# 14121 - Perin Or Pering Mfg Co. Rifle
3/29/2011
Steve

Perin GA Mfg Co or Pering Mfg Co on side plate. This is a percussion muzzle loader. overall length 52 ¨ cheek rest on stock hexagonal barrel. Dual trigger, trigger guard, butt plate and ferrells look like brass. Trigger guard has diamond shaped inlay with decorative engraving which could be silver. Engraving on barrel end and on side plate. Looks a lot like a J.P Murray (Columbus ga) sharpshooters rifle (stock and barrel look the sme in side view I am looking for any information on the gun or manufacturer. Local libraries don't mention the name on side plate.

Answer:
Steve- Perin and Gaff Manufacturing Company operated in Cincinnati, Ohio from 1861-1884. They were importers and dealers, so almost anything could show up with their markings. Most sporting rifles of the period look very similar, with octagon barrels and half stocks, and lots had double set triggers. Yours is a relatively small bore, suitable for squirrels, rabbits, and other dog and cat size critters. The sharpshooter rifles of the Civil War era were usually more like .42-50 caliber, and had heavier barrels. Civil War era gun- certainly, but probably not one used in combat. Hope this helps... John Spangler

# 14087 - Another Old Shotgun
3/29/2011
Bob-Naples, Maine

The gun is in real good shape.95%of the bluing is still on it, The stock and forearm is all most perfect, except somebody put a pad on the stock. How old, and whats the apox. value Thank you very much for your time, Bob.

Answer:
Bob - I do not have a lot of information on this firearm, it is probably one of a huge number made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and sold through various retail outlets. This type of firearm falls into the category of "old guns" that no one seems to be interested in as shooters, but collectors do not want them either. Generally these were basic inexpensive simple guns which sold at modest prices and still have little interest or value on market today. On the retail market they usually sell in the $25-125 range depending on condition and general appearance for use as a "wall hanger" over a fireplace. Where there is any family history, we encourage people to keep these old guns for sentimental value. Please be warned that most of these are not considered safe to shoot.. Marc

# 14105 - 1944 STEN Gun Founding Storage Unit
3/26/2011

I got this gun in a storage bin auction and don’t know the approx. worth. just want a ball park figure.

Answer:
Sir- If it is a live machine gun, it is illegal to possess unless transferred to you with prior approval of the BATFE after passing the FBI background check. If not registered, you should immediately turn it over to the BATFE or police for disposal.

If it is a cut up "parts kit" they sell for something like $150 or so. If it is a dummy non-firing display gun they seem to run somewhere around two or three times the value of a parts kit. Hope that helps. John Spangler

# 14110 - Wartime Star Model B Heerswaffenamt Markings
3/26/2011
DENNIS ANNVILLE, PA

NAZI PROOFED WaA 202 ( the small a is offset to the left of the eagle. the barrel has a P in a flaming bomb. markings on the left side of the slide are F. Patr 08 STAR B ECHEVERRIA (over) EIBAR-ESPANA SA CAL 9 MM. Back of slide above safety lever is P in a flaming bomb. The frame also has a P in a flaming bomb on the trigger guard. I bought this pistol off a home town WW2 Vet that was in the 80th US Infantry, He told me that he took it off a German POW after the Battle Of The Bulge. The gun is in 95% blue with a clean bore. I would like to know what the WaA 020 stands for and when it was made. I talked to several dealers / collectors, at gun shows, one told me their wasn't any WaA codes on model B Stars, and the ones that I saw that had Nazi proofs had a different inspector code. Thank You

Answer:
Dennis, wartime Star pistols are made of high quality materials and exhibit excellent workmanship and finish. During World War II, Star supplied about 20,500 Model B pistols to the German Army and another 6,500 to the German Navy.

My reference books indicate that Star pistols used by the German Military had the following characteristics:

• High polish blue finish
• Unnumbered, bordered, checkered, walnut grips
• Serial number on base of grip strap next to lanyard ring
• An additional B prefix serial number found on some pistols, located on right grip tang, right rear slide and on the chamber
• Commercial test proof (P in a flaming bomb): Located on the left side of the slide to the rear of the slide grip, on the left forward side of the trigger guard, and on the right side of the chamber (barrel.)
• Commercial test proof (Knight's head over a shield with an X) located on the left side of the frame just for-ward of the slide stop.
• Military acceptance stamp Eagle over WaA251 or Eagle over WaAD20, located on the right side of the frame to the rear of the safety lever pin protrusion. Some early pistols were not marked with a Heerswaffenamt acceptance stamp.

