could be the basis for starting to collect guns for their historic interest.

I believe the Mle 1916 (Model 1916 in Frogspeak) was a carbine with about a 20 inch barrel, but maybe it was the rifle with barrel about 30 inches long, I just forget which. If it has not been altered for hunting, the value is probably in the $150-350 range, but I remember a few years ago rather ratty examples were being sold by the surplus dealers for $40 each. There is some military surplus ammo available, much of it will not fire, or could be dangerous to use. Not much demand for the 8mm Lebel caliber, so it is hard to find newly made commercial ammo, but a few people do load it. They are not noted for accuracy, or ease of operation or anything else very positive (as with many things French). For what it is worth, St. Etienne is the city in France where guns have been made since the 1700s, and where the Muslim riots are taking place today. The bayonet has an aluminum or brass handle and a long spike type blade (18-22 inches long, depending on model of the bayonet) with four flutes in it, giving it a "X" or cruciform shaped cross section. They are not too hard to find, and I saw a nice one last weekend for $75. Hope that helps. John Spangler

# 11857 - M1903 Barrels With A and SA/bomb/date Markings
3/18/2006
Doug

I have a M1903 rifle with barrel markings SA over 10 - 18 the funny thing is under the 10 - 18 is a capital A. Any thoughts ? Thanks for your time

Answer:
Doug- In my opinion the SA 10-18 are the date and place of manufacture (Springfield Armory), and the A indicates that the barrel was made at Springfield from a blank (or forging or partially finished barrel) provided by the Avis Rifle Barrel Company. (which also provided finished barrels, marked AV in lieu of SA).

Some other people will argue that the A indicates an overhauled rifle on which the original barrel was serviceable and retained. I think my theory is correct as I have never seen the A marking on anything but SA barrels dated circa 1918-1920, never any earlier or RIA. Also, the "A" marking appears too neat and uniform in applications to be a hand stamped marking added during overhaul. You are free to pick the explanation you like, or come up with your own. John Spangler

# 11856 - Cannonball?
3/18/2006
Cindy

I work at a motel and came across what I think is a cannon ball around 6 1/2 diameter. It has the # 04 on it. I am just curious what it is and its value.

Answer:
Cindy- Round iron balls have many uses other than cannon balls. It may be a "shot" from track and field "shot put" competition. Similar balls are also used in industrial applications, especially large "ball mills" where a drum (like on a concrete mix truck) are filled with a bunch of iron balls and some sort of stuff that needs to be broken up into small chunks or a fine powder.

Cannon balls were made in a number of specific sizes, and without an exact measurement it is hard to tell if yours is a cannon ball, or more likely something else. Value for a cannon ball in that size range is probably about $100-150, but for something else, more like $10-20. John Spangler

# 11440 - Lebel Information
3/18/2006
Carl NC

gg(?) 42386, J H with a circled ''R'' and an ''F'', Mle 1886, M95, Manifacture Darmes--J'(?)Elienne Was told this is a WWI/WWII rifle. It is a bolt action with a 4-sided 25 inch bayonet. The rifle is 50.6 inches end to end (without the bayonet).I have some 8mm bullets. I would like a history of the rifle and value of set. The rifle was my father's. I paid $50.00 for the bayonet and $15.00 for 20 bullets at a gun show.

Answer:
Carl, the Lebel rifle was the first military rifle chambered for a cartridge using smokeless powder, and was adopted in 1886.. The French developed smokeless powder in the early 1880's. Its superiority to black powder was such that every army abandoned there black powder cartridges and adopted new smokeless cartridges (and rifles) between 1886 and 1895. The Lebel rifle used a tubular magazine that had to be loaded one shot at a time through the action. This was a major problem when confronted with the Mauser five shot stripper clip loading system.

