# 11367 - Winchester 1902 Pistol
1/31/2006
Roger, Montclair, Virginia

Winchester logo stamp head of open rear sight and on bolt. ''Patented august 29,1899'' stamped on barrel Have I inherited a Winchester experimental pistol? Apparently no two Winchester pistols are exactly alike, and other web sites are selling nearly identical items as $3500 Winchester pistols. The barrel is stamped ''Mod. 02-22 SHORT, LONG OR EXTRA LONG'' with a patent date of August 29, 1899, and there is no serial number which makes me believe that this might just be a model 1902 rifle that has been cut down to mimic a more expensive pistol. Can you shed any light on the matter?

Answer:
Roger, I am not an expert on these so I must turn to my reference books. Henshaw's "The History Of Winchester Firearms" lists a model 1902 pistol that was supposed to have been made by Winchester employees for their own use. It strikes me that this is a gun that would be easy to fake. On top of that, cut down rifles with barrels shorter than 16 inches are not legal to own in the USA so you are taking a BIG chance if you purchase one without documentation that decisively proves that it is the real thing. Marc

# 11361 - Omega Revolver
1/31/2006
Debra Smiths Al

Has what looks like a bird marking with N or Z over marking Cannot find anyone who has seen a model like this? Who made it know its from Germany my Aunt had two I inherited one is 100 model the other is an older looking one with a screw on the bottom of grip. The omega emblem is on grip but the older one looks different than the 100 model

Answer:
Debra, my guess is that your revolver was probably manufactured by EM-GE of West Germany sometime in the 1960s. The company marked a line of cheap .22 rimfire and .32 center-fire revolvers under the Em, Ge, G&E, Omega and PIC brand names among others. Many shooters (including myself) consider these revolvers unsafe to fire. Value will be in the $50 range if you can find a buyer. Marc

# 11436 - Texas Ranger Colt SAA
1/31/2006
Mike, OKC, OK

Five-pointed star on right of trigger guard. Under left grip on backstrap initials S.D.(or B.) Levy REP I have heard that the five-pointed star was a Texas Ranger gun or was sent back to the factory and modified. Gun manufactured 1886, sent Schoverling, Daly & Gales. Would like to know if S.D. Levy was representative for Colt or who he might have been in connection with the gun. Also would like to know if there are any records in existence from Schoverling, Daly & Gales regarding who may have purchased this gun.

Answer:
Mike- Good questions, and it sounds like you have done some good research already. I regret we cannot add anything to what you already know. Try checking with some of the big Colt Specialists and maybe they can help. John Spangler

# 11433 - Trapdoor Springfield Block Markings
1/28/2006
Bob York, PA

On the trap door the markings are Model 1873, hat, US.... What does the hat represent?

Answer:
Bob- The marking found on some of the early M1873 trapdoor breech blocks is not a "hat" but is actually an eagle head over crossed arrows. Based on your description, this sounds like it may be an original M1873 Carbine, always popular with collectors, especially if all original. John Spangler

# 11414 - Lightning Bolt Marks And Skull On K98k Mauser
1/28/2006
USA

There are two lighting bolt marks on it and There is what looks to be a scull on it. Can you tell me what the lighting bolts mean and what it's worth?

Answer:
Sir- The "lightning bolts" are often called "runes" and used as substitutes for the letter "S" as in SS insignia. Some weapons used by the SS were marked with a combination of one or two runes and/or a skull. These are very popular with collectors and bring a substantial price premium. However, the latter fact has not escaped notice by the fakers, and reportedly a number of SS marked K98k Mausers which were recently imported from Russia were so marked. When and where the markings were applied is open to debate. John Spangler

# 11341 - HM Quackenbush 22
1/28/2006
Tamya, Eden, NC

My dad has a .22 cal, single barrel rifle. The only thing listed on it is HM Quackenbush, Hepkilter, NY, USA. Pat in USA & LNC. Feb. 23 80' BLLC Mar. 15 80'. Can you explain to me what this means? What would you estimate the value to be. It is in decent shape.

