# 3818 - H&R .32
1/31/01

I have this 32 cal. H&R pistol. It has been in the family since 1892-1895?.It has 4 serial numbers, and octagon barrel. Is their any way I can find out what general store it was sold/ and what year it was purchased? Is their anyone out their that could lead me in the right direction? Thanks Brent S.

Answer:
Brent- As far as I know, no records from H&R for that period have survived, and therefore you are probably at a dead end. There was no requirement for any sort of record keeping by gun dealers prior to 1968, so it is highly unlikely that even if you knew the specific store there would be any way to track the sale at that point.

Better write down what history you already know about the gun and its former owners before that vanishes as well. John Spangler

# 3817 - 1848-1850 1st Model Dragoon
1/31/01
Ron

What would a 1848/1850 1st model Colt Dragoon, serial #6375 in excellent condition bring? Has all matching serial numbers, fight scene on cylinder. Was authenticated at the Rock Island Auction Co. See pic. Ron

Answer:
Ron- Thanks for contacting Antique and Collectable Firearms and Militaria Headquarters.

IF ORIGINAL AND AUTHENTIC, this would probably bring something in excess of $20,000 retail. I do not claim to be a Colt expert, and the photo is not sharp enough for me to make an accurate judgement. From what I can see, I have a strong suspicion that it may not be an original authentic piece. I may be wrong, but the number of fakes out there is pretty high, and most of the fine condition pieces are well known in collecting circles and have lengthy histories of past ownership. Of course, another one could turn up unexpectedly, and if so, you have my hearty congratulations!

To know the value of a piece like this, I would recommend having a formal written appraisal by a recognized expert in the field. Mr. Eric Value of Bridgewater Conn is such a person, and there are others as well. (many advertise in Gun Report or Man at Arms magazines). A good appraisal will cost you several hundred dollars, but you will be certain what you have, and having an appraisal from a reputable source will make it much easier to sell. High dollar pieces like this often do quite well in the better auctions, although a good dealer with a list of wealthy clients looking for this model may do just as well, or even better.

Hope it turns out to be good news. John Spangler

# 3816 - M1 Carbine "Daylight Sniper"
1/31/01
Mike

Recently saw at gunshow daylight version of carbine sniper with m-7 scope. I understand this is daylight version of m-3 scope configuration? Your thoughts or experience on this would be very appreciated. thanks

Answer:
Mike- If interested in carbines you really need to invest in Larry Ruth's 2 volume set "War Baby" which is the definitive work on carbines.

The U.S. Army tried mounting a Weaver 330 scope (M73B1) on the carbine for tests but it was never adopted and maybe two or three were rigged up that way. Anyone with a mounting bar for the snooperscope can install any scope they own as long as they have a set of Redfield Junior (or more recently Leupold) rings, and I have seen several set up this way (even bought one myself, but knowing what it really was- I needed the mounting bar). Figure that one of these is worth about the value of the carbine, the mounting bar and whatever you can get out of selling the scope and rings. Do NOT pay any premium and do not believe any stories about "daylight sniper" stuff.

The M7 scope is artillery related, and was NEVER intended for mounting on small arms. Hope this helps. John Spangler

# 3368 - M1911 A.J. Savage Slides
1/27/01
Loriano Franceschini-Bologna-Italy

I am an Italian firearms collector. I have a Colt 1911 with an AJ Savage slide. Could you tell me how many slides were manufactured by Savage? Thank you Loriano

Answer:
Loriano- A.J. Savage (of Savage Arms Co. fame) received a contract for 100,000 M1911 pistols in August 1918, to be made in San Diego, California. There are no records that any slides were officially accepted from that contract, and no pistols. Some springs and pare parts were accepted, possibly as work in progress, and some slides may have been purchased later. These are seen from time to time, sometimes appearing to be installed during an arsenal overhaul, and other times by home gunsmiths. They are a neat addition to a M1911 collection, but most likely not something that was officially accepted. Therefore most collectors can consider their collection complete without one.

Everything anyone ever needs to know if in Charles Clawson's "Colt .45 Service Pistols" book. Unfortunately it is out of print, and he refuses to print more of them. If you want one now, you have to wait for someone to die, or pay a huge bribe to a current owner. John Spangler.

