# 12368 - British Brown Bess By Henshaw
4/28/2007
Chris, Maryville, TN

Revolutionary War British Brown Bess style Carbine with Henshaw on the Lock I am trying to find out any info on the ''Henshaw'' markings on the lock of a dragoon carbine from the rev war. It is definitely a Brown Bess style but has Henshaw on the lock. Does anyone know of this manufacturer and whether they were a large arms maker or a small one. Is the Henshaw lock any better than a Tower lock for instance. Thanks Chris

Answer:
Chris- Bailey & Nie in their "English Gunmakers" lists John Henshaw as working in Cambridge, 1783-1792 and Widow Henshaw in the same location in 1792. Gardiner's "Small Arms Makers" lists John Henshaw as working there 1771-1796. Gardiner also lists a Henshaw working on the Strand in London circa 1780-1814. That is about all I can tell you. John Spangler

# 12363 - Columbian Firearms Manufacturing Revolver
4/28/2007
Sindy, Bridgeport, Ct

I just add this gun to my collection and am having a hard time finding any info on it. I think it actual may have been manufactured by Foehl & Weeks, but have not found much information on them. Could you please share any information you may have on my gun or point me in the right direction. Thanks, Sindy

Answer:
Sindy- Frank Sellers' "American Gunsmiths" notes that this company was listed in a 1896 directory for Philadelphia, PA, and that they were associated with "owlhead revolvers." Charles Foehl of Philadelphia worked with Deringer (yes, THE Deringer!) and continued production of single shot rifles, pistols and revolvers as the Deringer Pistol Company. Circa 1889-1900 Foehl joined with Charles A. Weeks, with whom he held several patents on revolvers, to become Foehl and Weeks where they made single shot rifles and cheap double action revolvers. While interesting minor players on the very broad spectrum of late 19th century gun makers, I doubt if their products have much collector appeal or value. John Spangler

# 11916 - Mod 94 DOM And Value
4/28/2007
Joe

When was it made & what is value

Answer:
Joe, my records indicate that The year of manufacture for 876760 is 1920. Blue book values for Model 1894 Winchesters made between 1894 and 1929 range from around $800 to over $1900 depending on condition and special options. I have noticed that there is a little less demand for rifles chambered in .32 Special than some of the other calibers that they came in. Marc

# 11914 - Utah Centennial 52-C
4/24/2007
Ron, Tucson, AZ

Utah Centennial, 1896 - 1986 What is the approximate value of this rifle? It is NIB, I bought it on closeout in Salt Lake City in December of 1996, intending to shoot it - but I never quite got to it and now I am almost afraid to! It surely is a beauty....

Answer:
Ron, this model is pretty common here in Utah. The last one that we sold went for $550 but it took a while to go. Marc

# 11913 - Late War PP
4/24/2007
Paul, Livingston, Texas

383428 P AC On slide, Eagle N on Slide, Eagle N on barrel, 383428 p on Receiver behind Trigger, Black Checkered grips with Walther stamped on them, and the Clip has Walther stamped on it with PP 7.65 M/M. All Markings are on the right side of the gun , pointing away from you. Why is Walther not stamped on the gun receiver or slide? And Do you have any idea when this gun was made? Walther is stamped on the grips and the clip. The small eagle with an N underneath is stamped on the barrel and the slide. What does this mean? Why do they put the AC below and the P beside the serial numbers on the receiver? Can you tell me anything about this gun?

Answer:
Paul, the "P" besides your serial number indicates that you have a Walther PP not a PPK. The first PP and PPK pistols were all numbered in the same sequence with different serial number blocks allocated to each model. Soon after production reached one million, a new series of numbers was initiated, which began with 100000. Thereafter, blocks of numbers allocated to PPK production were followed by the letter K, and blocks of letters allocated to PP production were followed by the letter P.

