# 14166 - .25 Mauser Pistol
6/28/2011
Gary, Seeley Lake, MT

''Waffenfabrik Mauser A.-G. Oberndorf A.N.'' on left side of slide I received this auto pistol after my father died. I have no idea of where he got it or any of its history. Would you be good enough to give me some idea as to the value of this weapon. I know it is operational, is in good shape and has one Mauser clip. I have pictures available if you desire to see the weapon. You can contact me at glk122100@gmail.com. Thank you very much.

Answer:
Gary, your pistol is probably a Model 1910. The 1910 is considered by some to be more reliable and accurate than most of it's contemporary competitors because it is slightly larger, with a longer barrel. Mauser manufactured the Model 1910 from 1910 up to the beginning of WWII in 1934. For the first three years of production the Model 1910 was only offered in 7.65 mm, after 1913 the 6.35mm chambering became available. Pistols like yours with serial numbers between 200,000 and 403,000 were manufactured between 1919 and 1934.

Values for Model 1910 pistols fall in the $125 to $350 range depending upon condition. I have found that quite often, .25 caliber pistols turn out to be slow sellers. Marc

# 14093 - Model 1896 Krag Rifle
6/28/2011
Alan - Ashland, IL

My friend owns this rifle and doesn't know much about it like ammo, history of gun and possible value. It belonged to his father which was stationed in New York during World War 1. It seems to be in really nice condition except the leather sling has some dry rot and has come apart at the bottom swivel. He was also wondering how to remove the bolt completely from the rifle. Is there anywhere he can get a manual or online information about tearing down this rifle for cleaning? It is also missing what I thought would be the cleaning rod which fits in the butt of the stock? Would that be available somewhere? Thank you for your time.

Answer:
Alan- Your friend’s rifle, serial number 64112 was used during the Spanish American War in 1898 by Company E of the 49th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. The barrel should be 30 inches long and if unmodified this would have more than usual interest to collectors. It may be possible to get written confirmation of the rifle’s use from Springfield Research Service for a fee. (About $175 last time I checked, but you also have to subscribe to their newsletter for an additional fee before they will sell you a letter.)

This rifle may have been reissued for use during WWI, but we have no information to support that.

Accessories such as cleaning rods and oilers are available here at http://OldGuns.net/catacc.htm along with slings. As a public service we have posted the secrets to removing (and reinstalling!) Krag bolts on our other site http://ArmsCollectors.com Hope that helps. John Spangler

# 14165 - Pedersoli Harpers Ferry Value
6/25/2011

I have a Harpers Ferry 58 cal pistol for Sale Pedersoli serial #54698 Wanting to know what its worth?

Answer:
The Harper’s Ferry was the first flintlock pistol to be ordered by the American Government to equip the U.S. Navy. It is named after the Harper's ferry arsenal where it was manufactured and which was destroyed during the Civil War, and never rebuilt.

Pedersoli is a manufacturer of historical reproduction firearms. Their main focus is military and civilian firearms from the 1730’s to the 1890’s. Although Pedersoli has a pretty good reputation for the quality of the firearms that they produce, resale values are not high. I did a quick search of several auctions and found that firearms like yours are selling in the $150 range. Marc

# 14179 - Winchester Serial Number
6/25/2011
Burt Phoenix AZ

I have seen this rifle and I have checked the serial number with a web sight that lists all Winchester serial numbers but I cannot find a series with the letter L or any letters for that matter. Is this a real gun or a replica? It looks very old and is not in very good condition.

Answer:
Burt, I can't vouch for the authenticity of your Winchester without seeing it, but there is a good chance that it is real. I say this because the digit '1' that Winchester used in their serial numbers looks allot like the letter 'L'. I'll bet that your serial number is really 142119. If that is the case, your rifle is probably a real Winchester and it was manufactured in 1896. Hope this helps, Marc

# 14163 - Dreyse Value
6/21/2011
USA

Germany written on barrel What is the value of this gun?

