# 10176 - Value For A Well Used Old Sauer
12/28/2004
Jason, Kentwood, MI

Has 7.65cal. printed on side. and J.P. Sauer & Sohn. Suhl. on the top of the barrel I have already found a great deal of information on this S&S pistol that my father's father brought back with him from Germany during WW2. The only thing I can't seem to find is how much it would be worth. You can tell that it went through much combat. It has allot of scratches on the plastic grips and many nicks in the metal from use (probably being dropped and etc) It is still intact and functional though, has no rust, and it has a holster. If you could tell me roughly how much it is worth I would be very grateful. Thanks

Answer:
Jason, I can think of many ways for a pistol to pick up scratches and dings that do not involve it being used in combat. Even if your supposition about combat use is true, value will not be increased unless the pistol could be documented to a famous person or historical event. There is not a lot of collector interest in old .32 caliber pistols unless they have military markings. The poor condition that you describe your pistol to be in is another minus. I would estimate value for a well used old model Sauer to be in the $125 range. Marc

# 10148 - Arizmendi Y Goenaga
12/28/2004
Chris, Beulah, Michigan

Appears to have the gunmarks of Arizmendi Y Goenaga, however, I cannot find anything about this gun. On the top end of the grips, there is an ''M'' with an upside down horseshoe around it. I would like to know at least the make and model of this gun. It is a 9 shot revolver in great shape. Thank you for a great site.

Answer:
Chris, glad you like our site. Arizmendi y Goenaga, they started producing cheap 'Velo-Dog' type revolvers in the 1890s and added a line of semi-automatic pistols in the early 1900s. In 1914, the company was reorganized as Francisco Arizmendi. The company went out of business with the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. There is not much interest in this type of revolver and most are considered dangerous to shoot. Values are usually in the $75 or less range. For more information you should try posting a question on the appropriate forum at ArmsCollectors.com. Marc

# 10549 - Carbine Double Size Trainer
12/28/2004
Jon, South Australia

Hi, I have in my Collection a large scale working/Cut away M2 Carbine. It operates in every way. It appears to be 2 - 3 times the normal carbine size. Considering the above, did the US Gov. every make Drill instruction piece oversize for classroom purposes? Thanks Jon.

Answer:
Jon- In the late 1940s or 1950s the U.S. military procured a number of oversize training weapons commonly called "double size" trainers. These were made of aluminum instead of steel, and with wooden stocks, and had many of the parts cut away with the cuts marked in red to allow the movement of the parts to be seen. These were intended for use in classrooms where they were large enough for the troops in the room to see what the instructor was talking about. These were made for the M2 Carbine, the M1 Garand rifle, theM1918 Browning Automatic Rifle and the M1919 .30 caliber Browning Machine Gun. They are interesting collector items, but are truly massive and take up a lot of room. That does not deter serious collectors who simply MUST have one of everything related to their favorite weapon(s). John Spangler

# 10535 - Rock Island Inspected Stock On Springfield M1903
12/24/2004
Alec Highland , MD

none My Springfield rifle is marked OHA 1918 on the left side of the stock. What was this inspectors name and who made this stock.

Answer:
Alec- I lent out my book on Rock Island M1903 rifles by Nick Ferris, so I do not have that info handy right now. I know that OHA was an inspector in Rock Island in 1918, but Clark Campbell's book on M1903s also identifies him as working at Springfield about that time. I think Ferris' research on that topic is better and that he was actually at Rock Island, so that would mean the stock was on a rifle that was assembled and inspected at Rock Island in 1918. Since you like to use x's in serial number, I will retaliate by pointing out that the inspector was Oxx Axxx Hxxxx. John Spangler

# 10530 - Colt Stagecoach .22 Cal Rifle
12/24/2004
Matt, Burlington, VT

Steel plate above the trigger engraved with stagecoach robbery scene, single shot Looking for manufacturing dates for the rifle, any history, and any info about value

Answer:
Matt- Colt made about 25,000 of the semi-automatic "Stagecoach" model circa 1965-1970s with 16.5" barrels and a 13 round tubular magazine. Value is probably in the $100-300 range depending on condition. There were similar "Colteer" and "Courier" models with longer barrels and different style stocks, but their values look like they run a little bit less than the sexier Stagecoach version. John Spangler

# 9972 - O.O.P.T.E. Marked P.38
12/24/2004
Noel, Manila, Philippines

with O.O.P.T.E. marking on the right side of the frame 1. May I know what is the meaning O.O.P.T.E. marking right side of the P38 pistol frame? 2. Who is the wartime German Manufacturer of this pistol coded ''CVQ'' and what is the estimated year that this gun manufactured?