Your rifle was made at the French arsenal at St Etienne sometime before 1914. It undoubtedly saw service in World War I. Many were sent off to the colonies when the French moved to a 7.5 mm cartridge in the 1930's. Value will depend on condition, but most I've seen have sold in the $250 to $400 range in the last couple of years. Marc

# 11439 - Liberated Walther Model 2
3/14/2006
David

Looking for information on this particular pistol as it was ''liberated'' by an American G.I. in 1945 from Bergesgarden, possibly from the resort/vacation home of Joachim von Ribentrop. It comes with a hand made holster which is hand tooled with the name ''Jennings''. The left side of the slide reads, ''Selbstaje-pistcle Cal. 6.35 Walther's-Patent'' and the right side of the slide reads, ''Carl Walther WAFFENFABRIK Zeila St Blasii'' The standard Walther hand grips have been replaced by some ''clear'' grips which do not fit the pistol well. What can you tell me about this pistol and what is it's approximate worth?

Answer:
David, The Walther Model 2 was first introduced in 1909 and replaced by the Model 3 in 1913. References are unclear as to whether Model 2 pistols were manufactured up until 1913 or only in 1909. The Model 2 design incorporated an all-enveloping slide with ejection slot on the right. The design also made use of a coaxial recoil spring around the 2.1-inch barrel retained by a muzzle bushing, and an internal hammer. Original Model 2 finish was blue and grips were hard rubber. Early Model 2 pistols had a pop-up rear sight, on later pistols a regular fixed type replaced the pop up site.

Clear plastic grips are not uncommon on WWII bring-back pistols. The usual story is the grips were made by the GI who brought the pistol home from Plexiglas aircraft windows. Blue book values for Model 2 pistols range from $130 to over $500 depending on condition. Unfortunately the replacement grips will hurt value. I would expect to see a pistol like you are describing for sale at a gunshow in the $250 range. Marc

# 11438 - Winchester 1906 Value
3/14/2006
Dustin Minot ND

Patent January 29, 1901( on rear sight). This is a pump action rifle. It is a front-end loader. It has an exterior hammer, with a 1/4 cock safety device. The butt-plate is plastic and says ''Winchester Trade-Mark'' inside of a circular design. Can you give me the approximate value that this gun is?

Answer:
The Winchester Model 1906 was designed to be a lower price version of their earlier Model 1890 rifle. My references indicate that your rifle was manufactured in 1915. The 1906 had essentially the same action as the 1890 but it had a 20 inch round barrel instead of the longer 24-inch full octagon barrel of the 1890 and a butt stock with a composition shotgun type buttplate instead of the curved metal type of the 1890. The first 1906 rifles produced were chambered for the 22 Short cartridge only, but in April of 1908, changes were made in the feeding mechanism and in chambering so the rifle could fire .22 Short, .22 Long, and .22 Long Rifle rim fire cartridges, interchangeably. The modifications, to accommodate three lengths of 22 caliber cartridges, were popular and records show a remarkable increase in 1906 sales after the change was made. Approximately 848,000 Model 1906 rifles were manufactured between 1906 and 1932. The value of your rifle will depend on it's condition, the blue book lists 1906 values between $100 and $800. Marc

# 11769 - Swiss Vetterli Rifle With Odd Finish
3/14/2006
Dean, Charlotte, NC

On the left side of the receiver there is a cross, under that, waffenfabrik, Bern, Serial # 178322, and M.78 under that. On the right rear of the stock is a shield with maybe the letter ''R'' inside (very faint). On top of the stock is a rectangle with the letters D6 + OI (maybe CI). On various metal parts there is a cross within an oval with an ''O'' under. Also, there is a + with ''N'' under it on the striker. I picked up this rifle today in an antique shop for a very good price, even though there are a couple of bolt parts missing (bolt cap, spring and retaining nut). The weapon is in incredible condition I think, with matching numbers throughout. The stock may have been sanded and oiled but there are very few nicks and dings. The weapon shows no signs of use, no wear marks on the bolt or receiver. I started researching this weapon when I got home to find out first what it was. I found several for sale with pictures. What puzzles me about this rifle is the fittings. Unlike the examples I saw online, the two barrel bands and rod, rear sight, bolt assembly, part of the trigger assembly, rear sling mount and butt plate are all ''white'' metal. All of these parts have the last 3 digits of the serial number stamped on them. I don't know if it is stainless or nickel, or? So, my question is...Is this an original or has someone ''dressed it up''? I thought it may have been a ceremonial piece used only for ceremony or something. Is that possible?

