# 5465 - Fabrique Nationale Argentine Mauser ARA
3/29/03
Katie Glass, Arnold MO

I have a rifle that has Fabrique nationale D'Armes De Guerre_Herstal Belgique. It also has some sort of emblem that looks like an oval-circle made out of some sort of wheat plant design and on the out side of it it has half of a sun. On the inside it has two arms protruding from both sides holding some kind of spear thing that goes up through the middle of the circle. It also has horizontal lines going through it. ARA is also printed on it twice. If you could please tell me some information about this gun such as model, value, manufacturer, or any other info that could help me. And if possible where I could find such info preferable online.

Answer:
Katie- The best starting reference on any Mauser type rifle is Robert W.D. Ball's Mauser Military Rifles of the World, which lists them all by country, with numerous photos showing the various crests and markings of most. John Walter's Rifles of the World is also excellent with lots of info not just on Mausers, but all types of rifles, both military and commercial, but is sparsely illustrated. Your excellent description of the markings confirms that the crest on the receiver is that of Argentina, which features a "Liberty cap" sometimes used in U.S. or French symbols. Most Argentine Mausers were made by Leowe, or later after the merger of Leowe and the Mauser brothers, by the new Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM). Later rifles were made under license by Argentine firms. However, a limited number of Mauser rifles were purchased from Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Belgium circa 1920-1940. Ball illustrates one of these and states they were purchased for use by the Argentine Marine Corps. Having worked with those folks, I know that they are part of the Argentine Navy, the Armada Republica Argentina, abbreviated as ARA. I am sure that someone who collects South American military arms would be interested in your rifle, as there are probably not a lot of them around, while the earlier Model 1891 and 1909 Argentine Mausers are very common items. Value will probably depend greatly on condition, but a rough guess would be in the $250-650 range. I still thank that South American military arms is a tremendous collecting specialty with lots of variations to chase, at generally modest prices. John Spangler

# 5462 - Triplett & Scott Kentucky Carbine
3/29/03
Todd, Warren, Pa

Have only been able to locate three (3) markings on this rifle. Kentucky is found on the left side of the receiver/block. The manufacturer marking is Meriden Man'fg. Co. Meriden Conn. Located on the rear tang is Triplett & Scott Patent Dec 6 1864. There are no other visible markings. This rifle has a very unique action in that it has a spring loaded tube magazine located above and to the left of the trigger that feeds back into the stock. A release on the top left side of the receiver allows the entire front portion / barrel of the gun to rotate to the right...ejecting the spent cartridge and continuing around to the tube magazine for the next round. The shooter would then rotate the barrel back and lock into position. The gun has an original sling swivel in the butt of the stock. At the moment...just hoping to find any information pertaining to this rifle. Have never seen one like it.

Answer:
Todd- Your description of the unique operation of this carbine is excellent. This is another of the many innovative approaches to firearms design which appeared during the Civil War as use of the self contained metallic cartridge inspired creative approaches to weapons designs. Some were simple, or reliable, or popular, and some were complex, unreliable or unpopular, but within a dozen years the following trends survived: (1) The basic concepts of lever action tubular magazine rifles were firmly established; (2) Single shot bolt action rifles were also recognized for their potential, although they did not progress much until the box magazine of the Mauser brothers was developed about 1889; and (3) The simplicity, reliability and lower cost of some single shot systems such as the Sharps, Maynard, and Allin "trapdoor" doomed most of the marginal repeaters, such as the Tripplett & Scott, and lots of the lesser single shot designs. The Triplett and Scott was made under a January 1865 contract from the state of Kentucky (hence the KENTUCKY markings). These were intended to arm state forces assigned to guard the supply lines of Sherman's army as they worked their way south and east through Georgia. However, by that time, Sherman had arrived in Savannah, and Lee's defenses around Richmond and Petersburg were near collapse, and the war was over before the guns could be issued. Apparently 3,000 were made with 30 inch barrels and about 2,000 with 22 inch barrels. Most seem to now have cracked stocks due to the amount of wood removed for the magazine tube through the buttstock. Collectors of Civil War carbines usually want to include an example in their collections, despite the lateness of their delivery. These fired a .50 caliber rimfire cartridge, I believe the .56-50 as used in the later Spencer rifles and carbines, and several others. A neat specialty collection would be all the arms that used .50 rimfire cartridges, either just those that took the .56-50 or adding others that used variations such as the Joslyn rifle made at Springfield. Most of the Civil War carbines are well described in such essential references as Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and their Values, Robert M. Reilly's U.S. Military Small Arms 1816-1865, and John McAulay's two volumes on Civil War Carbines. However, Triplett & Scotts are excluded from Reilly's book due to his arbitrary May 1, 1865 cutoff date. The period between 1865and 1875 is still under-appreciated, and much is left to be learned. Ed Hull's ground breaking research on how Springfield Armory cobbled together various arms to sell to the French in1870-71 was most amazing, and only appeared last year. This is justification for collectors to subscribe to the excellent periodicals like Man at Arms and Gun Report in addition to having lots of books. John Spangler

