# 14633 - Sharps Model 1863 Usage.
9/28/2013
Don, Milord, NH

HGS, EAW inspector Marks Did this carbine see Military use issued to Whom thanks.

Answer:
Don- Since there are inspector marks, odds are pretty good that this one was delivered under a military contract and issued to some unit.

There is no history on this specific number, but nearby numbers saw use with the 15th and 22nd New York Volunteer Cavalry, 1st New York Mounted Rifles, the 12th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, and the 1st Maryland PHB Cavalry. Close only counts in horse shoes, so although you can speculate about where it might have been used, it probably was used by SOMEONE. John Spangler

# 14778 - Wnichester Model 20 Serial Not In Our Records
9/28/2013
Carolyn, Kinta, OK

Stock length is 6 inches. Total length of the entire gun is 19 7/8 inches. Stamped clearly ''Manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company Pat applied for.'' Also the serial number of 20827 is clearly stamped on the bottom of the barrel. I cannot find this gun in your database to find the year of manufacture. It is plainly stamped 20-410, but when I check that section it says the serial number is too high. It appears to be authentic so why isn't the number matching your database? It is a family heirloom but I am researching its value for possible sale. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer:
Carolyn, our main focus at FineOldGuns.com (OldGuns.net) is military firearms. We sometimes list sporting shotguns for sale in our catalogs but we do not have a lot of interest in collecting them and are by no means experts in this field.

The Standard Catalog of Winchester Firearms indicates that the Winchester Model 20 was a single shot, boxlock shotgun with exposed hammer. It is said to have been the first Winchester to have this type of breakdown action. The Model 20 was chambered for the .410, 2-1/2 inch and came with a 26 inch round full choked barrel (a few guns have been observed with cylinder choking), plain walnut pistol-grip stock with hard rubber buttplate and the forend had a small lip on the front end.

Winchester manufactured 24,000 guns between 1919 and 1924. The records in our database only cover serial numbers 1 - 11253 but that does not mean that your serial number is incorrect. My guess offered with a full money back guarantee is that your shotgun was manufactured close to the end of production in 1924. Marc

# 14769 - Marlin Owners Manual
9/26/2013
Tom, Mascoutah, Illinois

Am looking for some kind of ''Owners Manual'' for the above long gun

Answer:
Tom - try the Marlin website at: http://www.marlinfirearms.com/ or the Marlin Collectors Association at: http://www.marlin-collectors.com/forum/index.php. Good luck - Marc.

# 14631 - I.M. Joslyn Over - Under Percussion
9/26/2013
Dave, Belleville, WV

Batavia This is an over/under side hammer muzzleloader do you have any idea of the value?

Answer:
Dave- Isaac M. Joslyn is listed in Frank Sellers’ American Gunsmiths as working 1849-1882 in Batavia, New York so I am positive he is the maker. Over-under combination guns with one shotgun barrel and one rifled barrel were quite popular in western New York and the adjacent northern parts of Pennsylvania during the percussion period. They are interesting oddities, but unless there are some local collectors for these, I don’t detect much interest in the broader collecting community. I would guess a value would be in the few to several hundred dollar range depending on condition and quality. John Spangler

# 14629 - Springfield .45-70 Model
9/21/2013
Tom, West Newton, PA, U.S.A.

Unknown I am trying to find out what Model Number it is. It is a single-shot trap door. It has the initials: J.H.C. on the barrel. That's all I know.

Answer:
Tom- Based on the serial number, your rifle was made in 1891 or 1892, which should be the date on the left side of the stock below Samuel W. Porter’s initials. During those two years about 52,000 rod bayonet Model 1888 rifles were made with 32 5/8” barrels, as well as about 3,000 cadet rifles which used regular triangular bayonets, and had 29 ½ inch barrel.

The JHC on the barrel puzzles me, but your choices are pretty narrow. John Spangler

# 14768 - Winchester DOM
9/21/2013
Allen, Athens, Tn.

none What year was this gun manufactured? Was purchased in Rutland, VT. in 1950, my dad gave it to me for my 10th birthday. Still use it for deer hunting and is in very good condition except for Real Tree tape to keep down the reflection.

Answer:
Allen, you can find when your Winchester was manufactured by using our Winchester date of manufacture link. The link is a little over half way down on the FineOldGuns.com menu bar. My records indicate that the year of manufacture for 1689579 is 1950. Marc

# 14767 - Diamond Arms Shotgun
9/17/2013
James, Douglas, Wy

I with a circle around it. I just purchased a 12 gauge single shot shotgun. It has no serial numbers on it. Was wondering what it is worth and if I should have it refinished.