Your PP is a late war variation Type 5 pistol (serial range 371875P to 390653P) probably manufactured in 1944 or 1945. Type 5 PP pistols have the following characteristics and markings:

• WW-II German ordnance code assigned to Carl Walther, Zella-Mehlis, Germany "ac" on the right side of the slide. This replaced the Walther legend that was on the left side of the slide . The "ac" ordnance code is only seen on late Type 5 pistols.
• Two piece checkered walnut, black or brown plastic grips with the Walther trademark located at the top of each plate.
• Late eagle over "WaA359" military acceptance stamp.
• Serial number stamped on the right side of the frame to the rear of the trigger and on the right side of the slide just forward of the ejection port.
• Military acceptance stamp Eagle over WaA359 on the left side of the frame to the rear of the trigger and on the left side of the slide just forward of the slide grip.
• Commercial test proof Eagle over N on the right side of the slide below the ejection port, on the right side of the chamber (barrel), and on the right side of the barrel near the muzzle.
• No military test proof.

Some of the last production pistols are mismatched, and without proofs or legend. Marc

# 12360 - Fur Trade Era Muskets On Pacific Coast
4/24/2007
Nick ... John Day, Oregon

I am writing an article for the Oregon Historical Quarterly, and trying to determine the likely type and caliber of firearm that would have been carried on a British Maritime fur-trading voyage to the Northwest Coast in 1808-09. There seems to be quit a bit of information out there for fur-trade era guns, focusing on the interior fur trade, but not much on the Maritime trade. Because of mercantile policies, and being a British ship, I think they would have been limited to English-made muskets (and again, this is about 1808). They were after sea otters, but I believe most of the otters were taken by natives and traded. The muskets, in this case, probably would have been used to hunt large and small game for food. I am particularly interested in what calibers they would have preferred or carried, as I am trying to determine how many shots they might have had with a stock of 20 lbs. of lead and 6 lbs. of powder. What possibilities or good references would you suggest? please let me know if you can answer my query: nsheedy@yahoo.com

Answer:
Nick- Good questions! I think the folks at the Museum of the Fur trade in Chadron, NE would know a lot more. It would be well worth your time to visit their excellent museum to see what they have on display, as well as to check their archives. I believe that Charles Hanson was the founder of the museum, and his books are pretty much the key references to start with. It may be possible to find old manifests from ships of the period, or trading company records. Don't limit your research to U.S. sources, as our Canadian neighbors were part of the same trade. There is an excellent museum in Victoria, BC, that has quite a bit of material on exhibit, and undoubtedly have some archival resources as well. I do not have any documented specifics to cite, but this is my best guess: You are correct that they would have been trading British made flintlock arms, probably of low quality, typical Indian trade goods of the era. Most smoothbores of the period could fire either solid round balls for use on large game, or humans, or loaded with shot for birds or small game. Most were about .55 to .75 caliber. These would use lead balls about 12-20 per pound so 20 pounds of lead would yield about 240-400 rounds. With a powder charge of very roughly 70-100 grains (by weight, not counting each granule!) per shot. A pound is 7000 grains, so six pounds would be 42,000 grains so about 600-700 shots. John Spangler

# 12359 - Krag Rifle Altered By Military?
4/21/2007
Jeff, Duncannon, PA

not original butt plate. Stock has no stamps and looks to have stain or paint repair marks on one side of the butt. I purchased this piece out of a collection in California because it's story was unique. The collection was owned by a 94 year old gangster movie star from the past. I purchased this through his grandson on the east coast. The reason I purchased it was because it had a hand written note with it that said all work done on the gun was done in the field during active service. I took ownership of the gun and was waiting for the letter to be sent from California. The gentleman, in the mean time, passed away and I never got the note. I believe everything is original except for the butt plate and accessories and the trap door is made of wood. Question - Is this piece worth anything without the note? If this was repaired while in service, was there a wooden repair door manufactured? Thanks. Jeff

Answer:
Jeff- Your rifle started off as a standard Model 1898 infantry rifle with a 30 inch barrel. I am certain that it was cut down for use as a sporter after being sold as surplus, and there is no documented history available on this number. Rifles and carbines made after 1896 had the trap in the buttplate for access to a storage hole for cleaning rods and an oiler, but the trap door was always made of metal, not wood. In my opinion it is worth whatever sporterized Krags are bringing, and a note that is likely full of erroneous information would not help the value at all, except with the most gullible buyers. John Spangler

# 12358 - German Used Mosin Nagant
4/21/2007
Andrew, St. Louis, MO

Nazi eagle with swastika behind trigger group on bottom of stock and random waffenamp's on the gun itself. Was this gun captured and re-issued to German soldiers or was it made in a captured Russian factory and issued to German soldiers? Or is this just a reproduction stock with a Russian Nagant placed in it? Thanks for your time.