# 5415 - Erfurt Luger
3/29/03

a crown with ERFURT printed under it, 1917 clip 9816 clip 3298 under safety GESICHERT 16 FOUND 3 different places 16 on the extractor this gun was found in Germany, along the Rhine river at the Battle of the Bulge, it has a holster with 1942 on it, oak leaf and acorn wreath wit a swastika in the center. What's it worth and/or information about the gun

Answer:
Your Luger is of WWI vintage manufactured at Erfurt arsenal in 1917. "Gesichert" is the German word for safe, it should be visible when the safety lever is in the safe position and covered up by the safety lever when the safety is turned off. I need more information about condition and markings than you have provided to give a good estimate of value. WWI vintage Lugers have been slower sellers than those manufacture during WWII lately. The holster sounds unusual and the serial number on one of the magazines matches the pistol, this will help. Value for your Luger could be anywhere from $350 to over $900. Marc

# 5427 - Police CZ 27
3/25/03
John

The following markings are on the handgun: Pistole Modell 27 Kal 7.65 Bohmische Waffen Fabrik A.G. in Prag Politi (with a shield or badge type graphic) no. 3988 P. Mod. 27 This looks to me to be a hand gun used by the police force as the shield on it looks like a police type shield or emblem and the word Politi. Would this gun be worth any more than others of its kind?

Answer:
John, I think your conclusion that this pistol is police issue is correct. The unusual markings that you describe are probably the department name and weapon number. Numbers of weapons procured by police departments are often much lower than their commercial and military counterparts. Blue book values sometimes reflect this rarity with some police issue pistols bringing a premium. It has been my experience that collectors who are willing to pay a premium for police pistols are often as rare as the weapons themselves. Given the choice between a military issue pistol and a police issue pistol both in the same condition, I will usually choose the military. Marc

# 5406 - Nickel Luger
3/25/03
Jay Orlando, FLA

On the right side of the frame near the barrel, there are three small markings (1) looks like the number 155 (2) then 156 (3) and a German eagle What month and year was it made? Is there a link or source to obtain when and who it was issued to? When it may have been recovered?

Answer:
Jay, I know of no existing records that give information or details on who WWII Lugers were issued to. Lugers with byf markings were manufactured in 1941 and 1942, your chamber should be marked "41" or "42" which is the year of manufacture. If your chamber is not marked, there is a good chance that the markings have been ground off or that the luger is a Frankenstein gun that has been assemble from parts of other Lugers. There should be three small markings on the right side of your frame, one eagle over a swastika inside a circle stamping, this is a military test proof, and two eagle over 135 stamping, which are German WW-II Heerswaffenamt inspector's marks for arms produced at Mauser Werke AG, Oberndorf am Neckar, Germany. Nickel is not the original finish for your Luger, this will lower the value by at least 50% to 75%. Marc

# 5460 - Civil War Musket Stock Finish
3/25/03
Robert, Milltown NJ

I would like to refinish a Colt Musket (Replica) stock, what would be an appropriate stain to use to replicate a Civil War era finish?