I believe that your the German WW-II Heerswaffenamt inspectors markings on your pistol are `WaAD20` (not WaA 020) which would be correct for a late vintage Star Mod. B.

Collectors should note that some Bulgarian import Star Model B Pistols have fake WaA markings which were applied in Europe by unscrupulous exporters. The best way to spot the fake German WW-II Heerswaffenamt WaA marking is that the 2nd or (capital "A") is centered under the eagle. The Authentic mark has the "A" offset to the left of the eagle.

Bulgarian contract pistols were delivered in three groups of 5000 each and the serial numbers fall within the following ranges:

• 9/01/43 Ser. #'s 225007-225775 & 226101-230331
• 2/12/43 Ser. #'s 230332-230375 & 231000-235782
• 3/03/44 Ser. #'s 235901-240900

Hope this helps, let me know if you want to sell, Marc

# 14098 - Quackenbush Value
3/22/2011
Kevin Lynnville, In

HRRKIMER N.Y. U.S.A Pat in U.S.A. feb. 23 1886 My name is Kevin Quackenbush, I bought this gun at auction great condition. Wondering what its worth?

Answer:
Kevin, you did not indicate what model your Quackenbush is, this makes it difficult for me to determine a value. I can tell you that Quackenbush manufactured .22 caliber rifles from 1896 to about 1920. The blue book lists three different models, the Safety Rifle, the Junior Safety Rifle and the Bicycle Rifle. All the models were a swinging breech single shot design. Quackenbush rifles did not have serial numbers and they sold many variations which can add a premium to the value.

• Blue book values for the Safety Rifle range from about $200 to over $800
• Blue book values for the Junior Safety Rifle range from about $300 to over $900
• Blue book values for the Bicycle Rifle range from about $700 to over $1800

Hope this helps - Marc

# 14104 - Ammo Safe To Use?
3/22/2011
William

I have a box of 50 Winchester center fire cartridges 32 cal. Smith & Wesson 85 gr. lead, inside lubricate, oil proof. W32SWP.

Are these cartridges, in your opinion, safe to shoot?

I noticed on your web site that there are collectors of ammunition; What is the usual price collectors pay for such ammo?

Thank you

Answer:
William- Based on your information I think that these were probably made sometime since 1940. Collector value for a nice clean full box is probably around $25-35 or so, about the same price as a box of new ammo.

I would not hesitate to shoot it myself, but if you decide to shoot it, that is strictly your decision and I am not liable for any problems you may encounter. However, I would NOT consider using this ammo in the gun for self defense as it may or may not always fire after 30-50 years. Most ammo of that vintage still fires, and many people shoot it up for practice or "plinking" but I would not want to bet my life on it if I was in a gunfight. John Spangler

# 14097 - Regent .32
3/19/2011
Jim

Pistol Grips say REGENT pistol grips also say ''SEAL'' and then show a picture of a ''crown'' like a kings crown. What is the origin of this gun and is the manufacturer still in business, it belonged to my Dad and he got it when he was in World War II the holster is a German Holster that says Fur Mauserpistole but it may have nothing to do with the gun.

Answer:
Jim, the marking on your holster says that it is for a Mauser pistol so it was probably originally intended for some other gun. Regent is a name that was used on several different models of inexpensive pistol that were manufactured in Eibar, Spain before the war and then again on inexpensive firearms sold in the U.S.A. during the 1960's. All of the Regent pistols that I found in my reference books were models that have little of no collectors interest. As far as I have been able to determine, none of the manufacturers of Regent pistols are still in business today. Marc

# 14103 - J. Beattie Co. London, 1840-1870 Black Powder
3/19/2011

We are looking for information about the J Beattie Company of London, England around 1850-1870. The Address was 205 Regent Street London, England. We are looking for information on a Black Power Double Express Rifle, 45 calaber Cerial number 2489, With a crown engraving markings. Did they keep records on who the guns were sold to? Was J Beattie also the company names ( James Beatie Regent Street London 1851-1865, James Beattie and Sons 1865-1878 and James Beattie and company 104 Queen Victoria St. London 1881-1891?) Where Would I go to find out this information?