Answer:
Noel, perhaps you miss-typed the markings you sent. Your pistol's manufacturer code and serial number letter suffix should all be stamped in lower case letters. Assuming that this is the case, Spreewerke GmbH, Metallwarenfabrik, manufactured your pistol. Spreewerke got its name from the company's main offices, located on the bank of the Spree River in Spandau, a suburb of Berlin. The "cyq" or "cvq" markings are a WW-II German ordnance code that was assigned to Spreewerke. Some collectors speculate that the "v" in "cvq" markings is the result of a worn or broken die, others think that it is a legitimate Spreewerke code.

Walther and Mauser P.38 pistols are stamped with the year of manufacture on the left-hand side of the slide. Spreewerke, P.38 pistols are not stamped with a date so collectors use the letter suffix to estimate the year of manufacture. My calculations tell me that Spreewerke P.38 pistols with "p" serial number suffixes were manufactured between April 1944 and May 1944.

The majority of P.38 pistols have a blued finish over an improperly polished surface. A quantity of pistols manufactured by Mauser and Walther in 1943 and 1944 exhibit a blued and parkerized finish. Your finish should be blue so the pistol has been re-worked at some time.

I was unable to determine what the "O.O.P.T.E." markings on your slide stand for, try posting a question on the appropriate forum at ArmsCollectors.com, possibly one of the collectors there will be able to help. Marc

# 9971 - Another Universal Question
12/21/2004
Dan, East Hampton, CT

I am trying to find out who made this gun, Universal Sporting Goods or Universal Firearms Co. and if possible when it may have been made.

Answer:
Dan, we have answered several (many) questions about Universal M1 Carbines in the past. If you would have followed instructions and searched the previous answers before submitting your question, you may have found that Universal Sporting Goods, Inc., of Hialeah and Miami, manufactured a variety of M1 Carbine types and derivatives from the early 1960s until the company was purchased by lver Johnson in January 1983. After purchase by lver Johnson, in the summer of 1984, the Universal plant was moved to Arkansas. lver Johnson continued to sell Universal-branded Carbines as late as 1988. Marc

# 9970 - Expensive /34 Beretta
12/21/2004
Tim, Indianapolis, IN

Cal. 9 Corto-M 1934-Brevet, Gardone V.T., 1943-XX1 Matching serial numbers and Italian markings. There seems to be a wide range of value in these pistols. I saw one with identical markings on a vintage gun site for $695, yet finding it mostly listed from 150-300. Help?

Answer:
Tim, it is not uncommon to encounter sellers who have unreasonable grandiose expectations of what their items are worth. I think that $150 to $450 is about what wartime 1934 Beretta pistols are currently selling for. If a pistol comes with a nice wartime military holster and extra magazine add $125 to $150. No matter what I think, the market is the best way to determine value. You should keep an eye on the $695 Beretta and see if it sells. Marc

# 10525 - Sharps Old Reliable Info
12/21/2004
Richard, Norfolk, Va.

No special markings. On a scale of 1 to 10 I would place this at a 9. Round tapered barrel with excellent rifling. Stock and fore stock excellent with no scratches or dents. Finish is fine. Action is tight with double triggers. Marked Sharps Rifle Co. Bridgeport Conn. Cal. 45 Can you provide the history on this rifle and was it sent out west. My email is jandr7425@yahoo.com if you might have any questions. Thanks and best regards, Richard.