Answer:
Robert- As far as I know, the musket stocks were made from American black walnut, and not stained prior to being dipped in linseed oil. However, with handling and age the stocks take on a darker shade over time. Many of the reproductions use European walnut which is lighter color, or other types of wood with a walnut stain, and then sometimes a shiny varnish type finish. There are all sorts of stain and finish options and everyone seems to have their own favorites. I have heard people happy with results from Birchwood Casey walnut stain, from Chestnut Ridge stain (probably walnut color, or just US military shade); and some like various leather dyes, and often you need the eye of an artist and the mixing skills of an alchemist to concoct a brew that will look good on the wood you are working with. I think the preparation is most important, with final sanding with about 100-150 grit, then raising the grain with water once or twice and a light final sanding prior to applying the stain. When the stain is dry, apply the finish you like. Again, there are all sorts of preferences. Minwax tung oil, Formby tung oil, Linspeed, Birchwood Case Tru-Oil, and boiled linseed oil all have fans and detractors. You don't want to put too many coats on and have a shiny piano type finish, so maybe two coats with light work with 0000 steel wool after each, followed by a coat of paste wax will give a nice dull sheen and protect it from gaining/losing moisture. Have fun, and work in a well ventilated areas, and do not let oily rags remain inside, they can be a fire hazard. John Spangler

# 5397 - Browning Pistol Identification
3/22/03
Cason, Roanoke, VA

Fabrique Nationale D'Armes De Guerre Herstal Beligue, has a M stamped on trigger guard. Grandfather (Germany WWII) Bringback. It says CAL.7 m65 on it. Has some other markings I can not type on here, NO EAGLE OR SWASTIKA, This is a pistol I recently got from a family member who received it from my grandfather who was in WWII. I am wondering what this pistol is, its bothering me, I must know! Thanks!

Answer:
Cason, my guess is that you have a Fabrique Nationale (Browning) Model 1922 pistol. This model was manufactured for military and commercial sales prior to WWII. If your pistol is a pre-war or commercial model that would account for the lack of Nazi markings. The letter M was stamped on German weapons issued to the Kreigsmarine but I can no references to indicate that the 1922 was ever procured by them. If your pistol was of Kreigsmarine issue, value would be greatly increased, if not, the lack of Nazi markings reduces value. Marc

# 5467 - Springfield .45-70 Model 1884
3/22/03
Dennis, Spring Hill, FL

SWP 1886 - Stamped into left side of stock above trigger. This rifle was owned by my grandfather. I am not familiar with weapons of this era. I have no history or value on it. Could you help? Thank you.

Answer:
Dennis- Most of the basic information and an idea of values can be found on our catalog page that has the antique rifles. Besides any sentimental value it may have, it is a nice example of the rifles used during the Indian Wars, and by most of the Volunteers in the Spanish American War. Many people still enjoy shooting "trapdoor" rifles with suitable ammunition. The sights are set for a minimum range of 200 yards, so the rifles will hit way high at shorter ranges. Instead of messing with a higher front sights, you can just stack two targets on top of each other and aim at the bottom one and hit the top one. I checked on our http://ArmsCollectors.com site to see if there was any specific history on this rifle, and there is none. John Spangler

# 5456 - Golcher Lock Dates
3/22/03
Alan Clayton Indiana

Engraved Sidelock Hunting Scene Joseph Golcher in Banner This a Perch Belly half stock in very good condition. Old brass fittings with a nice aged color. I think wood is cherry or walnut, appears to never have been refinished. The nose cap and thimbles are German silver. It appears the drum has been ''Hammer welded in'', not a perfect job done. There is a small brass patch above the lock in front of the drum and behind the drum, where the wood appears to have been charred. It is safe for me to assume this was converted from Flintlock to Percussion and advertise as such? My research on Joseph Golcher reveals He was a lock maker in Philadelphia 1790-1810 and no record of him after that. His Father, William signed a contract with Ben Franklin to make arms during the Revolutionary War. Is this enough information to say the lock was made between 1790-1810? Thank for any information on Joseph Golcher