Answer:
Dean- As far as I know- the Swiss Vetterli rifles were all made with blued bands, etc. If theya re a silver color now, there are two likely explanations. One is that it was dressed up with nickel or chrome plating for ceremonial use. This may have been by the Swiss, but in my opinion it was more likely some American color guard or school or something that bought the surplus rifles about 1960 for $9.95 each, in virtually brand new condition, and altered them. Another likely explanation is that the parts which are now bright started to get rusty, and the previous owner proceeded to clean them vigorously and managed to take all the blue finish off them. John Spangler

# 11763 - Frontier Bulldog
3/11/2006
Jon, Lincoln NE

I have an old six shot pistol that is marked on the top ''Frontier Bulldog''. An friend of mine who specializes in pre 1900 cartridges looked at the gun and told me it was a French made gun in 44 cal. He also told me it was the same gun that General Custer carried and that the grips on my gun were something very special. My friend then gave my 8 cartridges that he told me were original vintage. He also gave me 5 or 6 more cartridges that he said were made for the gun over the years. Some have wooden bullets and some are even plastic cases that he told me were used as blanks in Hollywood. The gun is very nice and I would like to know more about it and a value if possible. Can you help! Thank you in advance for your time and I your web site is appreciated. Jon

Answer:
Jon- "Bulldog" was sort of a generic name applied to .44 caliber revolvers in the 1870-1900 period, especially those with short barrels, and derived from some Webley "Bulldog" models. General Custer reportedly had a Bulldog of some type, but I don't recall the specific details. It was very nice of your friend to help you find some cartridges to DISPLAY with your revolver, but I would caution against trying to shoot it. While a neat collector item, the values on these seem to be rather modest and I sometimes see guns of this general description at gun shows priced anywhere from $100 up. John Spangler

# 11759 - .45-70 Rifles In The Civil War
3/11/2006
Judy, Covington,Tennessee

Were the 45-70 Govt bullets for rifles used during the Civil War?

Answer:
Judy- The Civil War ended in April 1865. The .45-70 cartridge was developed in 1873. Therefore they were NOT used in the Civil War. John Spangler

# 11434 - Eagle Over "N" Proof Mark
3/11/2006
Brian, Independence, MO

It Has an Eagle over the letter ''N.'' Also there are no import markings from Interarms or anyone else, it was manufactured in Oberndorf. I have been trying to date a Mauser HSc, but to no avail. The numerical markings seem inconsistent with Mauser serial numbers (00. 11129)... I was hoping that you could help me in this endeavor. Any help you could give me pinning down the manufacture date is very much appreciated. All the best - Brian

Answer:

Brian, sorry but I can't help much without seeing the proof marking that you describe because Eagle over "N" is a German definitive nitro proof, that was used circa 1939-1945 but the West Germans also used an eagle over "N" proof mark, that looked a little different, after the war. It would also help to know all of the other markings (if any) on the pistol. If your pistol is of WWII vintage, it should have the following markings.

WWII Military Issue:

Serial number:

• Lower front strap.
• Last three digits on the barrel beneath the chamber.
• Slide beneath the muzzle.

MAUSER Mauser-Werke A.G. Oberndorf a.N. Mod. HSc Kal. 7.65 mm

• Slide-left side

Military acceptance stamp eagle/"135", eagle/"WaA135" or eagle/"655":

• Left side of the trigger guard.