Answer:
Richard- Sorry, we do not have access to any historical information on Sharps firearms. For military used models there is some information available on out other site http://ArmsCollectors.com on the Springfield Research Service section. However, for the commercial models you need to contact Richard Labowski at (215) 748-1376. He has most of the surviving records of the Sharps Rifle Company and can provide information from those records for a fee. We have a list of sources for "factory letters" on many different makers on our other site http://www.armscollectors.com/factory_military_records.htm John Spangler

# 10524 - Differences Between M1903, Garand And Carbine
12/18/2004
David, Huntington Beach, CA

I am reading the W.E.B. Griffing USMC novels. What are the differences among these three: the 1903 Springfield, the Garand, and the carbine

Answer:
David- I am not familiar with those books, being a historian, and therefore averse to novel things. Briefly- the M1903 "Springfield" is a bolt action rifle with a 5 round magazine, but highly regarded by Marines from the "Old Corps" for its legendary accuracy, and retained in general USMC service well into WW2, although a few scope equipped M1903 rifles were retained as snipers into Korea. The M1 Garand rifle is a semi-automatic rifle with an 8 round clip capacity, and allowed quicker recovery for a second shot, and accuracy was for all practical purposes about equal to the M1903. By the end of WW2 over 3 million Garands were in service as the standard infantry rifle for all US forces. Both fire the .30-06 cartridge and could be deadly in the hands of a trained rifleman at ranges of 1,000 yards or more. The M1 Carbine was introduced in late 1942 and by the end of WW2 about 5 million were in service. The carbine used a much less powerful cartridge than the other rifles, and had an effective range of about 300 yards. However limited this was compared to the full size rifles, it was a tremendous improvement for troops who formerly carried the M1911 ".45 automatic" pistol which might be useful out to about 50 yards. The carbine was issued to some officers, and many support personnel such as cooks, drivers, etc. You may enjoy a non-fiction book by Martin Russ- "The last Parallel: a Marine's War Journal" from the Korean war. He is an astute observe who candidly comments on a wide variety of subjects, including weapons (all inferior to his beloved BAR). That is one of my favorite books by an enlisted author from any period in US military history. John Spangler

# 10494 - S&W .22 Caliber Revolver Dated 1855-1860
12/18/2004
Karl Vernon, CT

Around the cylinder ''Patented April 3,1855 July 5, 1859 Dec 18, 1860'' Revolver is bottom break, ejector is a pin mounted under the barrel. Barrel is blued, action is brass Is this some type of pocket pistol? How rare is it? Any other information appreciated. Unfortunately the bore is badly rusted, but nice to look at.

Answer:
Karl- You have a Smith & Wesson "Model Number 1, Second Issue .22 caliber revolver" that was made between 1860 and 1868, probably in 1861. These, and the slightly earlier "first model" made from 1857-1860 are historically significant as the first successful metallic cartridge revolvers widely old in the United States. While everyone else was still messing around with loose black powder, lead balls, and percussion caps to load revolvers, the clever Smith & Wesson guys had bought the patent from Rollin White in 1857 covering use of a cylinder with a hole all the way through it so a metallic cartridge could be used. The first mass produced cartridges were .22 rimfires, about the same size as present day .22 shorts, but loaded with blackpowder and pretty weak, but also easy to use and load, and very reliable. They made a good pocket or purse gun. The very similar but larger .32 caliber versions were better suited for soldiering, and saw a lot more use by officers and enlisted men during the Civil War, carried in belt holsters. While old and historic, about 117,000 revolvers nearly identical to yours were made so they are not scarce, and value is usually in the $175-450 range. Due to the difference in pressures between modern and old ammunition it is not safe to shoot these guns, even though the ammo may physically fit into the gun. John Spangler

# 9969 - Aarisaka With Cut
12/18/2004
Gerald, Cedar Park, TX

Series 20 mark, and Kokura mark What is the year this rifle was made? and what is meant by matching numbers? This rifle has the 16 petal chrysanthemum, (not ground or partially ground), the dust cover, monopod, web sling that has wire brackets, and a type 30 hooked quillon bayonet that is complete with scabbard and leather frog. The rifle is most likely a vet bring back, because of the ''duffel bag cut'' on the stock. One last question, what would be that approximate value of this rifle?

Answer:
Gerald, your rifle has the antiaircraft sights and monopod so it is not one of the later versions that were simplified by discontinuation of these parts. The Kokura arsenal began production of Type 99 rifle in 1939 and ended in 1945 with the end of the war. Kokura used 25 series marks, so some simple arithmetic (if I am up to it) would place series 20 production in about 1944.

The term "matching numbers" means that the last numbers of the receiver serial number should match the numbers that are stamped at the base of the bolt handle, the extractor, the safety knob (only visible when disassembled), and the front barrel band. There should also be some Japanese characters stamped on the stock below the bottom metal tang. These were inspector's marks, and are often ignored because they may resemble dings in the wood.