Answer:
Alan- Congratulations on having done some good research prior to asking. Most of the design features you mention (half stock, perch belly stock, 36 caliber and 37 inch barrel) sound more like mid 19th century design elements. The brass patch on the wood near the nipple area is most likely NOT related to charring from the flash from a flintlock pan, but rather from the damage from the fulminate of mercury used in percussion caps, which is nasty stuff and will rot away wood and metal. I have seen many Golcher marked locks on guns that I would date to the 1840-1870 period, and therefore would not agree that yours is a conversion from flintlock. Usually converted locks are fairly easy to tell. They will have screw holes (still open or plugged) for the frizzen screw and the frizzen spring screw, as well as a smaller hold for the tit on the frizzen spring. If those holes are/were present, then the lock could have been made as a flint and later converted. It is an entirely different question as to if the entire rifle was converted from flint to percussion. Gun parts are quite durable and really strange combinations can pop up decades later as old parts are recycled or mixed with new parts. Indiana and adjacent sates have a lot of people interested in muzzle loading shooting and I suspect you can find someone nearby to help you examine your rifle and figure out the answers. John Spangler

# 5396 - Don't Waste Your Time
3/18/03
Len, Owings Mills, MD

I need to find the production year of this revolver. It is not in the Maryland gun roster and only can be transferred if it was made before 1984. I need a production date for State Police. Please help!

Answer:
Len, the best that I am able to come up with is that FIE went out of business in 1990. I was unable to find production dates for your Armenius. My references indicate that production of Armenius firearms by Herman Weihrauch KG of Mellrichstade started in the 1950s and continues to the present day. Used values for all Armenius firearms are in the $100 or less range so I would advise you not to waste too much time with the transfer of this particular revolver. Marc

# 5387 - Remingtion Manufacture Date
3/18/03
Kristofer, San Diego, CA

It has the letters 'LL' stamped on the left side of the barrel, and it has the letter 'O' stamped on the right side of the barrel. It is also stamped with .270 Win on left side of barrel Was wondering it is possible to determine the date that this rifle was made. Also what is the approximate worth of the rifle. It is in real good condition. has original stock with minor little nicks in it. Bolt and barrel are both in excellent condition, with wear marks evident on bolt. Rifling in the barrel is in very good condition.

Answer:
Kristofer, you would have received a faster answer if you would have tried the OldGuns.net - Remington dates of manufacture program. There is a link to the program on the OldGuns.net menu about 3/4 of the way down. I entered your code "LL" and received the result that your rifle was manufactured in February of 1942 or 1964. Check the instructions on our program if you are wondering why there are 2 dates. Values for 721 rifles range from $100 to about $350 depending on condition. Marc

# 5454 - Harpers Ferry 1807 Pistol- Real Or Replica
3/18/03
Brad, Fergus, Ontario, Canada

Harpers Ferry 1807, XXX, DAV, US I am basically curious to find out anything about it. Is it valuable? is the 1807 a model or a date? If a Model, then what might be the date? It states 'Made in Italy', but is stamped with 'US' and the Eagle - why?