Answer:
Sir- I think you already know as much as you will find out about the company name, locations and history.

Specific details on the gun probably no longer exist, unless they are in some dusty English archive. Sounds like a great rifle, that will stand on its own merits, regardless of the lack of any further documentation. John Spangler

# 14094 - Cinnaron 38
3/15/2011
Judy Atlanta Ga.

Engraved Cylinder By W.L. Ormsby Pat.July 25 1871 and 1872 How old is this gun and how much is it worth. Thanks

Answer:
Judy, my guess is that you are asking about Cimarron, not Cinnaron. The Cimarron Firearms Co. was founded in 1987 and their products are very popular with the Cowboy Action Shooter crowd. Cimarron manufactures high quality reproductions of Colt, Spencer, Henry and Winchester firearms from the 19th century. You did not indicate what model your Cimarron is, so it is hard to give you a value. From a quick glance at the blue book, I can tell you that most of their handgun values top out at around $600. For more information you may want to visit the Cimarron web site at http://www.cimarron- firearms.com/default.htm. Marc

# 14102 - Italian Vetterli-Vitali Rifle 1870/87
3/15/2011
Dave

I have one of these guns and wanted to know a little more about it like was it sold in the U.S. can I still get shells and how much is it worth anything you can tell me would help - thanks.

Answer:
Dave- This is the old Italian rifle that uses a 10.4 x 47mm Rimmed cartridge. Originally these were made as single shot rifles (Model 1870) and then in 1887 they were modified by addition of the four shot magazine. The same general idea was used by the Dutch to convert their single shot Beaumont rifles into magazine fed repeaters which became Beaumont-Vitali rifles.

As I recall these Italian rifles were among the early imports during the "golden years of surplus" in the early 1960s, and price was about $9.95 each. Ammo is not readily available for these, but dealers in collector ammo sometimes have a few rounds for display.

The later versions that were converted to 6.5mm Carcano are fairly common, but in my opinion that is an unsafe combination, and I would never shoot one, even if I did find some 6.5mm ammo. John Spangler

# 14022 - Longstreth And Cooke Philadelphia
3/12/2011
Charlie - Mocksville NC

On the trigger mech it says ''Longstreth and Cooke Philadelphia'' there are no other marking that I can find on this gun. It has brass hardware and curly maple stock. Octagon barrel - wooden ram rod - cheek rest - I'm trying to find out who made this gun I have. I can send photos if it would help. Brass patch box and hardware. Percussion firing mech but I think it may have been converted from flintlock. Any chance you would entertain looking at a few photos to help with where it was made. From what I understand it came from the Philadelphia area. thanks

Answer:
Charlie- Frank Sellers definitive American Gunsmiths has an entry for Longstreet and Cooke in Philadelphia, and only notes that they were flintlock lock makers, probably Longstreth and Cooke, with no other info. That suggests that while the lock may have come from Philadelphia, the rest of the rifle may have been made elsewhere.

American longrifles tend to have distinctive, but subtle, regional differences in shape, size, decoration, types of materials, etc. People who collect them can often narrow down the region to a few counties just from a quick look. However, they are a lot better schooled than I am on such subtle distinctions, so I am afraid I cannot help on that one, even with photos. John Spangler

# 14091 - CIA M-1Garand
3/12/2011
Nicolas, Jacksonville, NC

MADE IN USA BY C.A.I ST. ALBANS VT. My M1 Garand is obviously not all original, but I can't find origins for some of the serial numbers. Operating rod serial number is 353826, made by Springfield Armory in 1941 according to your site. The barrel sn is 65356448, the bolt sn is 6528287, both of which appear to be too high for any of the four manufacturers available on your site. The C.A.I sn stamped onto the receiver is 07324. I was wondering if where the barrel and bolt are from, as well as when, and if the receiver is an original that has been restamped or is newly manufactured by C.A.I? Thank you.

Answer:
Nicolas, you have what collectors call a ``Frankenstein`` or ``parts`` gun. C.A.I. stands for Century International Arms. Century manufactured your receiver and assembled the rifle using surplus military parts.

Most M1-Garand parts are marked with the drawing number, the revision number and manufacturer info, not a serial number. You can not use the M1-Garand serial number data on our site to date individual M1-Garand parts from the numbers that are stamped on them.