Answer:
James - Diamond Arms is a “house brand” used on guns sold by the Shapleigh Hardware Company of St. Louis, it is one of a huge number of shotguns made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and sold through various retail outlets. This type of firearm falls into the category of "old guns" that no one seems to be interested in as shooters, but collectors do not want them either. The last Diamond Arms shotgun that we had for sale here at FindOldGuns.com, sold for $35 and we felt lucky to move of it at all. Please be warned that most of these are not considered safe to shoot.

Refinishing this shotgun will not hurt it's collectability but in my opinion, it would be a waste of money. Marc

# 14623 - Palmetto Armory M1816 Style Bayonet ( Possibly )
9/17/2013
Bill, Rome, New York

''-C'' / ''WG'' / ''N'' on socket bayonet blade face -SC- Socket bridge was cut and removed where mortise exits -SC- Socket numbered ''15'' behind mortise, on top (by etching) -SC- Shadow Xlllll'' on socket top ahead of mortise. I am looking to make the acquaintance of a bayonet collector who has top credentials in identification of bayonets used by the Confederacy during the American Civil War. I have a socket bayonet w/ scabbard, which began as a standard US M - 816 type, and was altered to fit an unknown rifle or musket. The style is very much that of other known Confederate bayonets, and most probably was originally (before alteration) manufactured by the Palmetto arsenal. I am not currently interested in selling it, as I am a collector of civil war memorabilia, especially weapons of that war, and am only interested in identifying the piece, at this time. If you could point me in the right direction, I would be very grateful! Bill Weber cwguns@twcny.rr.com

Answer:
Bill- This is above my level of expertise, but some members of the Society of American Bayonet Collectors may be able to help confirm what it started off life as. Many M1816 bayonets were altered during the Civil War to fit other arms, especially M1841 Mississippi rifles, both in the Confederacy and in Yankee states, so it is hard to be sure who modified them, or where, or even why. Good luck with your quest. John Spangler

# 14622 - Mind Reading Test Again
9/14/2013
Brian, Phila Penna

My Mom passed this gun to me .. She said it was her Fathers .. I was on the internet trying to do some research .. Thanks for any help in advance. Marking's on the barrel .. on the one side .. Has E L G and a small star and a letter U .. On the other side it has a PF with a Crown above it. Any idea date or where it was produced ? Value ? I can send pictures .. Thank You Brian

Answer:
Brian- About all I can tell you without photos is that the gun was made in Belgium, and the ELG is one of the Belgian proof marks. From there it is all guess work, but it is probably a handgun, and likely a pinfire made circa 1860-1890, with very modest collector value. Of course that may be totally wrong but if we had photos we could do better. John Spangler

# 14766 - Vulcan 44
9/14/2013
Timothy

dark barrel I have been looking for years to try to find out what my Vulcan .44 Pump action is worth or just a little info about it...My father left me this gun. His grandfather gave it to him when he was a young man...I was told it may have been a police issued firearm...I have been offered upwards of 20k and my pop was offered about 15k about 12 yrs ago...just wanted to know what the gun is worth..I know its Rare never could find any info on the net...Vulcan never came back with any results...but I looked on the back of the gun on the back of the stock and seen the Universal info from Fl..Any info would be appreciated Thanks

Answer:
Timothy, I had never heard of the Vulcan brand so I looked it up in my bluebook. The Bluebook only has one entry for Vulcan, the Model 440. The Model 440 is said to be a slide action rifle chambered in .44 Mag. with 18.25 inch barrel, adjustable rear sight, front ramp sight and 5 shot detachable mag. The Vulcan was made by Universal Firearms Corporation of Hialeah, Florida, they are best known for their copies of the .30 M1 Carbine. Universal operated from the late 1950s (it was the successor to Bullseye) until 1983 when they were taken over by Iver Johnson.

Values for the Vulcan Model 440 in the Blue book top out at around $400. A quick internet search on the key words "Vulcan 44" reveals several that are being sold at different auctions in the $500 or less range. I do not know what would motivate a buyer to offer you $20,000 for your Vulcan rifle, maybe he is a Star Trek fan. If I owned a Vulcan rifle and someone offered me $20,000 for it, I would run (not walk) to accept the offer before they changed their mind. Marc

# 14763 - Springfield 840 30-30
9/11/2013
Dennis, Marietta, Ga.

In what year was this rifle manufactured?

Answer:
Dennis, the Springfield Model 840 was an economy bolt action rifle. If I remember correctly, the design was introduced in the 1950s and sold for years under the Stevens and Savage brand names as the 330 and 340. The Springfield 840 was discontinued in the early 80s. That is about all that I can tell you, I do not have any serial number information on this particular model. Marc

# 14621 - Winchester Model 1892 Value
9/11/2013
Gregg Kalispell Mt

I would like to know the value of this gun. It is described as 20'' barrel with gray patina no rust/pitting) original Winchester metal crescent butt plate; lever action; saddle ring intact on left side of firing case; barrel rings intact; full-length tubular magazine, original sights intact; Patent October 14,1884; overall Excellent condition; Manufacture Date 1913; Thank You Very Much!