Answer:
Brad- The flintlock pistols often encountered with Harpers Ferry 1807 markings are nearly all modern reproductions. They are copies of the U.S. Model 1805 pistols, of which 2.048 pairs were made (with both pistols of the pair bearing the same serial number) or a total of 4,096 pistols. These were the first U.S. military pistol made in a government arsenal, and they were all made in Harpers Ferry, Virginia between 1806 and 1808. Needles to say, none were marked "Made in Italy" although I suppose a really dumb faker could add that marking to an original. Shortly after the first Colt and Remington revolvers were reproduced about 1960, the 1805 Harpers Ferry pistol was offered. Some of the earliest were made in Belgium for Centennial Arms, but then manufacture shifted to Italy, and their output has probably been several times that of Harpers Ferry. They are very handsome guns, and probably every bit as good as the originals, as a fun gun or decorator. John Spangler

# 5405 - Unfired Victor
3/15/03

I have a Victor .22 long Rifle hand gun it has never been shot. I still have the original box, Parts Breakdown Paper, and the one year Warranty Paper. The only thing that is wrong is that its grips do not mach in color. I would like to Know if it would go down in value if we shot it.

Answer:
The High Standard Victor was Manufactured in Hamden, CT from 1972 to about 1981, my records indicate that your Victor was manufactured in 1977. When High Standard first introduced the Victor it was their top of the line (most expensive) production target pistol. The Victor was built on a military push-button takedown type frame, it had walnut grips and stippled front and rear grip straps. Victor barrels were slab sided and had "THE VICTOR" stamped on left hand side. Barrels could be ordered in 4.5 and 5.5 inches and rectangular barrel weights were available.

When first introduced the Victor was all steel construction with a steel vented rib running the length of the barrel. In 1974 the vented rib was changed from steel to alloy. Early Victor rear sights were located at the rear of the barrel on the rib, the sights were later moved back to the slide.

Blue book values for Victor pistols range from $195 for pistols in poor condition to $825 for pistols in new condition. In my opinion, your pistol is worth more because it is unfired and has the original box and papers. If you fire your pistol it's value will be lowered by a substantial amount. I would advise you to retire your Victor and to shoot something newer and less collectible. Marc

# 5386 - Stevens Favorite
3/15/03
Patrick, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Lever action, single shot Just wondering who manufactured this rifle, the rifle was purchased somewhere between 1915-1919 from the Eatons mail order catalog

Answer:
Patrick - Your rifle is probably a Stevens, they manufactured about 1 million of the "Favorite" model rifles between 1893 and 1939. Favorites were mostly .22 rimfire (short, long, long rifle, and .22WRF chamberings), but also .25 and .32 rimfire were available. Common versions have a value around $150 in NRA antique "Very Good" and $350 in "Excellent" condition. Marc

# 5451 - Krag Bolt Removal
3/15/03

none How do I get the bolt out so I can clean from the breach??? Thanks

Answer:
I told Marc we should charge for this info, because no one ever figured out how to get a Krag bolt out without being shown how. (I don't count the guys who decide to use a hacksaw or cutting torch.) This is such a frequent question that we put a special page up on our other neat site ArmsCollectors.com showing how to do it with pictures and idiot proof instructions. Check it out at http://armscollectors.com/kragboltremoval.htm John Spangler

# 5449 - 1864 U.S. Musket Restoration
3/11/03
Tony

a 'V' located above a 'P' on the left side of the base of the barrel, opposite of the hammer, with what looks to be a bell shape below the letters What is the background of this rifle and where can I buy replacement pieces. also, who in the Elko, Reno Nevada or Boise Idaho or Salt Lake city area could restore it?

Answer:
Tony- The "bell shaped" mark was supposed to look like an eagle head (and neck) and is part of the proof marks along with the V and P. Since the barrel is still 40 inches long, it has not been cut down, and it may or may not be worth restoring. There are a number of people who could do the work for you. There is a good gunsmith in Elko (I think the name is Marty Black, but not sure), although he may be more focused on modern guns. Don Davies up near Boise (Nampa, Meridian, or one of the other little towns actually) has a lot of experience with these. I could do it, but simply do not have time any more, so forget that. Your best bet would be to take it to the big Reno show (at the Hilton) and I think there next show is about 21-23 March 2003. Don Davies is usually there and a lot of other people familiar with that sort of gun. John Spangler

# 5442 - Canadian Ross .303 Rifle
3/11/03
Ron Ottawa Ontario Canada

Normal British markings,(proof tested, Coat of arms, etc) Manufactured 1903. Has a box top loading magazine with lever on left to lower floor plate. Right side flip over safety. Ramp style rear site forward of receiver and post front site with side guards. Has sling swivels (not sure if these are original) I would like to identify this rifle as to who made it. It was used for Parade Square training around 1940 by Canadian infantry.