Answer:
Andrew- I know that the Germans used large numbers of capture Mosin Nagants during WW1. I do not recall seeing anything that shows much German usage during WW2, although many probably ended up with various German allies and German sympathizer units in countries where the Mosin Nagant was in use. As far as I know, no plant making Mosin Nagants was captured by the Germans during WW2. Since Waffenamt inspector marks were normally applied only at time of manufacture, their presence makes me think that the markings are fake, added later to "enhance the value" of a cheap Mosin Nagant (selling for as little as $39 at times in recent years!) and get a much higher price. It may be a rare treasure, but it sounds like come con artist's fakery to me. John Spangler

# 12495 - IJ Pistol Info
4/21/2007
Blake, Katy, TX

Target Grips-- Looks like a owl logo on handle. Just curious how old or any history. My father-in-law passed away and he left it to me.

Answer:
Blake, references indicate that the Model 57 Target was manufactured from 1955 to about 1975. It was an eight-shot a solid frame non-ejector .22 revolver that came with a 4.75, or 6 inch barrel, adjustable sights and a thumb-rest grip. That is about all that I can tell you except that value is in the $100 range. For more information try posting a question on the forums at ArmsCollectors.com Marc

# 12576 - What Caliber Is It?
4/17/2007
Kevin, Duluth, MN, USA

PAT'D NOV 19.1878 APRIL 2. 1889 AUG. 12. 1890 MARCH 1. 1892 MARLIN MODEL 92 I have looked this old gun over and over and I cannot find a caliber marking on it. I have taken the calipers and miked the muzzle and I get aprox. .298 on the lands and .310 in the grooves. How can I find out what caliber this great firearm is?

Answer:
Kevin, the only safe way that I know of to determine the caliber of a rifle, is to take it to a gunsmith and have him make a casting of the chamber. The gunsmith will be able to measure the casting that he makes to find the proper caliber. Marc

# 12634 - Chinese C96
4/17/2007
David, MD

On one side is a round gear like symbol with a bow and arrow inside of it; on the other side is a ying and yang symbol with five oriental characters above it; surreal number is located behind the rear site. I have a C96 pistol with marking that I have not been able to identify, can you help me out and tell me who and where was this pistol made and in about what year was it manufactured?

Answer:
David, the symbol you are asking about is one used by the government of Chiang Kai Shek for its arms, it would have been used from the 1920s until 1949. The symbol was stamped on arms imported for the Chiang Kai Shek military, and also on arms made in Chinese arsenals. The Chinese made copies of the Mauser C96 pistol and marked them with Chinese characters so there is a good possibility that you have a Chinese copy, but the pistol could also be an import that was marked with military markings. Without pictures it's just about impossible for me to tell for sure what you have. You may want to double check the caliber. If it's 9 mm Luger or 45 ACP then it's almost certainly a Chinese copy. Copies chambered for 45 ACP are quite popular among collectors. Marc

# 12356 - Confederate Purchased Kerr Revolver
4/17/2007
Joe, Chas. S.C.

This pistol has all the appropriate markings that were associated with the hand guns purchased for the Confederate States from the LondonArmoury Company, including the JS Anchor stamp and Kerr,s Patent #S248. Is there any way of finding out if this is one of the weapons purchased by Caleb Huse?

Answer:
Joe- Nice gun, and as with anything actually used by the Confederates, or even alleged to have been near a Confederate, the value would be high. I do not know of any listing of serial numbers from Caleb Huse's time in Europe purchasing guns for the South. Several authors have worked in that field, and I am sure that if any records survived, we would know about them. As with any purported Confederate item, I urge extreme skepticism and some good documentation. Sorry we cannot help provide it. John Spangler

# 12352 - Sellers Gun Makers In The Carolinas And Tennessee
4/14/2007
Bill, Lubbock, Texas

My wife's mother's family were gunsmiths in the 1700's into at least the mid-1800's in Tennessee in the Monroe County area and in the Carolinas before that section of Tennessee was opened for non-Indian settlers. I have searched high and low for info but all I have located is US Census records which do ID them as gunsmiths. Anything you could point me to? My mother-in-law is very aged and I'm trying to complete a family history for her. The name was/is McKee but info on anybody or history of gunsmithing in the region is appreciated.