# 3614 - Winchester Model 88
1/27/01
Jim

I purchased this rifle new around 1960 (or there about). It is in what I would consider very good condition. Bluing looks almost new. Firing has been minimal, deer hunting only. I had the stock professionally re-done about 5 years ago. I know it is a Pre-64 vintage. Can you provide me with some history/value information? Thank You, Jim

Answer:
Jim my records indicate that the year of manufacture for your Model 88, serial number 44189 is 1957. Winchester introduced the Model 88 in 1955. Model 88 rifles manufactured prior to 1964 have diamond cut (rather than pressed basket weave pattern) checkering, no barrel band and a 22 inch barrel. Total production for all varieties of Model 88 rifles (both pre and post 1964) is about 284,000. I have found that Model 88 rifles are quite popular and therefore easy to sell. The fact that your stock has been refinished will hurt the value a little. I estimate value for your rifle to be in the $300 to $400 range. Marc

# 3787 - Model 1917 Enfield
1/27/01
Dan

Dear Sirs, I'm looking for historical information on my rifle. It is a Remington (Ilion) stamped, low 4-didgit ser. no. starting with 123. I know from the shipping carton that it was sent to an Army captain here in Oregon, early in 1942. Before that? Did it go to Europe or stay in the US. for training? Any help will be appreciated. Thank you, Sincerely

Answer:
Dan - There is no information known about usage of any rifles in the 123x range. Most likely they were issued , went to Europe, and then returned to the US, and were issued again for WW2 or sent to allies. Serial number informaton on M1917s is very spotty, and in many cases gives the number but not the maker, so for guns under 500,000 or so, they could be from Eddystone, Remington, or Winchester. In the future when asking about history of specific guns, give the whole serial number. I get highly irritated by people who are paranoid about giving a full numbers but want us to use our time and research assets to do something for free. If it is such a big security concern, don't bother asking the question. BATF and Carnivore are probably watching you anyway. I hope you are at least a NRA member. John Spangler

# 3788 - Colt Walker
1/24/01
Paul

Dear Sir I wonder if you can help me. I am interested in buying a "walker-colt 1847" and a "Lost pairs shotgun Can you help?

Answer:
Paul- We do not have any Walker Colts, and in fact have never owned or handled one. If you can find an original be prepared to pay upwards of $25,000 for one in fair condition, more if you want a nice one. Reproductions of nearly all Colt models are available for under $500. Be forewarned that some of them have been artificially aged and are now offered as originals, so be very careful with whom you shop. We strongly advise you to get a detailed bill of sale, with a written guarantee of refund if deemed not authentic by a competent appraiser, and then get that appraisal, preferably before buying. I am not familiar with the shotgun you mention. Hope this helps. John Spangler

# 3789 - Garand Book
1/24/01
Kent

Hello, Recently I heard about a book that has data sheets about M1 Garands that is similar to Scott Duff's book. But I think the author's last name is Harrison, but I'm not sure. I do know it is very thorough and would like to have a copy for restoration purposes. Thanks for any help.

Answer:
Kent- Harrison has done a number of books on US military small arms loaded with tons of information. Probably at least 50% of it is very accurate information. In my opinion, at least 10% and perhaps a lot more is absolutely WRONG, INCORRECT or NONSENSE. This is based on my review of his books on M1903 and M1917 rifles, which I have studied at length and consider myself well informed about. I found many errors, generally on important stuff (his info on the M1903A3 National Match rifle comes to mind) and I am sure there are a lot of other errors. The bad part is you cannot tell what is true and what is false, so I decided to sell every one of his books that I had wasted money on. Too bad, as he put a lot of work into them and other than being factually unreliable, I liked them. Scott Duff is a respected researcher and is generally accepted as the best source of information on M1 Garand matters, and his work is endorsed by leading members of the Garand Collectors Association. I think some of the other self proclaimed "authorities" on the M1 Garand depend largely on Scott's work, usually without giving him credit. There is a small "for collectors only" book on the Garand which I have seen and consider better than Harrison's but still not as accurate as Duff's books. Bruce Canfield's "A Collector's Guide to the M1 Garand and M1 Carbine" is a good readable introduction to these arms with some useful tables, but not to the detailed data sheet level found in Duff;s books. If you are only going to get one Garand or Carbine, Canfield's book is probably the most useful. If you want to get into the study of all the markings and are fanatical about "factory original" as opposed to "as issued after military rebuild" and possibly embark on restoration projects, then you will need Duff. One caution on restorations- if only one or two parts seem out of place on an otherwise "correct" looking rifle, they may be right, so please do not rush to change them regardless of what is in anyone's books. Bottom line- buy Duff's books. We have a link to him on our links page. Don't waste your money on the others. John Spangler

# 3763 - Springfield 1889
1/20/01
Donald SFC MSG, USA

I have found an 1889 Springfield Serial number 168148* possible # 2 after the star. The weapon also has the number 873 on the stock. I would like to find out what caliber it is and what branch of service used this weapon. Thank you for any help in this matter.