A little education about M1-Garand rifles may be helpful to you. I suggest that you get a copy of Scott Duff's excellent M1-Garand book which can be ordered at the following URL: http://www.scott- duff.com/. Hope this helps. Marc

# 14078 - JGA Rifle Markings
3/8/2011
Sam Dodson, Lotus, Ca

I just received this beauty of a rifle. At the point I am writing this I cant get it out of the gun case to tell you the serial numbers and measure the barrel length gut it is a short rifle. It is a Germen JGA single shot .22 long rifle, circa 1933 - 939. I don't know much about the rifle. What I do know is that its was a common rifle in Germany until after ww2 and the US occupation and many were melted down. Luckily mine survived and is in proper working order and fires beautifully. But I don't know anything else other than that. I would like to know if there is any marking I should look for or a way to discover the specific year? thank you.

Answer:
Sam, Walters book, `Rifles of the World` indicates that these rifles were made by Anschutz, catalogues from the early 1930s indicate that they were originally simple light rifles ranging from 4mm 'parlour rifles' (Zimmerstiitzen) through 22 Long Rifle sporting guns to 9mm Flobert smoothbores. The markings 'JGA' stand for Julius Gottfried Anschutz.

German firearms manufactured between 1891 and April of 1940 should have a crown over `U` or crown over `N` proof mark. These marks were the Germany-design set forth in the National Proof Law of 19 May 1891, which became effective 1 April 1893. The "U" was the abbreviation for Un- tersuchung, meaning tested and the "N" was the abbreviation for Nitro, meaning smokeless powder.

Firearms manufactured after April 1940 should have an eagle over `N` proof mark. This mark is the Germany-design set forth in the National Proof Law of 7 June 1939, which became effective 1 April 1940. `N` was the abbreviation for Nitro, meaning smokeless Powder. Hope this helps. Marc

# 14101 - Stevens Model Or Serial Number?
3/8/2011

Steven marked H 57 J Stevens A & T Co Chicopee Falls Mass Pat April 17 94 I can't find a model H 57 listed and would appreciate any information on this gun

Answer:
I am pretty sure you have the "Little Scout" Model 14 1/2, which used those patent dates. Most of the less expensive "boys rifles" were not marked with serial numbers, only "assembly" numbers used to match up parts during manufacture or other internal purposes. Therefore the H57 is neither the model nor a serial number.

The A&T in the maker name indicates this was made prior to 1916 when the stopped using the “Arms & Tool” version of the Stevens name. John Spangler

# 14074 - Old Shotgun
3/5/2011
John, Martinsburg, WV

Butt Plate has an eagle with outspread wings on it (similar to that of the one found on the older quarters) with A F Co on the thing the eagle is sitting on. Also, on the barrel, there is the marking CHOKE BORED and on the side is IH W LONG RANGE VARMIT. Can you tell me when, where, and who this gun was made for and if it is worth anything?

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

I do not have a lot of information on this firearm, it is probably one of a huge number made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and sold through various retail outlets. This type of firearm falls into the category of "old guns" that no one seems to be interested in as shooters, but collectors do not want them either. Generally these were basic inexpensive simple guns which sold at modest prices and still have little interest or value on market today. On the retail market they usually sell in the $25-125 range depending on condition and general appearance for use as a "wall hanger" over a fireplace. Where there is any family history, we encourage people to keep these old guns for sentimental value. Please be warned that most of these are not considered safe to shoot.

There are several dealers listed on our links page that specialize in shotguns who would be able to give you a better answer to your question. Marc

# 14100 - Old Fowler Muzzle Loader
3/5/2011
boutros@ix.netcom.com

My father gave me an old muzzle loader in very poor shape cracks, paint speckles, the only part in decent shape is the rod of the ramrod! He has no idea were it came from and would really like to know something about it. The barrel is close to three feet long and the bore is about .75 inches. The first eleven inches of the barrel is octagon but the rest is round. There is some engraving at the very beginning of the barrel, on the hammer (it's a percussion, not a flint lock), along a strip of metal on the right side of the grip, and along the trigger guard whose base plate runs about half the length of the but stock. There is checkering along the grip, about 14 lines per inch, with a double border. The only writing I can find is London stamped on the top of the octagon section of the barrel. Over all length is about 53 inches. It seems to me that this may be a tough one but any info would be great.