Answer:
Tamya, the markings that you are asking about are the manufacturer's name, location, and patent dates. There are several HM Quackenbush rifles listed in the blue book, most were manufactured between 1886 and 1922. I need to know what model you have and more about condition to give you a value. Marc

# 11852 - Western Auto Supply 200
1/24/2006
Gregory

I was in IRAQ for a year and when I got back home in dec. I received a marlin rifle for Xmas. The rifle I received is a marlin Revelation and is stamped with Western Auto Supply Co Model 200 m . I have looked all over the net for information on this rife and I have not been able to come up with anything . If you can tell me more about this rifle that would be so great . Thank for your time and hope to hear from you soon .

Answer:
Gregory, thanks for your patriotism and for your service to our country. My references indicate that the Marlin Model 336 was marketed under the Western Auto brand name as their Model 200. The original Model 336 Sporting Rifle was manufactured by the Marlin Firearms Company from 1948 to 1969. Rifles were available chambered in 219 Zipper, 30-30 Winchester, 32 Winchester Special, 35 Remington and 44 Magnum. Typical rifles came with a 24 inch barrel, 5 round tubular magazine, and spring-leaf rear sight with elevator. 336 rifles had an improved round breech-bolt, refined extractor, and ejection port on the right side of the receiver to facilitate mounting of a scope. Overall the Marlin 336 is a fine rifle, if taken care of, it should provide years of enjoyment. Marc

# 11851 - Llama 38
1/24/2006
Patrick, Mineral Bluff Ga.

left. side of barrel gabilondo&cia-elgoibar(espana)38 special ctg k1 by the chamber rt. side of barrellacero de alta resistencia w/pearl type hand grip how old is this pistol and what is it worth not interested in selling!!

Answer:
Patrick, you did not send me model information so it is hard to tell you about the age of your revolver but a quick search of the blue book only yielded 2 Llama revolvers that were manufactured in .38 Special. The Martial Model was manufactured from 1969 to 1976 and the Comanche II which was probably a continuation of the Martial Model. The Comanche II was manufactured from 1977 to 1982.

Since this is a Llama, answering your question about value is easier. There is not much collector interest in Llama firearms, values for most of their revolvers is usually in the $150 or less range, if you can find a buyer at all. It is probably a good thing that you don't want to sell. Marc

# 11699 - Gold Bullets
1/24/2006
Scott

Did they ever make bullets out of 18K gold in this country? I have a piece that appears to be a bullet that was never put in a casing that is of gold and can't find whether it was something that someone used to make or not? Any help you could offer would be great.

Answer:
Scott- Good question. Since bullet molds are widely available, it is possible that someone could have made one or more bullets from gold, but as far as I know, they were never commercially produced. It is also possible that someone gold plated a bullet.

Why someone would use gold for bullets is something I cannot figure out. Someone who does stuff like that can also use $100 bills for toilet paper, but it sure is an expensive substitute for a cheap and readily available product.

You may want to ask on the forum at http://cartridgecollectors.org and one of the experts there may know for sure. (about the gold bullets, that is.) John Spangler

# 11698 - Walch Revolver 12 Shots .36 Caliber
1/21/2006
Shawn

I am looking for a 12 shot .36 caliber Welch revolver. I have read about it, but never have seen one nor have I known anyone who has seen one. Would like to find one or information on it.

Answer:
Shawn- The Walch (not it is spelled with an "a" not an "e") by John Walch is a really neat gun, and I have been fascinated by them since reading about one in the Q&A section of the American Rifleman about 1960. It looks very similar to other percussion revolvers of the period, but the cylinder is a bit longer and instead of the flutes found on some revolver cylinders, this has what appear to be slightly raised areas on the cylinder. It uses the same "superimposed load" concept as the Lindsay Double Musket which is not surprising since J.P. Lindsay was John Walch's partner. Each chamber of the cylinder was extra deep, so that they could be loaded with powder and a ball in the usual manner and then another powder charge and ball loaded on top of the first. The back of the cylinder had a nipple for each chamber in the usual manner, plus another row of nipples set closer to the cylinder axis. The passage for the flash from one of the nipples led to the forward powder charge which would be fired first. Then when the pistol was fired again, the hammer struck the other nipple, firing the rear charge.

The Walch revolvers were made in two types. One was a 12 shot version (with six chambers) in .36 caliber, but only about 200 of this type was made by Union Knife Company in Naugatuck, Connecticut. The second type was .31 caliber with a five chambered cylinder to be a ten shot revolver. About 3,000 of these were made by the New Haven Arms Company circa 1860-1862, at the same time they were busy making Henry rifles. Yes, that is the company which became Winchester.

Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and their Values has photos and a bit more info on these, and lists the more common version with a value in the $850-$2250 range. I would not be surprised to see some turn up at some of the better gun shows, or in the major firearms auctions by reputable auction houses.

Now, someone should try to explain to my wife why I have been gripped by a long dormant lust for an obscure firearm that does not fit into a Springfield collection.... John Spangler

# 11697 - M1911A1 History
1/21/2006
Todd

I am a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, and I have a .45 cal Remington Rand pistol built in 1943. I can find the value of it but, could you tell me if there was a place where I could find out where it has been. Such as who was it assigned to in the military or what ship it may have been on, things like this.

Answer:
LCPL Todd- Thank you for your service to our country! You and your brother and sister Marines are dong a superb job defending freedom. In Iraq the Marines have repeatedly been called upon for the toughest jobs, accomplished their missions exceedingly well, and sadly taken many more casualties than we would like. Our thoughts and prayers are with all our troops as they toil, sweat and bleed in the vast Global War on Terror, which will last for many more years . THANK YOU ALL!

The only information which would be certainly be available on your pistol is when it was made, and then only to within a few months, as they were not delivered in strict serial number sequence. For a small number of M1911/1911A1 pistols (some 50,000 out of around 2.5 million which were made) a tiny bit of history may be available. That can be checked on our other website http://armscollectors.com and then look for serial numbers or Springfield Research Service. After more than 20 years of digging through the National Archives they have found documents which reveal a bit of history for several hundred thousand U.S. military small arms, ranging from Civil War guns up to M1 Garands and some M14 rifles.

Most M1911A1s were issued during WW2 and remained in service until replaced by the M9 in the 1980s-90s. It may have been carried in combat by some forgotten Marine, flown in the shoulder holster of an aircrew, hung around the quarterdeck with some sailors, or rested comfortably in the safe of some Air Force guy responsible for keeping their beer cold and pool filled.

That is your pistol. There are many like it, but..... Thanks again for your service. John Spangler

# 11340 - Tired Mod 62A?
1/21/2006
Jeff, Woodburn, OR

Slide is non-ribbed w/ repaired crack Just recently passed down from my grandfather, has initials carved in the buttstock. Completely original, with the exception of the magazine rod and front sight, which are missing. Any idea whether I could get replacement original parts, and if so, how much it would be worth?

Answer:
Jeff, Gun Parts Corp. is a good place to start your search for parts. We have a link to them on our links page. If Gun Parts does not have what you need, try posting on the OldGuns.net, free wanted page. The rifle's value will depend on condition. Really nice Model 62A rifles can sell for $650 or more. Your 62A sounds a little well used and this will hurt value. My guess without seeing it is that value will be in the $250 to $300 range. If this is a family heirloom, sentimental value will probably be a lot higher than actual value. It would be great let your kids learn how to shoot using grandpa's rifle, under proper adult supervision, ofcourse. Marc

# 11696 - Restoration? Fakery!
1/17/2006
Randy, Colorado

I would like to know if you have the proper stamps for marking a stock for a model 1899 Krag carbine? If so can you stamp my stock for me? If you do not do this type of restoration, can you tell me who does? Thank you,

Answer:
Randy- We can not and will not help with that one. In my opinion that is fakery and any one who engages in it should be horsewhipped, castrated, tarred and feathered and left to bake on an anthill after all their guns are taken away from them. John Spangler

# 11695 - Wells Fargo Coach Gun
1/17/2006
Karri- Oregon

The finish is browned Damascus barrels case hardened breach. The year of the gun is 1878 (possible Colt model). Where the hammer pivots at the head of the screw there are side plates that say's 'Richard''. Under the barrel there are Belgium marks. There is a crown (for a king) on top of a circle and inside the circle is a proof mark that says ''ELG'. In scroll type writing there is a proof mark''EL'' and the letters are connected. Brass metal formed into the stock/side of the stock where you aim/rib between barrells/3 inches ahead of barrels all contain the stamp ''WF&CO.EX''.