Answer:
Donald- These trapdoors were ones that were originally made with early 1873 features, but then rebuilt with later receivers, breechblocks and stocks, but reusing many of the earlier parts. The "star" at that time was used to designate such rebuilt, or slightly less than new arms. Something of a collector oddity but not much in increased value. All were made in .45-70 caliber. There is no documented history on issue or usage of your rifle. The 873 on the stock is probably a locally applied unit or "rack number". The rifles (32 5/8" barrel measured from the face of the closed breech to the muzzle) were used by the infantry. Cadet rifles with 29 1/2" barrels were issued to West Point and ROTC cadets. Carbines with 22" barrels were for cavalry and sometimes engineers. Hang in there, only a few more days and we will once again have Commander in Chief deserving of respect and obedience. John Spangler

# 3764 - .30 U.S. Mod 1903 - Receiver Win. 1895
1/20/01

.30 U.S. Mod 1903 - receiver Win. 1895 I am looking for any information on this rifle that was made for U.S. Military

Answer:
There were 10,000 Model 1895 Winchester lever action rifles purchased by the US Army in 1898 (but delivered too late for Span Am War). These were the only M1895 rifles purchased for US military use. They had a large "U.S." on the top of the receiver ring. Common designation for .30-40 Krag ammunition was ".30 Army" or ".30 US". Adoption of the M1903 Springfield and its new cartridge resulted in terminology ".30 US M1903" to refer to the cartridge. Quite a few people see the US or Army in the caliber designation and erroneously assume these rifles were made for military use. John Spangler

# 3765 - WWII 303's
1/20/01
Steve

About 20 years ago, I had an old 303. The bloke I got it from told me he had bought it new just after the war and although it was made during the war, it was never used in the war. I was under the impression that it was made by the Springfield Arms Company under contract to Lee Enfield and as I remember it, it was very similar to the Lee Enfield Mark IV. Any way, Yesterday I got into a discussion with a bloke who is undoubtedly a legend in his own lunch box and he was very quick to point out to me just exactly what a know nothing I am. Although he may be right, I am still convinced it was made by Springfield in Missouri. Although I have no desire to go back to Mr. FIGJAM (F&!@ I'm Good Just Ask Me), I do need to know for myself. Can you please send me some information. Thank You

Answer:
Steve- Afraid you lose this one. Some 1,196,706 Lee Enfield No. 4 Mark I (and Mark 1*) rifles were made in the United States between July 1941 and June 1944. These were made in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, less than 50 miles from Springfield, Mass. These were made under contract by Stevens which was owned by Savage, and collectors tend to use the name of Savage when referring to these. For what it is worth, Savage sometimes used "Springfield" as a brand name on some of its lesser quality guns. John Spangler

# 3354 - Douglas Barrel .22-250 Rifle
1/17/01
Joe Welland Ontario Canada

Stamped on the muzzle as follows PREMIUM QUALITY over two stars and A DOUGLAS BARREL below Also stamped at the breech end of the barrel GR DOUGLAS over 22-250 I acquired this rifle as a trade-in and would like to know when it was built and who the gunsmith was, also the approximate value. The barrel is 1 in. at the muzzle and 1.250 at the breech it is fitted to what looks like a FN Mauser commercial action complete with a magazine. The stock is made out of laminated walnut (.250 in. laminations),It also has two barrel pressure screws in the fore-grip. It is quite bulky and heavy but is extremely accurate. I would appreciate any information that you could give me on this matter. THANK YOU JOE

Answer:
Joe- It sure sounds like a potentially accurate rifle, and with a barrel that heavy and that long (assuming the 50.5" barrel length is NOT a typo) it is probably a bench rest rifle, not a varmint gun.

Bench rest guns seem to be mostly handmade assemblies of top quality parts with great attention to bedding and consistency in loading, cleaning, sighting, etc. These are people who fire five shot groups the size of a quarter at 200 yards- and are very unhappy with how poorly they did!