The duffel bag cut that your rifle has will hurt value but the completeness of the set that includes the monopod, bayonet, sling dust cover and frog will help. Values for rifles like yours can go as high as $450 to $500 if the rifle is all matching and in good condition. Marc

# 9965 - Remington Model 6 Parts
12/14/2004
Mark, Sour Lake, Texas, USA

I am restoring the rifle. What kind of butt plate was on it? What kind of nut was on the screw that holds the hammer mechanism? Is there a parts diagram?

Answer:
Mark, Remington Arms Company manufactured the Number 6 Sporting Rifle from 1901 to 1933. It was a greatly simplified version of the Number 2 and the Number 4 and lacked their durability. The action was locked by propping the breechblock behind the chamber as the hammer fell. Overall, length was 34.75 inches and length was about 4 pounds. The 20-inch barrel had 4-groove rifling with right hand concentric twist. The buttstock was plain with a straight-wrist and the forend was small and rounded.

I checked all of my reference books and was unable to find any mention of what kind of buttplate Number 6 rifles came equipped with. I was also unable to find a parts drawing except for a very limited one in the Jack First parts catalog. The Jack First drawing did not show the buttstock. You might try posting a question in the appropriate forum at ArmsCollectors.com, or you may have to resort to searching gunshows and pawn shops for an original example to examine. Good luck-Marc

# 9964 - Remington Feildmaster Information
12/14/2004
Doug; Ocala, Florida

What is the value of this rifle? What year did production start and end for this model rifle? What is the maximum amount of bullets it can hold? Can you tell me the history of this particular rifle? What date was this particular rifle made? How rare is the model 121 rifle?

Answer:
Doug, There is no way that I know of to find the history of your particular rifle but I do have some general information. The Model 121 Fieldmaster was a well-built slender design with a plain pistol grip butt and finely grooved slide handle. Remington manufactured the 121 from 1936 to 1941 when production was discontinued due to W.W.II. After the war production was resumed from 1945 to 1954. Total production is not known, but over the years, many thousands were sold. Model 121 rifles could chamber 22 Short, 22 Long and 22 Long Rifle, rimfire ammunition interchangeably. The tubular magazine that was mounted underneath the barrel had a capacity of 14 to 20 rounds depending on which type of cartridge was loaded. Rifles were 42.5 inches in overall, length and weighed 6 pounds empty. Barrels were 24 inches with 4-groove right hand twist, concentric rifling. Rear sights were spring-leaf and elevator type. I often see these rifles being offered for sale at gunshows in the $175 to $225 range.

If you had checked the OldGuns.net menu before asking your question, you may have noticed that it contains a link to a program that allows you to determine Remington dates of manufacture from the date code stamped on the barrel, you should give it a try. Marc

# 10491 - Stevens Rifle With Sleeved Barrel
12/14/2004
Mary Canton, OH

on barrel, under site - STEVENS A&T CO.Chicopee Falls, Mass.USA Pat.Apr1794 lever action, rolling block, set triggers Belonged to Great Grandfather - Inside of barrel was so rusted & pitted that there was a ''sleeve'' put in and now uses magnum.......what is its value in present condition? It's being ''handed down'' as an heirloom.

Answer:
Mary- With the set triggers this is probably one of the better grades of target rifles made by Stevens, not a cheap "boys' rifle". These are appreciated by two distinct groups. First, collectors who want everything to be just as it came from the factory. The other group would be shooters who enjoy them for use in single shot rifle competition, which used to be very popular in Ohio, and still is, although on a much smaller scale, just as with most shooting sports. (Maybe John Kerry will come back to enjoy some more Ohio shooting opportunities now that he has some spare time on his hands, but don't bet on it!) Ned Roberts, who lived in Canal Fulton, not far from Canton wrote several excellent books about match shooting in the late 19th and early 20th century that may be fun for you to read. For the collectors the sleeved barrel really hurts the value, but for the shooters, they may be happier with an accurate gun than an untouched example. It is very common to use sleeves or liners to restore "shot out" guns to useful condition, and several people have excellent reputations for their work sleeving guns up to .45 caliber. For .22 caliber, just about any gunsmith (and many home hobbyists) can do it with drills and liners from Brownells. Without knowing which of the many different target models your rifle is, we cannot put any sort of accurate value on it, but my ballpark guess is something like $300-500. John Spangler