Answer:
Bill- I regret that I do not have much to add to what you already now. Frank Sellers' "American Gunsmiths" lists James McKee as working in Mecklinburg County, NC, apprenticed in 1805. He cites John Bivins' "Long Rifles of North Carolina" as the source for this info, so you might follow up on that. John Spangler

# 12341 - Polish WZ29 Mauser Rifle
4/14/2007
Chris, Albuquerque, NM

My grandfather brought this gun back from Germany when he came back from WWII. Is this gun chambered for the ''new'' 8mm Mauser with 0.323'' bore? Also, I know that in general, military 8mm Mausers are pretty common, but is this gun unique having been made in Poland by Radom?

Answer:
Chris- The Polish WZ29 is a short Mauser rifle adopted in 1929, and very similar to the Czech VZ24, the FN Model 1924 and the later German Kar98k. The WZ29 had a recess on the side of the stock for the bolt handle, and a bent bolt for cavalry use, but retained a straight bolt handle for infantry use. Made by Radom in Poland, the WZ29 rifles were absorbed into German service after their occupation of Poland in 1939. All were made for the common modern 8mm Mauser ammo. There is collector interest in all types of Mausers, but I don't detect any real excitement among collector for the WZ29 and values seem to run significantly less than for comparable examples of the very common K98k rifles made in Germany. Robert Ball's "Mauser Military Rifles of the World" is a superb reference for anyone interested in learning more about any type of Mauser rifle. John Spangler

# 12649 - Modified Steyr Rifle
4/14/2007
Roberto, Garden City, MO

bnz. 41, 8207 on the bolt, three horizontal lines with the number 77 on the bottom of the rifle, either 3657 or 8657 on the bottom next to the 77. I inherited this rifle from my grandfather after his death. It has the thick barrel on it. It also has peep sights with Williams on the side of the sight and Bishop on the butt. The rifle is in great condition besides a bit of discoloration on the bolt. I do not know what kind of rifle this is as far as the make. I know I left out some pertinent information but hopefully you can help me out with what I have provided. I do not know anything about this rifle.

Answer:
Roberto, it sounds like your rifle started out life as a K98k that was manufactured at Steyr for use by the German military in WWII. bnz is the WWII German ordnance code that was assigned to Steyr-Daimler Puch, AG of Steyr, Austria and WaA 77 is a German WWII Heerswaffenamt inspector's mark that was used on arms produced at Steyr.

It is anybody's guess what has been done to the rifle between when it left the Steyr factory as a new rifle and the present time. It sounds like at a minimum, a different barrel, stock and sights have been added. Try taking the rifle to a gunsmith in your area, they should be able to tell you more about it. Marc

# 12587 - Polish Eagle Captured Radom
4/10/2007
Deb, Canadian Lakes, MI

Polish eagle, swastika, It looks like nickel, the handle has dark brown plastic plates. I am trying to learn more about this gun. My father in Law brought it home after WWII. I have found info out about some Polish Radom 35, but not those that have both the eagle and the swastika.

Answer:
Deb, VIS M1935 (Radom) pistols with both German and Polish markings are known to collectors as the Polish eagle captured variation. Some pistols of this variation were assembled from partly completed pistols and spare parts that were on hand at the Radom factory on September 11 1939, when it was seized by occupying German forces. Others were captured Polish army issue pistols that were re-proofed with German acceptance stamps and German test proof marks then re-issued to the German military.

Polish eagle captured Radoms should be dated 1936-1939. They should have a high polish commercial quality blue finish and checkered hard rubber grips. The blue book lists values for this model between $500 and about $1800. Unfortunately, if your pistol has been nickel plated, value will probably top out at around $350 as a shooter. Marc

# 12591 - Need A Part For A FIE
4/10/2007
Andy, Nathalie, VA

Mod. TA 76 CAT 885 I am missing the pin that holds the cylinder in place. What are the chances of finding one? I know the company is out of business.