I have no feel for the resale market on these, but suspect that within that specialized segment of the shooting community, a really "hot" rifle might bring quite a bit more than the sum of the parts, while one that has a reputation as a lemon may bring only the value of the action. Your guess is as good as mine. John Spangler

# 3356 - Joslyn, Benjamin F.
1/17/01
Brian: Elmira, NY

Could You Give me a short biography on B.F.Joslyn? Sincerely, Brian

Answer:
Brian- Benjamin F. Joslyn was a firearms inventor from Worcester, Massachusetts who was granted several patents between 1855 and 1864. His Joslyn Firearms Company operated in Stonington, Conn circa 1862-65.

I confess I do not know more about this man, and lack the time an inclination to research him myself. However, I would start by checking "Arms Making in the Connecticut Valley" by Felecia Deyrup Johnson. This is an immensely important work for any student of arms making, or even manufacturing in general and does a lot to explain the vital role of guns and gun making in the development of American manufacturing which made us a world power, both in economic and military terms from about 1860 to the present. The arms business was somewhat incestuous, with workers migrating between jobs and temporary assignments at different operations in the National Armory at Springfield, and various private firms. This lead to the interchange of ideas and a synergistic effect which resulted in the arrival of three critical elements for manufacturing success: a system of interchangeable parts for mass production; precision measurement tools to hold tolerances; and a machine tool industry that allowed less skilled workers to turn out huge quantities of parts. Merritt Roe Smith has also written more recently on this topic, but I forget the exact titles. You may also want to check with the local library in Worcester, Mass. Reference librarians are wonderful people who take great delight in finding obscure stuff for seriously interested people. There is probably some local history of the town which would include something on him, and possibly his papers may reside in a local historical society.

If you find out more about him, I would appreciate your sharing it with me, so I will not be so ignorant if I get asked about him again. John Spangler

# 3452 - Browning 1910? 1955?
1/17/01
Dave, San Diego, CA

FN on top of grip I believe my father bought this while in the army around 1957 (I could be mistaken). My local Browning dealer's book shows this as the same as the Model 1955 and lists the manufacture date as 1962. What is the difference between the Model 1955 and what is the approximate year of manufacture.

Answer:
Dave, the Browning Model 1910 was available in 7.65mm and 9mm short (.380 ACP) starting in about 1912. It had a 3.42 inch barrel and a 7 shot magazine. The pistol was striker rather than hammer fired, and came with Brownings "Triple Safety" system. The Model 1910 was widely adopted by police forces all over the world, but there were few military sales. In 1922, the Model 1910/22 (a longer barreled version of the Model 1910 with a larger magazine) was introduced to appeal more to the military market. Your local dealer is correct, the model 1910 and 1955 are the same. Browning first introduced the model 1910 in the U.S. under the 1955 model designation in 1954 and continued to market the pistols under the 1955 model name until about 1980 when they were discontinued. My records indicate that your pistol was manufactured in 1962. Marc

# 3527 - Remington Model 03-A3 UNSAFE
1/13/01
Wesley

I need to know what cal. this gun is, is it a 30-06 or a 30-03 or a 308 cal. it is a well kept rifle and I fired 3/308 shells through it and the shells swelled but fired ok and ejected ok when I try a 30-06 in the rifle it don't want to chamber all the way, it has had different barrel put on it for a fact because on the barrel it says Santa-Fe Springfield Sporter MK1 model 12023 Golden state arms corp. Pasadena Calif. the receiver has US Remington model 03-A3 4191094 so please could you help me find out what cal. this rifle is for sure.

Answer:
Sir- Thanks for contacting Antique and Collectable Firearms and Militaria Headquarters. Your rifle should be examined by a competent gunsmith to determine the proper caliber and to ensure the headspace is within accepted limits. In my opinion it is extremely dangerous to fire with ANY ammunition until you have it examined. While the rifle may not disintegrate into small pieces, there is a VERY HIGH probability that you will have a case rupture. This will blow fragments of brass and burning powder out any opening in the receiver at about 50,000 pounds per square inch pressure. To have this happening within an inch or two of your eyes and brain housing group is a foolish risk. A case rupture usually will also blow the magazine out of the gun, and often splinter the stock in the magazine area, so it is risky for the gun as well as your body. We do not represent ourselves as competent gunsmiths, and there is no way we can tell you anything about the caliber of your gun without physically examining it. However, if it has been rebarreled, and a .30-06 cartridge will not chamber, it is possible that whoever installed the barrel failed to do the final chamber reaming for the proper headspace. You could probably find some sleazy lawyer (if there are any not already employed stealing votes in Florida) to sue whoever worked on the gun. Of course, if the lawyers are so stinking smart, they should be building guns themselves. John Spangler