I am researching for my father about this gun. We want to know who manufactured it and how to go about finding out about it's authenticity. The gun dealer my father bought it from said his papers were stolen but did sign a receipt stating that the gun was guaranteed an authentic Wells Fargo Coach Gun. His papers were supposed to be from Butterfield & Butterfield but he did not state how the gun was guaranteed. The closest we have found is that it could possibly be a Colt with upgrades? Any help you can offer would be appreciated.

Answer:
Karri- In my opinion 99.99% (or more) of all purported "Wells Fargo coach guns" are merely junky old shotguns with assorted spurious markings, badges, etc added to enable con artists to sell them at inflated prices to gullible buyers.

Richards is a name well known to have been used on junky Belgian made shotguns, intended to deceive the original purchasers into thinking they were getting a gun from Westley Richards, the famous English maker of high quality guns. Colt shotguns were neither made in Belgium, nor marked Richard[s] so any ideas about "possible Colt upgrade" are wishful thinking at best.

If this gun ever passed through the Butterfield & Butterfield auction house, they would have records on it, and it would be listed in their catalogs and the price realized from the auction be available. However, it is important to note that in auctions, only the BOLD PRINT of a description is guaranteed. So, even if they listed it as "19th century shotgun with 20 inch barrels marked Wells Fargo [in bold print] and then mentioned possible Colt upgrade, used on stage coaches, etc" the only part they are guaranteeing would be that it is an old shotgun with certain markings. They would not be guaranteeing the markings are authentic, or when they were applied, or how close it ever got to a stage coach.

Obviously I have not seen your gun, and cannot comment on its authenticity, and it is possible that it may be authentic. It is also possible that you will be crushed by a runaway beer truck that was struck by lightning during a solar eclipse immediately after you found a winning lottery ticket.

Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and their Values has some excellent warnings about purported "stage coach guns" that anyone should read prior to considering purchase of one. Another bit of advice is to "know your jeweler if you don't know your diamonds."

As far as your written guarantee, the best you could hope for would be a full refund. However, the seller will probably say you waited too long, or need to prove it is not authentic or some other excuse. Or, maybe they are very good at selling such items and will quietly give you a refund and just sell it to another sucker. If you try to go to court, you would have to prove: (a) the gun was not what the seller represented it to be and (b) that he KNOWINGLY misrepresented it- both extremely difficult to do, and the legal fees involved would be much more than the cost of the gun. I hope this helps, even if it is not very encouraging. John Spangler

# 11839 - Unknown Spanish Auto
1/17/2006
Mike Alabaster, AL, USA

This is gun my father got in World War II from Germany. Is this gun worth much monetarily. It is in very good condition.

Answer:
Mike, there is not a lot of collector interest in most Spanish made firearms but it is hard to say for sure without more information. It could be trash or it could be a treasure depending upon the model and markings. Send us a picture and maybe we can be of more assistance. Marc

# 11694 - Early M1903 Springfield And FN-49 Rifle
1/14/2006
Eric

i have a wonderful ole 03 with a date of 10 05 on barrel . where [sic] all the rifles converted to the newer round ie the 30-06 round ? i have shooot [sic] mine many times i have been told that older round was a rounded type ?? not a spitzer round all so do u have the number range of fn 49 that we purchased for trails at aberdean [sic]?? and does any other country have a flaming bomb ordance [sic] mark ?? i truley thank you

Answer:
Eric- I assume you are a young person who has yet to absorb the meager offerings of our badly decayed public school systems. Therefore we will provide an answer. Normally when we get emails where the sender does not even attempt to proper capitalization or spelling, we just ignore them.

The .30-06 cartridge will safely fire in a M1903 rifle which was made in .30-03 caliber, so it is remotely possible it is a very scarce and desirable version which had the M1905 configuration but is still in .30-03 caliber. The way to check is to use a cleaning rod to measure the length from the face of the closed bolt to the muzzle on your rifle and another M1903 series rifle. One that escaped alteration to .30-06 will have a barrel about .20" longer. The stock and will also measure .20" longer from the shoulder for the lower band to the tip of the stock.