Answer:
Andy, chances of finding a new cylinder rod are not very good, you may have to purchase a similar revolver that you can cannibalize to obtain one. The good news is that if you can locate a similar revolver for parts, you should be able to purchase it for under $50.00. Gunshows and pawnshops would be good places to look.

Another alternative may be to fabricate a replacement cylinder rod from a bolt or a metal rod, if you are good with your hands. You could start with a piece of metal that is already close to the diameter that you need and use a power drill and a hand file to shape it to fit. The operation may be time consuming and it could require some experimentation and fitting, it may not be worth the effort. I would advise you to purchase a nice Ruger Single Six instead of wasting your time on the FIE. You could retire the FIE and turn in for a little cash the next time the libs in your area hold one of their foolish gun buy backs. Marc

# 12594 - M. Zulaica y Cia. of Eibar Info
4/10/2007
Bruce

This pistol was acquired by my father in Europe during WWII. Its condition is somewhere around mid- range. I haven't been able to find any information about this manufacturer either on-line or in gun manuals.

Answer:
Bruce, M. Zulaica y Cia. of Eibar, Spain started out business in the early 1900s manufacturing small inexpensive 'Velo-Dog' (velocipede - dog) type folding trigger pocket revolvers that were designed for use by bicyclists as protection against dog attacks. In 1905, Zulaica patented a design for an automatic revolver but few were ever manufactured and even fewer have survived.

In 1915 Zulaica started manufacturing 'Eibar' type semi-automatic pistols for WWI French military contracts. After the war, the Eibar pistols were sold on the civilian market into the 1920s. Zulaica's last design which was introduced in about 1930, was a copy of the C96 Mauser. Marc

# 12505 - Reproduction Or Original Colt 1860 Army
4/7/2007
Rob 9086 Daybreak Dr. Sandy, UT 84093

The only markings on this revolver are on the cylinder Colts Patent No. no number PAT Sept 10th 1850. On the left side of the barrel is marked Colt 1860 Army 44CAL. The right side of the barrel is marked Black Powder Only - Made in Italy. Did Colt produce 1860 Army revolvers in Italy possibly before manufacturing in England? If not were they produced for a European market? What would the value of this be it is most certainly not a replica there is no way to age this the way it is in its current condition.

Answer:
Colt NEVER made percussion revolvers in Italy in the 19th century. ALL percussion revolvers marked “Made in Italy” or “Black Powder Only” are modern replicas. Many are now being sold with an “antique” finish with worn finish, assorted nicks and dings so they actually look pretty old. In addition, some larcenous louts are very clever at artificially aging replicas so they appear much older than they are. Your revolver is a 20th century replica. If you disagree with my assessment, then I guess I will have to admit that it really is old, and Colt had them made in Italy for delivery by the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus and that you can sell it for a lot of money. P.T. Barnum was right! John Spangler

# 12439 - One Of 20 Guns Used By Elliott Ness
4/7/2007
Diane

I was left a Smith and Wesson revolver model 32-20 CTG patent date 02/06/1906 the last patent date is Dec 29,1919. What is its worth? It is blue, mint condition serial number #10034 I was told by my grandfather that it was used by Elliott Ness and was one of the 20 issued to Ness and his task force. Is it true? Thanks

Answer:
Diane- Sorry, we cannot help with that one. We have no feel for the market for "celebrity" guns, and have no means to authenticate any claims concerning prior ownership or use. John Spangler

# 12597 - Inexpensive Revolver
4/7/2007
Andrea, Sterling Hts, MI USA

Has a bull (bucking bull on the right hand side handle (grip). Also has a thumb rest on the left hand side of the grip. Has a push lever hammer block. I'd like to know the value of this gun, its in very good condition bluing 90%. Its been in my family since I was a little girl.

Answer:
Andrea, the blue book values Buffalo Scout E15 Series revolvers in the $30- $85 range. Sorry that your family heirloom is not worth more. Marc

# 12487 - Old .25 Still In The Box
4/3/2007
Karl , Barberton, Ohio

There is a symbol that looks like a dollar sign on the handle. The barrel is stamped C.G.HAENEL SUHL, GERMANY, SCHMEISSER'S PATENT. I inherited this gun from my Grandfather. It has the original box, and instructions with the gun. The gun is in mint shape. Could you please tell me what the value of the gun is? Thank you.