Military test proof eagle/swastika in a circle

• Left side of the frame to the rear of the left grip On early manufactured pistols.

Commercial test proof eagle/"N" :

• Right side of the trigger guard,
• Right side of the slide near the muzzle
• Right side of the chamber (barrel).

Mauser trademark:

• Base of the magazine (not present on late war magazines).

WWII Police Issue:

Serial number:

• Lower front strap.
• Last three digits on the barrel beneath the chamber.
• Slide beneath the muzzle.

MAUSER Mauser-Werke A.G. Oberndorf a.N. Mod. HSc Kal. 7.65 mm

• Slide-left side

Police acceptance stamp eagle/"x" in a circle next to "C", "F" or "L":

• Left side of the trigger guard.

Commercial test proof eagle/"N" :

• Right side of the trigger guard,
• Right side of the slide near the muzzle
• Right side of the chamber (barrel).

Mauser trademark:

• Base of the magazine (not present on late war magazines).

WWII HSc pistols sold on the commercial market will have the same markings as the police issue pistols minus the police acceptance stamps. Marc

# 11746 - Removing Broken Guard Screw
3/7/2006
Gavin

Hello, our schools JROTC unit has a couple of rifles where the front triggerguard screw has broken off into the receiver. This has caused them to be marked and we now tape the triggerguard to the stock. However we have been trying to remover the broken off screws. The screw is about a millimeter below the surface of the receiver. Could you suggest any possible ways to remove the damaged screw from them? Thank you very much for your time.

Answer:
Gavin- Easy repair if you have the right tools and a little experience. The M1903 trigger guard screws are 1/4" x 25 threads per inch. Handy trivia if you really mess things up and need to clean out the old threads- but note that 1/3"-25 is not a tap size you can find at your local hardware store. Avoid this problem by being careful in the following steps and you should be okay. You will need an "E-Z Out" screw extractor that is sort of like a drill with very coarse left hand threads. These are made in several sizes, and each uses a different drill size, so figure out which size you need, and pick a drill that may be a bit smaller diameter than they recommend. You will need a tap wrench to hold the EZ out and a drill with the right size bits and a vise, hammer and center punch. Also a screw driver and a replacement guard screw.

First, ensure the gun is unloaded, and remove the upper band by driving it off to the front after removing the screw. The front sight blade will keep it from coming all the way off the barrel, but that is okay. Next, back off the band screws, but do not try to remove them entirely- the threaded ends are peened to prevent them from being removed and will mess up the threads if forced. Slide the handguard forward as you slide the bands forward. Remove the remaining good guard screw and then remove the barreled action from the stock. Holding the receiver in a vise, use a center punch to mark the center of the broken screw. Drill down in the center of the screw about 1/4 inch. The drilling will heat up the broken screw and make it expand and fit tighter, so it is best to wait 20-30 minutes for it to cool down, and let some penetrating oil soak in. Then put the EZ Out in the tap wrench and screw it into the hole in the screw (turning in the lefty-loosie direction, not righty-tighty). As you turn the EZ Out, the sharp edges dig into the remains of the old screw and will usually turn it out. If it comes out, that is the best outcome. Sometimes if the screw is really tight, the EZ Out will strip the hole you drilled so large that it will no longer grip. You might try a larger EZ Out, or maybe have to drill the screw out to the point where you can pick the remnants of the threads out with a scribe). The worst outcome (usually encountered only on rare or old guns you really care about!) is that the screw will be so tight that you manage to break off the EZ Out leaving it stuck in the broken screw. If you don't think this is your kind of project, find someone who works on engines and things and they can probably do it in a matter of a few minutes. Good luck. John Spangler