# 3526 - German Sporter
1/13/01
Greg Indianapolis, IN

Gentlemen, I am requesting your expertise in identifying a rifle built around an '03 Springfield action. Chambering is .30/06. The only markings other than proof marks and serial no.(226357) are: "Waffen- Krausser Munchen" which appears on the barrel only. This appears to be a very high quality sporter. Other features include: Double (set) trigger- adjustable Tang safety (in addition to the usual '03 three-position safety) Jeweled bolt Two-leaf folding rear sight Walnut stock with Monte Carlo comb and French skip-line checkering Ebony fore-tip 4X Scope marked "Optik Techna" in detachable mount. Reticule is European 3-post. (Reticule placement can also be adjusted to 300M via a mid-tube adjusting ring). I was able to locate a reference to Waffen- Krausser on Anscheutz's web site. It appears as though they are a German dealer for Anscheutz. My primary questions are: Did Waffen- Krausser build this rifle or did they produce the barrel only? If the rifle was built by Waffen- Krausser, what was the approximate date of manufacture? My personal (and amateur) guess regarding a production date would be circa 1950 based on the appearance of the scope and mounts. I could find no record of "Optik Techa" in web searches for the scope. Any assistance you can provide is greatly appreciated. Go NRA; GOA! Sincerely, Greg Indianapolis, IN

Answer:
Greg- Thanks for contacting Antique and Collectable Firearms and Militaria Headquarters. It is not unusual to find sporting rifles built on Springfield actions by very talented German gunsmiths. Apparently these were made for American servicemen serving in Germany (after WW2) and who desired the Springfield action as the basis for their dream rifle instead of the Mauser action preferred by European sportsmen. All other components on these rifles generally seem to be typical German made items. The good news is that you have a superb quality rifle. The bad news is that if the serial number is the original number applied by Springfield or Rock Island, it is a "low number" action which is generally (but with dubious justification- see article on our site) considered to be unsafe to shoot. Retail value on something like this is a wild guess. The guy who likes fine workmanship may be willing to pay a lot, but most people scared by the low number would pay very little. John Spangler

# 3525 - Jesse James Boot Gun
1/13/01
Shirl

My brother was given an antique boot gun purported to have been the one Jesse James used during the robbery of the Northfield Bank in Minnesota. This gun was made by the Stevens Company. It is a 22 caliber one-shot with a 6" barrel. It is a "crack-open" gun, which requires the user to use a second finger to bring up the trigger as there is no trigger guard. It is a single action. It has rather large rear sites (for such a small gun) which look like rabbit ears. This gun is in excellent condition. My brother will provide me with the serial number, as it wasn't accessible when I spoke with him. (He lives in Oregon and had called me). Could you give me any idea what this item may be worth and/or how it could be verified as belonging to Jesse James?

Answer:
Shirl- Thanks for contacting Antique and Collectable Firearms and Militaria Headquarters. Without GOOD DOCUMENTATION, it is very hard to prove if this gun was there at the time. To be honest, I would give 1000 to 1 odds that it was not. Many old guns get stories attached to them over the years and stories about a gun "sorta like the one used in the old days when outlaws were around" get transformed in the retelling and memories into "one just like Jesse James used", and eventually into "the ACTUAL gun used by Jesse James." The best thing to do is to properly identify the gun and see when it was made. If after the big raid, then that tells you for sure it was not there. If made earlier, then there is a chance and you need to do a lot more homework, probably reading old newspaper accounts, old police reports, etc. I doubt if any self respecting bank robber would bother carrying a .22 single shot, even as a backup gun. I see a lot of old guns with fancy histories being offered at big prices and feel sorry for gullible people who buy them. Hope yours turns out to be a good one, but we do not have any method of authenticating it for you. John Spangler