Answer:
Ron- Okay, the lever on the left side to depress the magazine follower gave it away. That is a Ross rifle, made in Canada. These were made in several variations, and featured a somewhat awkward, but actually pretty good "straight pull" bolt, instead of the customary "lift the handle up then pull it back" motion. Unfortunately, they were not overly popular and I believe were actually withdrawn from service in Europe. This was due to a design flaw that allowed the bolt to be assembled improperly, so that upon firing the bullet went out the muzzle and the bolt flew out of the breech. Sliders tended not to like this sort of stuff, so it is not surprising that some ended up for ceremonial use. The clever Canadians, not yet exporting hockey players, made a bunch of money selling some 20,000 Ross rifles to the desperate Americans during WW1. None of these were ever issued for combat use by US forces, but many were issued for training and home guard type use guarding bridges and plants. John Spangler

# 5377 - Marlin 1936
3/11/03
Chris Keller, State College, Pa

How approx. how much is this gun worth?

Answer:
Chris, the Marlin Model 1936 was introduced in 1936 to replace their Model 1893. It had several improvements including a rounded operating lever and a coil type main spring. The pistol grip butt had a fluted comb and the broad forend had a slightly convex belly and a steel cap. Standard rifles had a 24 inch round barrel with a ramped "Huntsman" front sight, and a short six-round magazine. Marlin only manufactured the model 1936 in 1936 and 1937, after that the name was changed to the Model 36 and in 1948 it was replaced by the Model 336. The blue book lists values for Model 1936 rifles between $150 and $750 depending on condition. Marc

# 5350 - Remington 600 Magnum
3/8/03
John

What the heck are they. A neighbor had passed away and his wife has two of these. They have vented rib rt. hand bolt and are drilled for scopes The rib has screws on it and the stocks are laminated. I could not find them in the blue book of gun values, although I did find ballistics, close to a .35 Wheelen. One has no signs of use, the other does. Trigger guard is plastic

Answer:
John, Remington Model 600 rifles came with a 18.5 inch vented rib barrel, dog leg bolt handle, checkered pistol grip stock and plastic floorplate/trigerguard. Model 600 rifles were noted for the strength and accuracy that their special bolt design with 9 locking lugs gave them. It sounds like these rifles are Remington Model 600 Magnums. Remington only manufactured the 600 Magnum model from 1965 to 1968 and only in 6.5MM Remington Magnum and .350 Remington Magnum. Early production rifles had walnut stocks and no recoil pad, later production rifles had a recoil pad and a laminated (walnut/beech) stock. The 600 Magnum is rarest and most valuable of 600 variations, values are in the $900+ range for examples in excellent condition. Marc

# 5347 - Frankenstein Luger
3/8/03
Diane, Zachary, Louisiana

Under the safety is written the word Gesichert. On top byf 46. It has 1937 on top before the barrel starts. There is the #12 on left side. The bullet clip has a wooden part that you use to pull clip out. This gun is in excellent condition, bluing I would appreciate knowing the Year (if 1937 is not the year) of manufacture. Also what does the word Gesichert mean? What is the value of the gun.

Answer:
Diane, "Gesichert" is the German word for safe, it is uncovered by the safety lever when the safety is engaged. 1937 is the year that your Luger's frame was manufactured. The byf marking is a WW-II German ordnance code assigned to Mauser-Werke, Oberndorf am Neckar, Germany in February, 1941. I believe that the 46 and 12 stampings that you describe are parts numbers, these should all match the last two digits of your Luger's serial number.