Answer:
It sounds like you have a Dreyse Model 1907 pistol. Waffenfabrik von Dreyse was founded about 1842, they initially made the famous Needle Gun for the Prussian army, the Dreyse concern had also made needle pistols and cap lock revolvers. The Model 1907 was broadly based on the 1906 Browning pattern without the grip safety.

Model 1907 pistols are usually marked DREYSE RHEINMETALLABT SOMMERDA on the left side of the frame, with an 'RMF' monogram on the grips. Early models may be marked DREYSERHEINISCHEMETALLWAAREN-UND MASCHINENFABRIK ABT SOMMERDA, while a few made in 1914, after adoption of the Rheinmetall acronym, omitted 'Dreyse' completely. Many Dreyse pistols were purchased by police forces, including the Royal Saxon Gendarmerie.

There is not much collector interest in Dreyse .32 pistols, values are usually in the $150 or less range depending on condition. If the pistol has military markings value can be twice as much but in any event Dreyse pistols are usually slow sellers. Marc

# 14089 - Mystery Gun
6/21/2011
Daniel, Elmira, Mi.

Receiver has stylized Q S and looks like N 0 over 11 and XXXX. Under barrel has what looks like P - A- J. Butt stock has markings but I can't make them out What is it and when was it made?

Answer:
Daniel- We really cannot tell you anything about your rifle. In fact, we really cannot even make up anything that might be even close. We don’t know what the heck you have, other than (as you already know) that it might be a Remington rolling block. John Spangler

# 14157 - Captured Unique .25
6/18/2011
Jack, Vineyard Haven MA

MANUFACTURE D`ARMES DES PYRENEES HENDAYE LE VERITABLE PISTOLET FRANCAIS ''UNIQUE'' MARQUE DEPOSEE CAL. 6.35MM S.F.M. Has very small eagle with even smaller mark underneath it stamped on right side frame just above the trigger and also on the slide above the handgrip. Has small circle with what appears to be a partial image of a soldier giving the Hitler Salute stamped on rear left side frame. Has 352546 stamped on right side frame above/back of handgrip. Has 649 stamped on top of right side frame (under slide) next to hammer. Has 649 stamped on the 2'' barrel as well. Just looking for some more info on this pistol that my Dad brought home after WII. I have seen several similar pistols, but none with the same markings. Thank you for your consideration...

Answer:
Jack, Unique pistols were manufactured by d'Armes des Pyrenees. The Model 10 was the first Unique pistol, it was introduced in 1923 and it was a copy of the 1906 Browning without a grip safety and with an Eibar - type safety catch which was located about half way along the frame. Magazine capacity for the Model 10 is seven rounds, overall length is 104MM, weight unloaded is 12.7oz, Barrel length is 53MM.

There is not much collector interest in Unique pistols except for those that were issued to the German military during WWII. German military Unique pistols that I am familiar with, or have been able to find in any of my reference books are all .32 caliber. These pistols can be easily identified because they have German military acceptance stamps (eagle over WaD20 or eagle over WaA251) located on the upper right side of the frame to the rear of the right grip and the German military test proof (eagle over swastika in a circle) at the right side of the barrel near the muzzle.

The eagle marking that you mention is interesting, it would be good to see some pictures to try to determine if the eagle has WaD20 or WaA251 stamped beneath it. I have never seen or read about a Nazi marking that looks like a German soldier saluting, so this is a little suspect. It almost sounds like some type of post war addition intended to entice tourists to purchase.

If your father brought the pistol home from WWII, you should look to see if there is any documentation. If there are capture papers, they could really add to the value of the pistol. Marc

# 14088 - Cartridge Marked WESTERN 250 HP
6/18/2011
Larry, Westminster Co

I have a cartridge made by Western stamped 250HP The cartridge is from 1930s when my grandpa shot an elk with it. I have no idea where the gun is or who made it. Any help would be great. Thank you. Larry

Answer:
Larry- The .250-3000 Savage is a rifle cartridge created by Charles Newton in 1915 and is also known as the .250 Savage, or sometimes .250 High Power when made by makers not wanting to publicize the Savage name. The name comes from its original manufacturer, Savage Arms and the fact that the cartridge uses a .250 diameter bullet, and the original load achieved a 3000 feet per second velocity with an 87 grain bullet. Although mainly offered in the Savage 99 rifle, this has been used in many other rifles over the years.