# 11431 - Pieper .25
3/7/2006
Frank

OESTERR.WAFFENFABRIKS-GES. STEYR. MADE IN AUSTRIA PAT# 9379-05U. PAT# 25025-06 31 ON LEFT SIDE OF BARREL ( MADE IN 1931) PAT.ENGLISH#16715-08 +#40335 EHEM. N.PIEPER PATENT 129252 A. I found this gun with my Dads belongings after he passed way 15 years ago. It's flawless I don't think it's even been fired. The barrel inside shows no pitting or firing scaring what so ever. The clip shows no usage or scratching from loading. The blue is showroom condition. Any ballpark ideas of value? Thanks Frank

Answer:
Frank, Henri Pieper began mass-producing rifle barrels in 1866 after being trained as an engineer. In the late 1880s, Pieper turned to firearms design, producing a rifle and a gas-seal revolver. Neither of the Pieper designs were very successful and Henri allowed the revolver patent to lapse after only four years. Leon Nagant later adapted Pieper's principles to his Nagant solid-frame gas seal revolver which was adopted and used for many years by the Soviet/Russian military. Henri Pieper died in 1898 and was succeeded by his son Nicholas who built a brand-new factory in Herstal in 1907-8. The Pieper factory continued operations through two world wars and currently they manufacture shotguns and sporting rifles.

Your pistol sounds like a Steyr Model 1909 (Pieper - type). The Model 1909 was introduced in 1909 and built on the patents of Nicholas Pieper. Model 1909 production continued from its introduction to 1914 when it was suspended due to WWI. M1909 production resumed after WWI in 1921, and continued until 1939. Model 1909 pistols were blowback operated automatics with tip-down barrels. They were available in both 6.35mm and 7.65mm calibers and were intended for commercial sales. Steyr manufactured pistols differed from those manufactured by Pieper purely in minor respects. Collector interest in most 6.35 mm pistols is low, the value range for this model in the blue book is about $125 to about $350. Marc

# 11427 - H&R Sportsman
3/7/2006
Jack

Says ''Sportsman'' on the side. Wood handle.... ˙9 shot .22. My Grandmother passed away last week and this is her gun. My Grandfather bought it for her, but in his condition cannot remember when. ˙I was wondering if ya'll could find out the year it was made or anything else about it.

Answer:
Jack, H&R has offered 2 different Sportsman models. The first Sportsman (Model 199) was a hinged-frame revolver that was introduced in the late 1920s. Revolvers were available in either single-action or double-action configuration. The Original design was intended to be used as a Target revolver, it duplicated the grip, size and balance of the USRA target pistol. Five interchangeable grip styles were offered, and the trigger guard had a spur behind it which filled the gap between guard and grip to give a solid rest for the shooter's second finger. One interesting safety feature of this model is that the rear face of the nine-shot cylinder was recessed around the chambers, leaving a solid ring of steel around the outside of the cartridge rims to prevent metal splash should there be a case-head failure.

Your revolver sounds like a Sportsman (Model 999) second issue. This 9 shot revolver had a vented rib barrel, top-break action, adjustable sights and walnut grips. Revolvers were available with a choice of 4 or 6 in barrels. Second issue revolvers were manufactured from 1950 to 1985. The "L" part of your serial number is a date code which tells us that it was manufactured in 1951. There is not a lot of collector interested in H&R revolvers values usually fall in the $150 or less range. Marc

# 11726 - Real Or Fake Krag Carbine
3/4/2006
Kevin, Flagstaff, AZ

I have what I believe is an original 1896 Krag carbine. I am hearing about all the cut downs from the longer rifles. My front site looks original, but how can you tell for sure that the gun has not been cut down from a rifle? I have also read there is a small ''c'' on the site. I found a c on the front site, is there one on the rear site as well?