# 3323 - Tower 1862 musket
1/10/01
Ken, Hampshire, IL

Below hammer is marked "TOWER" below this is marked 1862The bottom of the stock is marked "ISAAC HOLLIS & SONS"The barrel is marked with what appears to be an asterisks followed by the number 25 then another asterisks and again the number 25On the side of the stock there appears to be a capitol letter E followed by a 2 then a degree type of symbol and then a 3there is the number 7 superimposed over the number 2Towards the muzzle and carved in the stock are the initials JR followed by 1864This flintlock or musket has 3 metal bands securing the barrel to the stock. It also has the ramrod and bayonet. The leather strap has long been gone but a portion of it still is secured to the trigger end. All metal parts are a bit corroded, The brass but plate is also tarnished and !pitted. I have no plans or desires to sell this gun. I would like to display it. My questions therefore are.1. Is there any value to this rifle?2. From my description does this appear to be a genuine, civil war era itme.3. Should this or could this be restored without reducing it's value The family stories are that it belonged to a great-grandfather but none of this folklore can be confirmed. My great grandfather supposedly was a Union soldier in either Ohio or Pennsylvania I am especially curious about the engraved initials and numbers on the stock. Could this be an infantry marking of some sort. Your web page is great, I have learned more than I thought existed. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Ken

Answer:
Ken- Congratulations on being entrusted with the preservations of part of your family's history. Your musket is undoubtedly percussion (with the hammer striking a "nipple" on the side of the barrel where a percussion cap would send a flash through a small hole and ignite the powder charge) not flintlock. Hundreds of thousands of .577 Enfield muskets were imported by both north and south during the Civil War. They were very highly regarded and considered to be the equal of the .58 caliber Springfield muskets being made here. Undoubtedly many troops from Ohio and Pennsylvania were issued these, and some went home at the end of their enlistments, with permission or sometimes without. A well trained soldier could fire about three shots a minute, and the effective range of the minie ball (weighing nearly an ounce) was about 500 yards.

Of course, just because there was an ancestor in the Civil War, and the gun is from the Civil War does not mean that they carried that exact gun. It is very possible that they (or someone else in the family) bought it up to 50 years later after they were dumped on the surplus market. If your ancestor's initials were JR, then that would tend to support the belief that it was his gun. Otherwise, they could have been some farmer who used it for shooting hogs at slaughter time in the 1880s or some other less sexy explanation. I would be about 99% certain that they are absolutely NOT officially sanctioned unit markings.

You should NOT attempt to refinish this in any way. A light coat of oil on the metal parts is all that is needed. Maybe a coat of paste wax on the wood and metal parts if you like. Do not polish the brass parts. Do not use any sandpaper or scouring pads or anything like that.

You should insure this for about $1000-2000 depending on condition. John Spangler

# 3343 - Mauser Sniper Rifle
1/10/01
BOB, HILLSDALE, WI

It has a 4X scope manufactured by HENSOLDT WETZLAR, mounted high on dual blocks with quick removal. It has see through for open sights. There are many SWASTIKA markings just below an eagle. My uncle brought this rifle back from Europe during WWII. I believe it is a sniper rifle, but have not been able to find another like it to compare. Does anyone know anything about this rifle or could put me onto someone that does? Thanks.

Answer:
Bob- From your description it sounds like it is probably one of two things:

(a) A scarce and very valuable German sniper rifle. This would have the full length military type stock, or

(b) A German Mauser rifle with a telescope added for sporting use. This would probably have a sporter type stock. Many German gunsmiths made up rifles like this after WW2 for American soldiers stationed in Germany. While finely made and accurate rifles, they seldom bring a lot of money.

Send up some photos attached to an email, or by snail mail to Box 711282, Salt Lake City, UT 84171 and we should be able to confirm what you have. We would be glad to help you find a good home for it if you decide to sell. John Spangler

# 3353 - CZ 27
1/10/01
Ken Worcester MA USA

Ordinance code: fnk Is this a rare gun or just run of the mill WWII collectable? Is ammunition readily available? Where would the serial number be found, if any?

Answer:
Ken, the Czechoslovakian Model 1927 is not a rare pistol, but I consider an example with German markings to be an essential part of any German WWII handgun collection. The CZ Mod. 1927 pistol was adopted by Czechoslovakian armed forces in 1927 and remained in production under the German occupation until 1945, then after the war into the 1950s. Pistols manufactured under German occupation after June 1941 are marked "fnh" (not "fnk") "Pistole Modell 27 Kal. 7.65". "fnh" was the WW-II German ordnance code assigned to Bohmische Waffenfabrik, Strkonitz plant, Prague, Czechoslovakia in June, 1941. It is reported that serial numbers under German occupation were re-started at 1 and went up to over 475,000. Your serial number should be located on the top of the slide just forward of the rear sight and beneath the barrel one inch from the muzzle. It may or may not be located on the upper left side of the frame above the safety lever. Military acceptance stamp (eagle over "WaA76") should be stamped on the upper right side of the frame above the grip and beneath the barrel just forward of the locking lugs (on some pistols it is located on the top of the slide just forward of the serial number). The military test proof (eagle over swastika in a circle) should be stamped on the right side of the chamber (barrel) or on the top of the slide just forward of the serial number. 7.65mm (32 ACP) ammunition is a little hard to find but you should be able to turn some up. A good place to start your search for ammunition would be the next gunshow in your area. Marc