The ordnance bomb symbol was commonly used by many countries for a variety of uses. The ordnance bomb is found on FN-49 rifles made for Luxembourg. As far as I know, despite any rumors to the contrary, there were NO FN--49 rifles procured for tests or trials by the U.S. Army. Undoubtedly a few ended up in the Ordnance Department for museum or technical reference purposes, but these would not have received any special markings. Wayne Johnson's "The F-49: The Last Elegant Old-World Military Rifle" is the new, and definitive, reference on this type rifle. John Spangler

# 11693 - Valuable Colt Single Action
1/14/2006
Tom

I have a Colt SAA 44.40, 4 3/4" barrel, nickel finish, pearl grips, that has been looked at by an individual who admits to limited resources for evaluation. He did say the gun was 60%-70% and that it could be worth upwards of $70,000.00 simply because of the serial number 2797, and the fact it is in very good mechanical condition and looks great. I talked with Kathy Hoyt at Colts Mfg., and she said her archives didn't have anything on the serial number. I certainly would like to sell it if I could get something like $50,000.00. What should I do next? Thanks.

Answer:
Tom- Go back to the guy who said it was worth $70K and give him the opportunity to make a quick $20,000 if you are willing to sell for $50K. I am not a Colt expert, but I think his estimate is totally ridiculous and has given you very unrealistic expectations.

The best way to get true fair market value for it is to put it in a reputable gun auction attended by wealthy and well informed buyers. Some that I consider ethical are: Little John's; Rock Island Auctions; Amoskeag Auctions, and also James D. Julia. I believe that Herb Glass and Pete Harvey do appraisals and you may want to invest a few hundred dollars getting their expert opinion. My unexpert guess is that something closer to $5,000 would be the answer. Good luck. John Spangler

# 11835 - U.S. Calvary Revolver?
1/14/2006
Elvira Bluff, Missouri

U.S. on handle of revolver I found this revolver in an old foot locker, it use to have what looks like blue paint on it, I was told it is an .38 hammerless U.S. Calvary revolver. The grip on it is black with U.S. stamped on both sides, and has the numbers 12480 on three different parts of the gun, may have been made in 1903 or earlier. I was hoping for more information on this revolver.

Answer:
Elvira, sorry but whoever told you that this is a U.S. Calvary revolver is wrong. Arms made under the U.S. Revolver Co. name were cheaper versions of the Iver Johnson line. U.S. Revolver Co. production paralleled the solid frame Iver Johnson Model 1900 and the Hinged Frame Safety Automatic models. They were less expensive because they did not have the safety hammer feature and because they had a lesser quality of finish. They were sold at the same time as the main Iver Johnson line until the 1940s. The revolvers were marked 'U.S. Revolver Co.' on the barrel, and had 'US' molded into the grips. These revolvers were never used by the U.S. military. Marc

# 11328 - Remington 58 Skeet
1/10/2006
David

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

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

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

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

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

# 11326 - Converted Arisaka
1/10/2006
James

Ground area where the Imperial Mum was located at I inherited this rifle from 1 of my brothers, who had cut the stock down & made a ''Deer Rifle'' out of it-he said that he had originally brought it back from Korea. It has a .30 caliber on the barrel-& and has the monopod & ''Anti-aircraft sights'' on it. Is it safe to shoot & who re-barreled it?

Answer:
James, the serial numbers on T99 rifles were not stamped with Japanese characters, look on the left hand side of the receiver just ahead of the bolt release.

My physic powers are not working properly today, so it is hard to say who did the sporterization. The rifle could have been re-barreled by anyone from Bubba in the back yard with a hacksaw and a monkey wrench to a well qualified gunsmith. You would be foolish to take the word of someone on the internet giving free answers to gun questions, like me, who has never even had a chance to inspect the rifle as to whether it is safe to fire. I recommend that you take the rifle to a qualified gunsmith and have it checked for safety. Marc

# 11692 - Carbine Or Cut Down Snider Rifle?
1/10/2006
Walter

I was wondering if you might be able to answer a question for me. How do you tell a true 1875 Snider Carbine by BSA in .577 caliber from a cut down 1875 Snider rifle by BSA in .577 caliber? Thank you for your help.