# 10522 - Winchester M1 Garand Value
12/11/2004
Rob Petaluma Ca.

W.R.A. underneath W.B I have a 1942 m1 Garand all number matching all original parts never been used in totally un used condition. I've had numerous collectors look at it and confirm all of the numbers on it, and its authenticity and they have offered me thousands of dollars for it. My problem is I don't know what it is worth maybe you can help me out the serial number is 163103. .Thanks Rob

Answer:
Rob- How are we supposed to evaluate a gun that has been examined by "numerous collectors" who have offered you "thousands of dollars" and decide if they were crooks trying to steal it, or escaped inmates from the asylum foolishly offering you far more than anyone in their right mind would pay? From your description it sounds like a nice gun or one of the (sadly not uncommon) refinished guns with fake cartouches. Collectors love Winchester M1 Garands and will pay high prices for excellent, correct examples. However the only way to determine fair market value is to put it up for sale and have a willing buyer and willing seller who know all the details about the gun agree on a price. It sounds to me like you are a very suspicious person convinced that everyone is a crook, so in that case you probably would not accept whatever value we put on it either. However, just to be helpful, I am sure it is worth more than $100, and probably more than $1,000 but without seeing it I cannot predict how much more. John Spangler

# 10485 - Forehand & Wadsworth Revolver
12/11/2004
Ignacio, Crestview, FL

286 on the bullet cylinder with F&W markings on the black handle I would like to know if this gun has any value at all if I'm going to keep this for good. Thanks a lot and appreciate your help.

Answer:
Ignacio- Forehand and Wadsworth made a wide variety of handguns from small junky guns commonly called "suicide specials" up to larger better made guns. In 1898 when Wadsworth died, the company operated as Forehand Arms Company and in 1902 they were taken over by Hopkins & Allen. While the F&W guns have some collector interest the lower grade pieces seem to fall in the under $100 range in good or less than good condition (as most are) but the better condition pieces will bring more. We cannot pin down the specific model for you. John Spangler

# 6952 - American Bull Dog
12/11/2004
Clinton Huntsville, TX.

This is a five shot revolver with a hexagon shaped barrel. The grips are molded plastic with the picture of a bull dog on each side. The number 3675 is stamped on the left side of the handle, under the grip. Can you tell me who made this pistol, when it was manufactured and where?

Answer:
Clinton, references indicate that American Bulldog, Defender, Eagle, Eclipse, Encore, Eureka, Favorite, Lion, Smoker and Tycoon revolvers were all manufactured by Johnson, Bye & Company of Worcester, Massachusetts.

Johnson, Bye & Company manufactured cheap revolvers and was founded in 1871 by Iver Johnson and Martin Bye. In 1883 Bye sold his holdings to Johnson and the company name was changed to the Iver Johnson Arms Co. Most of the revolver models produced by Johnson, Bye & Company were solid- frame, sheathed trigger, non-ejecting 'Suicide Special' type revolvers, chambered in . 22RF, .32CF, .38CF or .44CF calibres. The American Bulldog was a slight improvement on the others because it had a trigger guard and double-action lockwork. Marc

# 6935 - Spanish 32 Auto? Don't Waste Your Time
12/7/2004
Eddie, Lancaster, SC

Made in Spain Pistola Automatica 7.65 Cal. ''Vilar'' After receiving a barrel replacement for this gun we tried a test fire. After a several rounds there was a problem. The gun fired as normal, ejected the casing as normal, fed the next round as normal but as I pulled the trigger for the next round the trigger was still back as if it never reset. I pulled the slide back and shook out the round that was chambered and let the slide go forward and it fed another round as it should and the trigger was reset and fired normally. When we looked at the rounds that did not fire because of the trigger being back there was the distinct firing pin mark in the center of the case. Would that not mean that the hammer was not reset as the slide moved back? (With the hammer still pressing on the firing pin as the next round was chambered the mark on the casing would be made)How could the slide move back and not reset the hammer? After field stripping, we found no apparent reason. Thanks for your time, Eddie