It appears that you have what collectors call a mis-matched or Frankenstein gun which is made with parts from several different Lugers, this will adversely affect collector interest and value. Values for mis-matched Lugers are in the $300 to $500 range depending on the condition of the finish and bore. Marc

# 5441 - Tower (Enfield) Musket NOT used in the Civil War
3/8/03
Sheryl, Pendleton, SC

Is it possible that an 1861 Tower was brought from England and NOT issued for use in the American Civil War?

Answer:
Sheryl- At the risk of sounding like a smarmy lawyer, asking what the meaning of is, is, one does need to be more precise. In order to establish usage in the Civil War, we need to ascertain of the gun was made prior to early 1865, and that it was NOT issued to an English military unit. Very unprofessional to lose one's rifles, you know, so they tended to keep the ones in service. The Americans (from the North or South) were left to compete over the rifles being made for sale on the open market. Of those sold to Yankee and Confederate arms buyers, I would say that virtually all arms purchased ended up being issued during the war. Both sides thought very highly of the Enfield/Tower .577 caliber rifle muskets, being second only to the finely made and fully interchangeable Model 1855, 1861 or 1863 Springfields. Your question gets more difficult when we realize that over the next 140 years thousands of additional Tower/Enfield muskets got shipped to America. Some had been issued in Canada and had a very short journey. We had an inquiry last month from a soldier bringing one home from Afghanistan. Individual collectors, dealers and surplus giants have also imported large numbers over the years. In general, these were NOT serial numbered (my one complaint about the superb movie "Glory" so it is impossible to tell from serial numbers. However, those familiar with the British marking practices can often spot crowns and alphabet soup that suggest the gun saw British service before, during or after the Civil War. In my experience the Tower/Enfield muskets are treated as two types. All can be considered "representative examples" of the type used by the North and South during the Civil War, and most are valued accordingly. However, a limited number have some markings, documentation, or family history that a buyer might accept as proving they saw service with one side or the other, and these are priced much higher, and verifiable Confederate used examples can get very good prices. However, watch for fake markings to enhance values and deceive the gullible. John Spangler

# 5440 - High Standard HD With Silencer
3/4/03
John

Upon receiving this particular handgun for disposal, I was interested in the history of the weapon as well as the manufacture date and any other information related to this weapon. Thank you.

Answer:
Sir- That is quite a collector prize you have there, but alas, if not properly registered with BATF it wold merely get you in trouble as silencers require registration and special payments similar to the laws regarding machine guns. According to Charles Pate's superbly researched and illustrated book, "U.S. Handguns of World War II" some 2,620 Model HD pistols with silencers were ordered in three contracts between January 20, 1944 and January 11, 1945, and apparently all were delivered. Most were for use by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) the forerunner of the CIA. The silenced pistols were delivered at the same time as standard pistols, so there is no distinct serial number block exclusive to the silenced pistols, although they were in the range 110074 to 130040, so yours is probably authentic. Historical records do not document the issue of your pistol, but others are noted as going to OSS offices in London, Calcutta, China, and the Netherlands. If you have seen James Bond movies, you have an idea of the intended uses-- shooting jealous husbands or something? (I seldom go to the movies.) Maybe it was sentries or enemy agents or something like that. John Spangler

# 5352 - Excam Vaue
3/4/03
Laura Bland

ARMI F.LLI TANFOGLIO BRESCIA, ITALY EXCAM INC. HIALEAH, FLA I have received this gun and I am curious to know about the age of the gun, the history of this gun, and possibly the worth of this gun.

Answer:
Laura, my best guess is that Tanfoglio manufactured your handgun sometime in the 1980's, because that is when Excam, the importer/distributor who went out of business in 1990, was active. There is little or no collectors interest in most of the firearms that Excam imported, value is probably in the $100 or less range. Marc

# 5343 - Mix Master 45
3/4/03
George, Fountain Valley, CA

Remington Name on Slide; ''UNITED STATES PROPERTY'' on frame forward of trigger guard; ''HS'' and ''P'' on barrel; ''H'',''G'' and ''P'' on frame under slide. Eagle symbol with ''S12'' or ''512'' above magazine release. I have taken pictures of this symbol which I can forward in an e-mail Serial No. matches Colt, is this an mixture of two brands? What does the Eagle 512 or S12 mean?