Answer:
Walter- The Snider rifles had a full length cleaning rod under the barrel and a cut down rifle will have traces of the cleaning rod channel visible at the forend tip. The carbine did not have a cleaning rod under the barrel. (I think they had a two piece rod that fit in a trap in the butt, but not 100% certain about that.) Rifle sights were longer and graduated to something like 1200 yards while carbine sight was much shorter and graduated to something like 600 or 800 yards. Rifles had hole through the front of the trigger guard bow for a sling swivel, the carbine did not. Hope that helps. John Spangler

# 11691 - M1C And M1903A4 Not Listed In SRS Database
1/7/2006

I have a CMP M1C Garand and a CMP 1903A4 with the papers of authenticity given when sold from the CMP to me. Why do my rifles not show in your database? Thanks.

Answer:
Sir- Congratulations on owning a very collectible and well documented rifle! As you probably noted, documented information is not available from SRS (or any place else) for all rifles. In fact, decades of research by the Springfield Research Service has only been able to locate about 16,500 records for M1 Garand rifles in the records to which they have access. With total production of over 6 million rifles, the absence of information on your rifle is not surprising. For M1903 rifles, the situation is much better, with about 92,000 records located compared to a total production of about 3 million rifles, but still only a small percentage of the total.

Thus far, the Civilian Marksmanship Program has not seen fit to allow SRS to have access to any of their data. This is despite formal written requests for same and I believe also a Freedom of Information Act request, which SRS founder Frank Mallory believed was wrongly denied. If you would like to fund the legal costs to pursue the matter further, I am sure that SRS would be delighted to include CMP data if it can be obtained.

Remember, records on individual rifles by serial number were usually temporary custody or shipment records which were not preserved, and the surviving records are often found as a mere handful of numbers on a few pages scattered among thousands of pages of obscure unit files. Numbers can only be found by diligently reviewing each document by hand, after having them retrieved from the depths of the National Archives storage areas. We should be extremely grateful for the records which have been located. I hope this explains why your rifles are not documented in the SRS database. John Spangler

# 11690 - Atlas Gun Company .22 Rifle
1/7/2006
John

I am looking for any info on a 22 cal. rifle made by "Atlas Gun Co.,Illion NY. Patd. Feb 18, 1890." I can't seem to find anything about the company or the gun. Thanks.

Answer:
John - In 1890 the Atlas Gun Company was formed from the remnants of the Haviland and Gunn Company which had been making very good quality air rifles since about 1868. H&G first operated in rented space at the Remington factory in Ilion, NY, later moved into a separate facility. Not being very profitable, they sold some of their designs to Quackenbush of nearby Herkimer, NY, and gave up when confronted by inexpensive competitor air rifles from Daisy and Markham. At that point, in 1890, H&G employee Gilbert W. Warren purchased what was left of H&G and formed the Atlas Gun Company. He began production of a new design of air rifle and a new .22 rimfire rifle, both of which proved to be very popular (and profitable). In 1904 Sears Roebuck Company began offering the Atlas .22 caliber rifle in their catalog for $2.75 and it was very popular with kids busy working odd jobs to save up enough to buy one. [Of course, parents today would be charged with child abuse if they let their 10 year olds buy guns, but Civilization seemed to have survived just fine back them without the solicitous interference of assorted liberal loonies bent on banning guns and coddling criminals.] Following the death of Warren's wife in 1905 he sold his air rifle patents to Daisy who was not really interested in making the gun, only in eliminating a competitor. And, he sold the patents and factory for the .22 rifle to Meriden Firearms Company which was Sears' gun making subsidiary.

The markings you describe are found on the "Atlas First Model" made 1890-1903 with an 18 inch barrel. A "Second Model" with a 20 inch barrel was made for Sears Roebuck Company with different markings in 1906. The Atlas .22 rifle used an "unlocked" breech" design where the hammer was the only thing closing the breech, and it was intended ONLY for use with blackpowder .22 short ammunition. Although made in large numbers, I am sure collectors of "Boys rifles" would love to own an example in decent condition. This information is based on Jim Perkins' American Boys Rifles, the definitive reference on that collecting field. John Spangler

# 11319 - Polished Steel Mauser Model 1934
1/7/2006
Bill

Waffenfabrik Mauser A-G Oberndorf small a large n on left side with larger Mauser below. Right side is mauser-7.65. it has wood grips, one piece. Near the trigger underneath is the number 7239. It appears to be polished steel and is in better than average cond. I would think. How old is it and is it very valuable?