# 3430 - Hiawatha Pistol
1/6/01
Al, Rich Valley, Alberta

semi automatic. Rabbit emblem on the stock I just bought this gun. I'd like to know where I could get more info on the manufacturer of this thing, as well as when this gun was made. Is there a web site I can find more info on this thing?

Answer:
Al, I was unable to find any information on this pistol. My GUESS is that it one of the many cheap "Saturday Night Special" types that were imported after WWII. Marc

# 3324 - Savage / Springfield Model 840
1/6/01
Wayne, Howell, MI

None. This is my grandfather's deer rifle, and it has the original Springfield 4x scope on it. I'm curious how much its worth. the stock is a light honey color, and it has a clip. It's in perfect condition.

Answer:
Wayne, I do not have a lot of information on this firearm, it falls into the category of "old guns" that not many people seem to be interested in today as shooters, but collectors do not want them either. Generally these were basic inexpensive simple guns which sold at modest prices and still have little interest or value on market today. Where there is any family history, we encourage people to keep these old guns for sentimental value. Marc

# 3322 - Whitney or Remington Rolling Block
1/6/01
Ed Des Moines, Iowa

under the forearm it reads 2 5825 T P I recently purchased this gun. I'm not clear if it is a Whitney or Remington. It has a round barrel, the serial number on the tang, but no other manufacturer designation. On top of the barrel near the breach it is marked 45 cal. The serial number is repeated under the metal butt plate on both the butt plate and on the wood. Can you tell me what it is? I believe it is a Whitney sporting and target rifle but I'm not sure. Any information on value would also be appreciated. Thanks for your help

Answer:
Ed- Sorry we cannot help on that one. The Remington and Whitney look very similar and I do not know of any real good way to tell them apart. Flayderman's Guide is the best source I have found on Whitney's and the Remington's are well covered in Roy Marcot's superb "Remington: America's Oldest Gunmaker" book. Just to keep you guessing, there are a lot of foreign made rolling blocks, usually under Remington license but with different markings. There are probably some obscure magazine articles or less well known books that have more info to solve this mystery, but I cannot think of them right now. John

# 3321 - EFM Carbine
1/6/01
Jack, Talbot, TN

no exterior marking except E.M.F. #152 behind rear sight. From what I am able to research online this seems to be an Erma Firearms Manufacturing product. If it is, what kind of quality are we looking at what would the apx. value of one in excellent cond. be? This one varies from a mil. spec. m1 in-that it has a custom stock w/cheek rest, a jeweled bolt, and a Williams peep sight. The innards seem to be a mix of different manuf. (Winchester barrel etc.). At the time I bought it I was told it was customized by "one of the best gunsmiths" and assumed that was E.F.M. I later found out his name was Paul King in (I think he lived in Santa Barbara?) California.

Answer:
Jack- Erma's Firearms Manufacturing Company of Steelville, MO made both military style and sport versions of the M1 carbine. In the mid-1960s they become the Steelville Manufacturing Company, and apparently they went out of business about 1967. This information is from Larry Ruth's definitive work on the M1 Carbine "War Baby" in the second volume which includes all the foreign and commercial copies. He does not comment on the quality, but apparently they were at least serviceable. A really fanatical carbine collector could have a lot of fun trying to track down examples of all the commercial copies, but most seem to have little value on the collector market. I have not idea if your gun was sporterized by someone else, or if it one they made as a sporter. John Spangler

# 3316 - Moore/National/Colt .41 Derringer
1/3/01
Brian - South Africa

Partial engraving over whole weapon. D Moore Patented Feb 24 186(3?) I have recently acquired what I believe is the fore-runner of the Colt No1 Derringer. As far as I have been able to research, Colt bought out the National Arms Co and took over production of this model as the No1. This gun is only marked with the following though : D Moore Patented Feb 24 186(3?). I was under the impression these guns would have the National Arms Co markings prior to Colt's acquisition, but am wondering if these markings are typical and also if it was common for these to have no serial number or proof marks during those early days. The gun is silver plated throughout and seems to have most of the original plating and is 100% working condition with no pitting and only a few very small rubs where the silver is worn, showing what appears to be brass underneath. Would you have an estimate of value for a beginner collector in South Africa, where reference material is fairly hard to come by. I am in the process of ordering Flayderman and have Wilson and Sutherlands book, where I got this info. Like you too, we are fighting the battle for firearm rights. It is a battle we have to win worldwide. I wish you luck in your fight there, and thank you for all the info you have provided through your page in the past. Thanking you in advance for any help you can give and any additional info.-Brian.