Answer:
Eddie, sorry, but John and I are not gunsmiths and for liability reasons, we make it a point to not answer gunsmithing questions. I feel that you should be warned that Spanish handguns produced in this era are notorious for poor quality steel and may be dangerous to fire. My free advice is for you to not waste any more time or money on replacement parts and repairs, or risk a chance of injury to yourself or others. In my opinion, the safest and probably the most economical solution would be to retire the Spanish pistol and replace it with a good reliable moderately priced Ruger (no I don't own stock in the company). Marc

# 6920 - K98k Russian Rework
12/7/2004
Darren ,Anniston Al.

Small Eagle on Receiver Ring with #135 Under that BYF With 43. Right Side of ring ,again small Eagle ,may have #'s can't tell! Left Side of ring, Nazi Eagle Holding a Swastika, left of that is the #(33070) with letter d under the Number. On the rear of the bolt assemble on right side ,of the firing pen housing/safety ,there are 2 small eagles. On the Safety latch there are the #'s 52xx On the left side ,on top of the bolt release latch ,there is an eagle and the #'s 34. Also on each of the fore said parts there is SN's wrote in with what looks like an elect. pen. On the butt plate are the letters brg with #9xxx. On the Bar. Left side is again a very pronounced nazi eagle. and beginning in about the center of the barrel are (43D60)There may be more but it runs under the barrel below the stock. on the magazine plate it again has a small eagle with #19xx. I believe it was made at the Obendorf Mauser Plant in 43 but could you tell me a little more? Darren

Answer:
The Germans marked their arms with more serial numbers, partial serial numbers (last two or three digits), and inspector's stamps than any other country during World War II. The result has been that more German rifles are "mismatched" than those produced by any other country. Mismatched means that one of the numbers stamped on one of the parts (bolt, safety, firing pin, firing pin head, barrel bands, sight, sight slider, screw heads, stock, handguard, etc.) does not match the serial number on the rifles receiver. This makes collecting of World War II Mausers a most challenging hobby.

The "byf 43" stampings that you describe tell me that you are correct in your assumption that your rifle was manufactured by Mauser in 1943 (byf being WW-II German ordnance code assigned to Mauser-Werke, Oberndorf am Neckar, Germany). The eagle holding a swastika stampings on your bolt, receiver, and barrel were applied when the rifle was proof fired, they were required by law to insure that the metal did not fail under use with a high pressure cartridge. The eagle over 135 stampings were applied by military weapons inspectors, "135" is a WW-II Heerswaffenamt inspector's mark used on arms produced at the Mauser Oberndorf factory. The number that runs around the barrel and is partly obscured by the stock indicates the steel manufacturer, and which batch of steel the barrel came from.

When the rifle was captured by the Russians, it was probably overhauled and re-finished. This would account for the electric pencil numbers and mismatched parts (during Russian overhaul no attempt seems to have been made to keep matching parts together).

Original and matching Kar 98k rifles have become hard to find, examples in good condition often sell in the $800 or more range. I often see Russian rebuilds selling in the $200 to $300 range. Marc

# 10490 - Hinsdale Revolver Used By Whiskey Smugglers
12/7/2004
Mitch, Valley, NE. 68064

My father recently received this five shot revolver from my great uncle. The advance is not functional now, however the weapon is in extremely good shape otherwise. My great uncle said that this revolver was carried by himself and his brothers when running whiskey to Capone in Chicago during prohibition. Can you tell me what this weapon might be worth, and where a gunsmith might be that specializes in repairs of this type of weapon could be contacted?

Answer:
Mitch- Wow, great story! Wish we could help you but we have never heard of a Hinsdale revolver, or even anything that might be close to that. It may be one of the inexpensive "house brand" guns of the period 1890-1930, and few gunsmiths can work on them other than to make parts from scratch. John Spangler

# 10483 - Snider Conversion Of .577 Enfield
12/4/2004
Chris, Anchorage Alaska

Crown over E over 10, Crown over crossed flags(?) over 2P, Broad arrow over WD, numerous others I picked up this 1864 Enfield while deployed to Afghanistan. I have heard rumors about replicas, but this seems to be the real deal (not that I am an expert). I would like to know what all of the markings mean, and how to tell if I have the real deal. The 206 number is located at the rear of the breach. Is this the Serial Number? What book would be a good guide for me? Any help would be greatly appreciated. My e-mail is azreed2000@yahoo.com. Thank you for your time on this matter.