Answer:
Bill, the one piece grip that you describe is a characteristic of the Mauser Model 1934. The Model 1934 was a modification of the earlier Mauser Model 1914. The Model 1934 grip frame was changed from the straight back type of the 1914 to a more contoured design, which gave the pistol a streamlined appearance and a better feel. The easiest way to tell the two models apart, is the difference in the grips. Model 1934 grips are one piece and wrap around the grip frame while Model 1914 pistols have 2 grips. The only other difference in the two models is that in 1934 pistols, the spring-loaded knurled locking pin catch at the front of the frame was replaced by a simpler (less expensive to manufacture) catch made of bent spring steel.

Mauser manufactured the Model 1934 from 1934 to 1941. Model 1934's were procured by the German military in 1940 and 1941 and have serial numbers between 589562 - 624225. Values for commercial 1934 Mausers run from $140 to $325 depending upon condition. Original finish for this model was blue, if your finish is polished steel or some sort of nickel or chrome plating the finish is not original, this will lower value by as much as 50%. Marc

# 11315 - Remington 34-P
1/3/2006
Win, Harrisonburg, VA

I have a Remington Model 34P 22 caliber rifle that I acquired back in the 60's. It is in good shape and shoots well. I would like to know if it is commonly available and what it might be worth. Thanks for any information you can offer!

Answer:
Win, Remington manufactured about 162,941 Model 34-P rifles between 1932 and 1936. The rifle was an improved repeating version of the earlier Model 33, with a modified action and a tube magazine beneath the barrel. Early 34-P stocks had finger grooves in the forend which are not found on later guns. Because the model went out of production so long ago, it may be hard to find one on the market today. Blue book values range from $110 to about $300 depending on condition. Marc

# 11302 - Alter my Pre-64 94?
1/3/2006
Matt, Haslett, Michigan

20'' bbl, 2 3/8'' tube, steel buttplate, 9 3/16'' forearm with 1'' steel cap, in front of trigger, AY, hooded front sight. Barrel states...Winchester Model 94-30W.C.F-Winchester Proof Steel I purchased this carbine with the intention of using it for a hunting weapon. It appears to be unaltered and never refinished and is approx. 80-85%. If it is a collectors piece, then I wouldn't want to alter it and would sell it to a collector...otherwise would customize it for my hunting purposes......thanks, Matt

Answer:
Matt, your rifle was manufactured around WWII and if it is in original condition with 80-85 percent bluing remaining, it is collectible. I would advise you to sell it to a collector and purchase a new rifle to perform the alterations that you have in mind on. In my opinion the new Winchesters are much better than the ones that they were making 20 years ago (maybe as good or better than the pre-64 guns) and you will probably come out ahead money-wise. Marc

# 11689 - Colt SAA Early Mainspring Strength
1/3/2006

I am looking for a reprint of the 1872-1873 Colt Single Action Army Revolver Manual. I have been told that the first Colt pistols issued to the Army had an extraordinary hammer cocking spring in order to use ammunition that had primers that required a very hard strike from the hammer pin.

Answer:
The 1874 edition of "Description and Rules for the Management of the Springfield [trapdoor] Rifle, Carbine and Army Revolvers, caliber .45" included both the Colt SAA and the S&W Schofield. This manual has been widely reprinted, sometimes only with the rifle section but usually with all sections, so it should be easy to find a copy. I don't know squat about SAA's but suspect that if the Army wanted a strong mainspring at first due to hard primers, they would have kept that requirement "just in case" early ammo was encountered later on, and thus the early spring may be identical to all the others. Just my guess, but John Kopec can probably tell you for sure. John Spangler

# 11676 - Riddle Percussion Rifle
1/3/2006
William, Houston, TX

Half stock .36 cal percussion cap rifle with tiger stripe maple stock. The only markings are located on the lock in crisp block letters ''RIDDLE''. The barrel is rifled. No patchbox on the stock. Many years ago my father gave me a .36 cal half-stock percussion rifle that is clearly marked ''RIDDLE'' on the lock. Unable to find any information on a gunsmith named Riddle. Lots of info on Biddle, none on Riddle. Can you shine any light on this fine old firearm? Thank you.

Answer:
William- Sorry, we have no info on any gun maker by the name of Riddle either. Based on your description, it sounds like a gun that dates to the period 1840-1870. John Spangler