Answer:
Brian- You have done your homework, and are making the smartest move any beginning collector can. No, not asking us, but investing in good reference books. When you get your Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and their Values (which we sell on our book page, in case anyone needs one!) turn to page 394 for full details on the many variations of this interesting design. Yours is the "standard Moore" not to be confused with the "early Moore" which had several minor design differences and was marked with a February 19, 1861 patent date. The bad news is that the standard one has a value of about US$325 in NRA antique good condition or $725 in fine, while the early one would bring about $600 and 1150 in those conditions. There is also an "earliest Moore" with Patent applied for markings that would go for $1000 and 2250.

Norm Flayderman, an accomplished photographer and author as well as the leading gun expert in the US, put out printed catalogs for a long time (a couple months short of forever) but finally is doing business on line. We have a link to his site on our links page, and encourage everyone to check out his offerings. If nothing else, just send him an email and thank him for writing his "Guide" which is probably the single most important book ever published for gun collectors or arms historians. John Spangler

# 3320 - US Property No 4 Mk 1 .303 Lee Enfield
1/3/01
Martin, South Africa

1942 NO.4. MK.1 U.S.GOVERNMENT. WOODEN STOCK AND WOOD ALMOST UP TO THE END OF THE BARREL. Small magazine. .303 cal. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT RIFLE THIS IS? Was this the standard issue to US forces in WW2? Would anyone be interested in it. I am a lawyer and this rifle is an exhibit in a trial.

Answer:
Martin- These rifles were paid for by the U.S. taxpayers (and their grandchildren are still trying to pay off the debt for them.) However, they were NOT used by any U.S. military forces. ALL were purchased and delivered to the British government as "Lend Lease" supplies during WW2. This was a tricky scheme to allow the US to ship military supplies to our (later) Allies while still preserving some degree of neutrality. The Brits passed the rifles out according to their judgement of needs of the various Commonwealth nations, and undoubtedly many ended up being issued to South African units. These often have a arrow within a "U" as a South African military property marking. These are relatively common in the U.S. surplus market, although few people care much about specific country markings. A typical value would be about US$100, and often quite a bit less for well used examples. Hope this helps you clear the innocent and convict the guilty. However, I hear you have a lot of newly empowered folks getting away with murder. If I lived in a country like that, I sure would not turn in any of my guns. We have a saying over here "Better to be tried by twelve (jurors) than carried by six (pallbearers)." John Spangler

# 3448 -
1/3/01
Steve, Waleska, Ga.

R-105 on body below serial number Stylized stamp on left. The "raven" trademark? Don't remember ever seeing a 9 shot 22. I would like to know the age. Thanks

Answer:
Steve, nine shot .22 caliber revolvers are not all that uncommon, they have been made by several different firearms manufactures over the years including Astra, H&R, High Standard, Iver Johnson, Taurus and others. The first High Standard Sentinel was manufactured around 1955, it was a solid frame double-action western style revolver with a swing-out cylinder and adjustable rear sights built on an alloy frame. The cylinder was retained by a catch on the crane, and the unsupported hand ejector rod lay beneath the barrel. In the early 1970's High Standard introduced a 4 new Sentinel revolvers with steel frames. The Mark 1 Sentinel was a fixed sight .22LR, 9-shot revolver that could be ordered with 2, 3, or 4 inch barrel. The Mark 1 had a shrouded ejector rod and wrap-around walnut grip. The 4 inch barrel Mark 1 came with adjustable rear sights, Mark 2 and 3 Sentinels were chambered in .357 Magnum. Mark 4 Sentinels were the same as the Mark 1, but chambered for the .22 WMR cartridge. I could not find any serial number information for Sentinel revolvers, the best that I can tell you about date of manufacture is that alloy frame Sentinels were manufactured in 1955 and 1956, steel frame Sentinels were manufactured from 1974 to 1984. Marc