Obviously your cartridge was made by Western. John Spangler

# 14153 - Winchester Revolver?
6/14/2011
Mark, San Diego

CR4 WINCHESTER CARTRIDGE 5 or B ELGIUM (last 2 letters barley legible/guess), all of this is on flat ridge top of barrel. CCC on side of barrel upside down. ELG in a grenade/pineapple shape on handle side of revolver barrel, next cartridge hole L with crown, next hole R with *, next 6. Cannot find this hand gun

Answer:
Mark, I believe that Winchester only made one handgun before they came to an agreement with Colt to not manufacture handguns, if Colt would cease the manufacture of rifles. The only Winchester handgun is in a museum in Cody Wyoming.

Your revolver is not a Winchester, it was manufactured in Belgium by some maker who I can not identify with the information that I have. The ELG / pineapple marking that you mention is a Belgian definitive black powder proof from 1893 for breech loading guns, small bore guns and handguns. I must confess that I have never heard of CR4 Winchester but it sounds to me like it is the cartridge that the revolver is chambered for. Marc

# 14082 - Colt Model 1911A1 History
6/14/2011
Chip, Knoxville, Tennessee

On right side of frame: UNITED STATES PROPERTY (with serial number below) and M1911A1 U.S.ARMY. BNP with a crown is stamped to the right of and a little lower than the serial number, and another stamp (slightly worn and hard to describe) is like two crossed swords pointed down, with additional marks or letters in the spaces between the X made by the sword-like symbols. On the right front side of the trigger guard: 6C (also hard to be sure this is what it says). On the barrel: Another BNP with a crown, .45'' .900'' and 7 tons per (square). On the left side of the slide: PATENTED APR.20 1897. SEPT 9,1902. DEC 19,1905. FEB 14, 1911. AUG 19,1913. The prancing colt with two lances or slashes is between the patents and the COLTS PT.F.A.MFG.CO. HARTFORD,CT. U.S.A. on left side of frame'' R.S. inside a square, then P beside the magazine release. On the front left side of trigger guard: R I am interested in the value of this M1911A1 (it is in fair to good condition with original Parkerized finish, showing some wear as well as a small 1/4'' x 1 1/4'' ''splash'' on the left side of the slide and frame where it appears blood has removed the finish.), as well as the history of the weapon. I believe the BNP stamp with crown is a British mark, but aside from a 1941 manufacture date, I know very little about the pistol. Could you please shed some light on the mystery? Thanks.

Answer:
Chip- Your pistol was made in late 1941, shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor. At that time the British were in dire straits for small arms, and the U.S. shipped large quantities of handguns and rifles to them as “lend lease” material. Due to using “non-standard” ammunition (at least as far as the Brit’s over-stressed supply system was concerned) most of the guns were placed in storage for emergency use, or issued briefly for use until British style arms became available. Starting about 1952 and reaching a peak in the early 1960s many of these U.S. lend lease arms were sold off as surplus. British laws required that all arms leaving the country be subject to a proof test. After passing the proof test, the arms were marked with British proof marks consisting of the bore diameter, case length, and pressure and the proof house symbol, usually from Birmingham. Those are the oddball marking you very accurately described. All other markings seem to be typical original Colt markings, with RS being the inspector marking of Robert Sears who was inspector at Hartford in 1941.

As far as value, some collectors like the British proofed examples and consider that part of their history as a plus. Others dislike the marks and value these less than ones that remained in U.S. military inventory. I would expect to find ones matching your condition description at a gun show priced around $1,000 or so, depending on how worn the finish is, and how bad the “blood spot” is. John Spangler

# 14150 - Captured Velo-Dog
6/11/2011
Michael

A five point star over the letter D appears on the body of the gun as well as on the back of the cylinder. The number 37 appears on the front of the cylinder and also on a nickel plated part under the barrel. It has a nickel plated folding trigger and hammer the balance of the gun is blued. The barrel is round, except for the top which is flat. The handles are black wood. The cylinder holds five rounds, the opening size appears to be 8mm. I have no idea of caliber. The letters ELG in a circle under a crown appear on the back of the cylinder one space after the D under the five point star. I think it uses center fire ammo. This was brought home after WW II, by my late father in law it came in a black and tan leather shoulder holster. Any info., make, caliber, age, etc. will be greatly appreciated. My father in law said he took it off a German officer P.O.W..