Answer:
George, the curse of Eli Whitney strikes again. Mr. Whitney was the inventive Yankee who developed interchangeable parts, and your pistol is an excellent example of interchangeable parts. The slide was made by the Remington Rand typewriter company sometime between 1942-1945, and the frame was made by the Colt company in 1918. Sometime during the service of these two pistols the slides were separated from their frames and became a new pistol, and there is likely another pistol with a Colt slide and Remington Rand frame. The mismatching of the key parts hurts the value of your pistol considerably. The S12 eagle was a mark used by the military inspector at the Colt plant to denote the pistol had passed its final inspection before being accepted for Government service. Marc

# 5390 - Winchester 1895 Carbine History
3/1/03
Glenn - Canby, Oregon

PV With Circle Around It Stamped On Top Of Barrel Next To Receiver And On Top Of Receiver Next To Barrel. .30 ARMY Stamped On Top Of The Receiver Under PV Marking. To Whom Might This Have Been Issued? I Have Been Told That This Type Of Carbine Was Used By The Texas Rangers As A Saddle Rifle, But Maybe The Military May Have Used It For The Same Purpose. Thanks.

Answer:
Glenn- I think we have seen all sorts of strange grammar and spelling styles from our visitors, but this is the ONLY time I have ever seen anyone capitalize the first letter of nearly every word in a sentence. I pray that you are a headline writer or something unable to break work habits, and not a barometer of the quality of our public education system. Sorry to digress. On the gun question, I can only state that this is not a U.S. military issued carbine. It is possible that the Texas Rangers may have used this model, but that would be better addressed by the folks at the Texas Ranger Museum. The Winchester factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum only go to about serial number 59,000 for this model, so you cannot get a letter from them stating when or to whom it was shipped. It is most likely that this was sold through the normal commercial channels and purchased by an individual for use hunting big game, or something like that. But without proof one way or the other, any story is possible, even if not probable. John Spangler

# 5328 - MAB Model D
3/1/03
Mark, Austin, Texas

What is the approximate age of this firearm? Where can I locate cleaning and field-stripping instructions?

Answer:
I don't have any serial number information for MAB firearms so it is hard to determine a date of manufacture of your pistol. The MAB Model D was first introduced in 1933 and was still being produced when the company went out of business in the mid 1980s. The Model D was procured by the French military and also by the German military during the German occupation of France in WWII. If your pistol has any German WWII military markings, this will help to date it and will also increase value.

Model D design is much like that of the 1922 Browning and the Colt Pocket automatic, the recoil spring is held in its place around the barrel by a retaining bushing which is mounted on the barrel and locks into the slide by a bayonet type catch. The slide and barrel are removed by rotating the barrel so that the lugs on its bottom disengage their mating grooves in the receiver. Marc

# 5313 - Savage 1904 Junior
3/1/03
Chris Callao VA.

I would like to know a little history about this rifle, and if I could find any parts for it.

Answer:
Chris, The 1904 Junior was the Savage company's first boy's rifle. Savage manufactured the Junior form 1904 to 1924, it was a simple bolt action design with an 18 inch barrel, straight walnut stock, blued finish, bead front sight and open adjustable rear sight. Initial retail price in 1904 for the Junior rifle was $5.00. Savage also offered a special grade Junior which had a special figured hand checkered stock, ivory bead front site, and non-adjustable rear peep sight. Price for Junior special grade rifles was $2.00 higher than for regular rifles. There is not a lot of collectors interest in Junior rifles, blue book values range from $30 to $85 depending on condition. For parts try Gun Parts Corporation, there is a link to them on our links page, if that does not work try posting on the OldGuns.net free wanted page. Good luck, Marc