Answer:
Justin, while I can't be certain without seeing your gun, it certainly sounds like a "Fowler" probably made circa 1840-1870, which has had the barrel shortened at some point in its history. The London marking on the barrel usually indicates it was made in London, and the barrel would have two proof marks near the breech. However, some foreign makers of low grade guns applied English looking marks to fool unwary buyers. Normally these had barrels about 38-44 inches long, and were smooth-bored. (However, some were originally shorter, and some were longer). Typically the barrels were very thin construction, and intended mainly for shot, rather than round balls. Approximately .75 caliber is close to 12 gauge, popular as an all around gun at the time, which could be fired with balls at larger targets (deer, people, etc.) if necessary. Fowlers usually were "half stocked", often with a rib running up the bottom of the barrel and provisions for a "thimble" near the muzzle to hold the ramrod. Barrels were usually fastened to the stock with one or more "pins" or "wedges" instead of metal bands used on many military arms of the period. The trigger guard and butt plate are usually the same material (both brass, or both iron) but sometimes mixed parts were used. While some "fowlers" were very high quality guns, most were inexpensive, and intended for hard use by farmers or other non-wealthy people. Think of them as the equivalent of today's cheap single-shot shotguns. Again, without seeing your gun, and lacking further information, it is impossible to assess its value, but generally fowlers do not bring much on the collector's market. They are valued mainly as decorators, but if they have a history of family use, the sentimental value can be much more significant. One word of caution. A great many old muzzle loaders are found to be LOADED! Please use the ramrod and see that the barrel is clear to about 3/4 inch short of the distance from the muzzle to the back of the barrel. If it has an obstruction in the bottom inch and a half or greater, it may be loaded. (Or someone may have stuffed rags or sticks, or who knows what into the barrel at some time in the last 150 years.) If you think it is loaded, have someone familiar with muzzle loaders remove the load for you. To care for your gun, a little gun oil (or WD-40) will keep the metal parts from rusting, and a little linseed oil on the stock will preserve it. Please don't sand the stock or otherwise "clean things up" or you will destroy much of the value and the charm of it's appearance as an antique gun. I hope you enjoy it, and that it finds a home where it is appreciated. John

# 14076 - Remington 11 Value
3/1/2011
U.S.A.

We are pretty sure it was made around 1908, What is the value of this gun/

Answer:
Although it is an excellent design, there is not much collector interest in the old Remington Model 11s and sportsmen don't want them because they can't use steel shot. Values in the blue book are in the $100 to $300 range but I have found that they are hard to sell. Marc

# 14096 - US Mod. 1917 .30-06 Rifles By Eddystone Etc.
3/1/2011
Wayne, Sharon, PA USA

Our organization(a veteran's org) has acquired 5 of these old military rifles and want to tear them down for cleaning and repair. We need information on the dis-assembly of these weapons and the best way to clean and refurbish them to at least fire blank ammo safely. Some do fire now. Would appreciate the help. Thanks.

Answer:
Wayne- Glad to help a fellow vet. Instead of sending money to help the NRA, please keep it to buy blanks to salute our fallen comrades. General cleaning of these rifles is about the same as any other modern rifle. Disassembly can be a little tricky. Send us your mail address and I will send a free copy of the Army's "Base Shop Data" which show how to take the whole thing apart (probably much farther apart than you need to go). A little oven cleaner will take a lot of grease out of the stocks, sand 'em down then a couple coats of tung oil (I like the Minwax bran, but Formbys is OK too) will seal them. Finish up with slight rubbing with steel wool to blend the wood finish. A very fine wire brush, or a razor blade (single edge like in window scrapers, not the "trac-two" kind) held at an angle and lubricated with oil or WD-40 can be sued to scrape off even medium amounts of surface rust. If the finish is really ugly, a cheap and easy solution is a can of black spray paint. Semi-gloss is best, but gloss or flat is okay too. Make sure all the grease and oil are off first. I wouldn't paint the bolt assembly, but the rest of the stuff can be painted. Easy to touch up later, weatherproof, and wont rub off on clothes. Clean the bores every once in a while after use and you should be good to go as long as you only fire blanks. Let me know if you need any spare parts, I have a good supply... John Spangler, USN (ret)