Answer:
Gregg- I regret we cannot help much with that one. In that condition it will appeal mainly to shooters, not collectors. However, some people even like well used examples, and coming from Montana with your state’s rich history of ranching and cowboys (injuns too!) some “olde west” collectors like the really worn old guns that had frontier use. My guess is maybe something in the $500-1000 range but that may be high or low, so better check with people who know that market segment better than I do. John Spangler

# 14619 - Early .30-40 Krag With 22 Inch Barrel
9/7/2013
Steve, American Fork, Utah

Yes, but I can't make them out My dad gave me this gun and a friend suggested that I find out if it is worth anything before I use it. Is this gun worth anything? He hasn't shot it in over 40 years. Should I have it checked out before I shot it?

Answer:
Steve- There is no documented history on your gun, but nearly all the nearby numbers are listed as rifles, so I am about 98% sure it started off as a Model 1892 Krag rifle, and surviving, UNMODIFIED examples of those are rare and valuable. However, they had 30 inch barrels, so we can be almost 100% sure it is not one of those. It has a very, very slim chance that it is a Model 1896 Carbine, since a few of those were made scattered in the 20,000 range. So, we need to know if there is (or was) a sling swivel inletted near the buttplate, and if there is a small “C” on the sight, and if the barrel band has a sling swivel or not, and if there is a metal plate on the left side of the stock about 3/8” x 2” held on by two wood screws. If the answer is “yes” to most of these questions then it may be a carbine and have pretty good value. Otherwise we can be certain it is a rifle that has been cut down for sporting use after being sold off as surplus many decades ago. These have been very popular hunting arms due to their smooth action. Many of them had the barrels replaced at some point in their history with barrels around 20-23 inches long, and we would need to see it, or good photos to tell if it is an original barrel or a replacement. In any case, the cut down rifles have modest value as shooters or for parts, but a fraction of what an unmolested gun would bring. It would be a good idea to have competent gunsmith look at it before shooting, but there is little that can go bad on these from just sitting around, so most likely he will approve it. Enjoy. John Spangler

# 14759 - Alfa
9/7/2013
Tary Cambridge

Who made this gun? And what year was it made?

Answer:
Tary, Google is your friend. I have never heard of Alfa handguns so I tried a Google search. Wikipedia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_ALFA_%28Revolvers%29) indicates that "the ALFA Series of Revolvers are a series of Czech-made revolvers designed for law enforcement, private security agencies, personal security, and hunting needs. The ALFA Series is part of the three revolver series made by ALFA: Series ALFA, Series ALFA Steel, and Series HOLEK. The revolvers in the ALFA Series all have a blued finish, and the only to have no chrome finish is the 12-inch Sports model." Marc

# 14758 - Winchester 64A
9/3/2013
Edward

Is there anything at all that you can tell me about this rifle?

Answer:
Edward, the Model 64 was first announced in the March 1, 1933, Winchester price list. The first deliveries of Model 64 rifles to warehouse stock occurred in February and May of 1933. The Model 64 was an improvement of the earlier Model 55 rifle, which used the same action as the 55 but incorporated several design changes including increased magazine capacity, sharply tapering barrel, pistol grip instead of straight stock, forged ramp for front sight base on the barrel, front sight cover, and lighter trigger pull. Marc

# 14616 - Krag Receiver- Born As Rifle Or Carbine?
9/3/2013
Ron, Amherst. Ohio, USA

1895 This is a nicely preserved complete bolt and receiver, missing only the side plate and trigger guard. The receiver is marked 1895 being made early 1896. I would like to know if this was originally a rifle or carbine. Would I be able to find parts to build this back to original, and what the value is of this receiver as is. Thank you, Ron

Answer:
Ron- This is an interesting question, but with no easy answer. Documentation survives listing 50 rifles or carbines within (+/-) 500 numbers of your number. On the low side there are 26 entries, and 24 on the high side. 17 of the entries are for rifles (variously listed as Model 1892, 1892/1896 or 1896) and 33 are for carbines, so this is a number range reflecting one of the periods when Springfield was transitioning from manufacture of carbines to rifles, with the overlap of serial number ranges reflecting that guns were NOT assembled in strict serial number sequence. Interestingly, 13 of the 17 rifle entries are associated with the 4th Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Spanish American War era.

Without documentation on your EXACT serial number, we cannot say for sure. My gut feeling is that this may have been a rifle issued to the Ohio unit (but not to the exact company for which records survived) and later was stripped after being sold as surplus in Ohio, with the intention of being used as a sporter. However, it is just as likely that it was originally a carbine, and ended up sold off to a NRA member in the 1930s in some other state and later traded or sold to someone in Ohio. You can “restore it” to any configuration you like, but we will never know for sure what it was when originally made. John Spangler