Answer:
Karl, in 1921 Hugo Schmeisser started work at the Haenel company as chief engineer. He brought with him, a 6.35mm blowback automatic pocket pistol design which he had previously patented in 1920. Production of the Schmeisser pocket pistol design began in 1922 and continued until about 1927 when the Model 2 was introduced, and at which time, the original design became known as the Model 1. The Model 2 was mechanically identical with the Model 1 but it was shorter, lighter, and had a much more squared appearance. Both models 1 and 2 bore the same inscription on the slide , but the Model 2 had 'SCHMEISSER' printed across the top of the grip. Since you did not mention that SCHMEISSER is on your grips, you probably have a Model 1 which is the most common of the two models. Production of the Model 2 ended about 1930 when the Haenel company moved away from manufacturing handguns to produce submachine-guns and other military equipment.

The little Schmeisser Model 1 and 2 pistols are said to be very well made and of excellent quality. The top value that the blue book lists for one in 100% condition is $390. Yours may be worth a little more because of the condition, box and papers but .25 caliber pistols in general always tend to be slow sellers. Marc

# 12586 - WWII French Sniper?
4/3/2007
Genie

On the barrel -- ''MA S 1918'' and ''Le Etienne M M 16'' and ''T.K 73061'' or maybe it is an F or a J instead of a T -- hard to read -- it is a kind of script lettering. The bolt itself has the same initials and numbers on it. It also has a funky looking metal thing on the bottom in front of the trigger that appears to be some sort of magazine. Is this in fact a WW I sniper rifle (person who gave gun to me says that is what it is); and in any event, is worth anything (I have a person here in the area who wants to buy it from me, but I don't know its worth, if any).

Answer:
Genie, you have a French military rifle known as the Berthier Model 1907/15. This model originally held 3 rounds in a metal magazine but the French increased the rifle's capacity to five rounds by adding that "funny" metal thing you mention. The Berthier was the primary rifle of the French army during World War I and the marking on the barrel indicates that your rifle was made at the government arsenal at St. Etienne in 1918, the last year of the War.

The rifle was originally chambered for the French rimmed cartridge in 8 mm. This was the first military cartridge in the world to use smokeless power and it was another French invention. When the rifle left the arsenal it had a wooden stock that ended about 5 inches from the muzzle. There would have been a metal band about two inches long at the tip of the wood that held it to the barrel. There would have been a second metal band about 12 inches behind the front one. Many old military rifles are seen with the stock cut short to 'sporterize' them for hunting.

Since the number stamped on the bolt of your rifle matches the number stamped on the barrel, the rifle is said to be all matching. A matching firearm is something that collectors look for and it adds value.

I'm doubtful about the rifle having been a military sniper rifle. It may have had a scope mounted on it by a hunter. I have never seen a correct French WWI sniper rifle, and doubt if many other gun collectors in the U.S. have either.

There is little interest in French military rifles and if the stock has been cut back, or if a modern commercial scope has been mounted, then you'd be lucky to sell it $50. If it is an all matching rifle in very good or better condition, without alterations then it might be worth up to $350, more if it is a sniper. If you can send some pictures, I can give you a better estimate. Marc

# 12336 - Morse Carbine
4/3/2007
Falkville, AL

Are There Interested Collectors? And Where Could I Find Them.

Answer:
Sir- The Morse carbine is a super good collector item, being made for South Carolina during the Civil War. (Note they were made for the state, not for the Confederate government, a bit of parochialism that was common during the short lived Confederacy.) George Washington Morse was a clever arms inventor, who had several novel ideas that were mechanically sound, but never commercially successful. (Check his conversions of percussion muskets to breechloaders, the carbine you have, an “inside lock” musket, a cartridge case, and some lever action rifle designs made in conjunction with Whitney.) Your carbine is very popular with [wealthy] collectors of Confederate arms. Value is probably in the range of $5,000- $25,000 depending on condition. Although any number of individual collectors would love to buy this, you would probably do best selling via one of the big auction houses in a sale where they have other Civil War era arms. John Spangler