Answer:
Kevin- If you don't know your diamonds, you better know your jeweler. To detect most fake Krag carbines, the first place to check is the front sight base, which should be neatly (almost invisibly) brazed to the barrel, perfectly aligned and no sloppy file work. The front sight blade should have a tiny "C" on the side, and the rear sight will have a "C" with the location varying with the model of the sight. A true 1896 carbine will have the short stock where the barrel band has sight protector ramp on the upper surface and butts against the M1896 rear sight. The band is held by a band spring on the right side of the stock (not a pin). These were originally made without sling swivels, but did have the bar and ring "saddle ring." The most definitive confirmation as a carbine will come from documentation in the Springfield Research Service database as a carbine. If the specific number is not listed, then being surrounded by documented carbines is nearly as good. If found among a string of rifles, then the chances of being a real carbine diminish greatly, often almost (but not entirely) to being impossible. I checked your number at http://armscollectors.com/srs.htm and it seems to be surrounded by rifles. Maybe a hands on inspection would prove it to be an original carbine, but it does not look promising. John Spangler

# 11744 - Afghanistan Khyber Pass "Enfield" Pepperbox Copy
3/4/2006
Carlisle, PA

The weapon appears to be a ''pepperbox'' style percussion cap pistol with six barrels. The caliber appears to .36 Cal. On the left side of the weapon is a crown with VR underneath the crown. Under VR is Enfield and the date 1857. The weapon was purchased in Afghanistan in the Spring 2005. I have not been able to find out any information on Enfield manufacturing a ''pepperbox'' style percussion pistol. Any information about this weapon is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Answer:
Sir- As with many of the guns found in Afghanistan purported to be antiques, they are not always what they seem. I am not aware of Enfield making any pistols like that ever. Khyber pass guns will be found with all sorts of impossible combinations of markings. This is sort of similar to someone with a rusty 1983 Chevrolet, but putting Model T Ford, or Cadillac Escalade trim on it and hoping someone will buy it. John Spangler

# 11426 - NSDAP PPK
3/4/2006
Warren

On left side of slide, there is etched : (first line) the Walther banner logo; ''Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis (Thur.)'', with an umlout over the u. Second line: ''Mod. PPK'', followed by the RZM logo. Third line: ''Walther's Patent Cal. 7,65 m/m''. I believe ''Thur: stands for Thuringia, Germany, the site of Carl Walther's factory. Zella-Mehlis is a name having to do with the factory location. I'm not sure about this, On the right side of the slide, we find the crown over N test mark under the ejection port on the slide and on the chamber in the middle of the ejection port. The grip is a brown swirled plastic wrap-around piece with the Walther banner logo on each side. The magazine has a matching brown swirled plastic finger rest. The left bottom side of the magazine bears the imprint of the Walther banner logo. The piece would rate out as ''NRA Excellent'' What can you tell me about this nifty little gun?? Can you help me with the German? Production date? Any other information?

Answer:
Warren, It sounds like you have a political leaders or NSDAP PPK. The letters RZM are the abbreviation for REICHSZEUGMEISTEREI, the equipment office of the NSDAP who approved official use of uniforms, equipment, weapons, etc., for Nazi party members and affiliated organizations. PPK pistols were issued to NSDAP political leaders starting in 1935. The actual German designation for the weapon was "Ehrenwaffe des Politischen Leiters" (Honor Weapon of the Political Leaders).

The pistol should have the following markings:

• The serial number on the right side of the frame to the rear of the trigger.
• "WALTHER WAFFENFABRIK WALTHER, ZELLA-MEHLIS (THUR) WALTHER'S PATENT CAL. 7.65 m/m MOD. PPK" on the left hand of the slide.
• "WALTHER" (or) "WALTHER PPK 7.65m/m" on the left side of the magazine.
• The RZM control mark on the slide and/or the HOHEITSABZEICHEN (High Insignia or eagle and swastika) on the left and right side of the grip.
• Commercial test proof crown over "N" or 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.

Pistols with crown over "N" proofs were manufactured prior to 1940 and pistols with eagle over "N" proofs were manufactured after 1940.

RZM Marked PPK pistols are quite rare values can go as high as $1800 for pistols with regular grips and close to $5000 for pistols with party leader (Hoheitsabzeichen) grips. Let us know if you would like to sell. Marc