Answer:
Chris- Thank you for your service to our country. While many of the arms coming out of Afghanistan are the products of the clever craftsmen in Peshwar and nearby tribal areas on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, there are a lot of genuine old guns around there too. Fighting amonst each other (when no foreign invaders were available for such sport) has been an Afghan tradition for centuries, so firearms are highly prized and seldom scrapped when replace by better fire power. The snider was a remarkably advanced arm when introduced about 1866, but by the mid 1870s its large caliber and marginally strong breech made it obsolete, and use along the fringes of the old British Empire would only have continued for a few decades more. They are much more complicated to make than the simple muzzle loaders, or the later Martini rifles, so there was little incentive for the locals to turn out copies for the tourist trade (or backwards locals who preferred proven old technology to newer designs). The serial number was usually stamped in the bottom of the breechblock, so you had to open it up to see it. Ian Skennerton has written about the only book on the Sniders, and he also has an excellent book on British markings. It is important to note that the clever locals were very good at making official looking markings on their products, but careful inspection will often reveal inconsistencies that show them to be fakes. Look for VR for Queen Victoria marked on guns introduced long after hear death, or a nice combination of markings- Enfield, Browning, Mauser all on the same gun which was similar to (but not actually made by) one of the three but certainly not all three of them. Because of the condition, most of the guns coming out of Afghanistan are nice souvenirs, but have little resale value on the collector market. John Spangler

# 6915 - German MP44 - Legal In The UK?
12/4/2004
Karl Wales UK

Serial number 9550 E/44. WaA21 above trigger guard, SWJ forward of the magazine housing underneath the weapon. aqr on foregrip. This weapon is in immaculate condition, all blued with matching serial numbers. I am keen to find out its history and how much its worth today. Thanks in advance!

Answer:
Karl, the MP 43/44 or STG 44 is the father of all assault rifles, it was the result of W.W.II German efforts to replace submachine guns with a shoulder fired automatic weapon that had an effective range of 400 yards and could be issued to every infantryman. The MP 43/44 used a shortened 8mm Mauser cartridge (33 vs 57 mm length), fired a 124 grain slug at about 2200 feet per second, and was quite controllable when fired automatically. The name Machinenpistole (machine pistol) was used as a deliberate effort to hide the weapons development and issue from Adolph Hitler. When Hitler finally gave his approval, the name was changed to Sturmgewehr (assault rifle) 44. Estimated STG 44 production was about 500,000, and most were sent to the Eastern front.

Most MP 44s were manufactured by Haenel whose code was fxo. It looks like the codes that you provided are for subcontractors who manufactured some of the subassemblies and small parts.

Because you are in the UK, it is hard for me to place a value on your MP44. Since an MP44 fires fully automatic, ownership in the US would be restricted to registered weapons, and subject to restrictions on transfer to others. The small number of MP44s that meet these rules in the US are now selling for $10,000 or more, and the demand will only increase in the future. If the weapon were in the US and not registered, the owner would be subject to a jail term and/or a fine effectively making its value nil. This may be cause for concern because UK firearms laws seem to be generally more restrictive than their US counterparts. Marc

# 10467 - Krag Rifle Bolt Assembly
12/4/2004
Frances, Oceanside, CA

The number ''44'' on stock behind tiger guard. Stock has 'diamond' cut artwork in intermittent places (looks like original design for rifle). Carving of deer on one side of stock 'handle' done by my dad. After the ''1898'' imprint on the metal of rifle, looks like a period? Have original box, but value was ruined by ex-husband who refinished, varnished, installed new hardware, and glued felt inside of it. The box has a hole at one end that the barrel fits into. This was my dad's rifle and I almost lost it in a nasty divorce. Do you know where I can get a manual or instructions on how to care for this rifle. The rifle was returned to me with the bolt out and I have no idea how to put it back in. I also want to maintain it in as good a condition as possible. The wood has no speakable blemishes (my dad's carving included), but I'm concerned about the metal.

Answer:
Frances- the alterations done to your rifle have destroyed any collector value, but it probably is still a nice rifle for sporting use (assuming a competent gunsmith has declared it safe for use.) Removing or installing a Krag bolt is a very difficult mystery, but we have posted the answers on line at our other site. Check out the Krag bolt removal instructions (and putting it back in) at http://armscollectors.com/kragboltremoval.htm John Spangler