Answer:
Michael, your revolver sounds like is what is commonly known as a Velo-Dog. This type of revolver has a short barrel and often they are double action only because the hammer is shrouded to avoid its snagging on clothing. Another feature that identifies these revolvers is the lack of a trigger guard and a trigger that folds into the body of the gun when not in use.

Velo-Dog revolvers were widely sold as self-defense guns for bicyclists starting in the 1890s. In those days, cyclists on their velocipedes were highly likely to be set upon by large and fierce dogs. Velo-Dog revolvers were designed for defensive use against dogs, the term 'Velo-Dog' is a combination of the words 'Velocipede' and 'Dog'. Original Velo-Dog revolvers were chambered for a special cartridge, the 5.5mm Velodog which was less powerful than a .22 Long Rifle. The Velodog cartridge was long and thin, loaded with a 45 grain jacketed bullet. Soft hearted animal lovers could purchase cartridges loaded with cayenne pepper and dust shot. In later years more effective revolvers were chambered for .22 and larger cartridges. Marc

# 14081 - Information From Winchester Serial Number Alone
6/11/2011
Mike

No markings. This came from a big pile of rifles crated in a garage for decades. Bought this at an Estate clearing sale, along with a Model of 1917. The bolt release matches on both. What can I learn from the Serial #

Answer:
Mike- It sounds like a very interesting rifle, but without further information we really cannot do anything but guess. Truthfully, the serial number does not sound like any Winchester numbers I have seen, but who knows. Sometimes the quality of the answer can only reflect the quality of the question, and in this case both are pretty poor. John Spangler

# 14154 - FN 30-06 Rare?
6/7/2011
Ron butler IN

FAB NAT D`ARMES DE GUERRE HERSTAL BELGIQUE Got this rifle from an uncle of mine and would like to know the value, or any other info you may have. It must be fairly rare not even Google had anything for me. Thanks for your help.

Answer:
Ron, I can not be of much assistance with the information that you provided. It would be helpful for me to at lest know what type of action your rifle is, bolt? semi- auto? etc?

FN rifles chambered in 30-06 are not rare at all, thousands were produced in many different configurations. Maybe your Google search was not effective because you did not provide the correct search phrase or did not give enough information (like your question to me). Try the following links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabrique_Nationale, or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:FN_Mauser_Sporting_Rifle_.30-06_Springfield.jpg, or try a Google search on "Fabrique Nationale", you will get hundreds or maybe ever thousands of results. Good luck. Marc

# 14073 - Springfield Model 1884 Cadet Rifle
6/7/2011
Timothy

Looking to buy this trapdoor in very,very nice condition, Would like to know if this particular Trapdoor has any documentation, I think it was made in 1892? Thanks Tim

Answer:
Tim- There is no known documentation for your rifle, but a number of other cadet rifles have been noted with nearby serial numbers, so I have no doubts that it is authentic. Nice cadet rifles are not easy to find, but neither are buyers looking for one, so values seem to be less than for comparable condition service rifles, even though the latter are more common than the cadet rifles. Most of the cadet rifles ended up at the various state colleges which offered cadet programs in the period 1890-1918, not exclusively at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. John Spangler

# 14080 - Colt Single Action Army Date And Care
6/4/2011
Pati, Victorville, California

etching I inherited this gun, down from my great grandfather, I would like to know if there is any value and a good way to care for the gun. I currently have it in a velvet lined cherry wood box that my father had made for it. thank you

Answer:
Pati- Your revolver was made around 1932, and it is great to see a gun remain in a family where it will be valued not only for the collector value, but for the sentimental value.

As far as caring for it, I think that keeping it in the velvet lined wood box is probably a good idea. It would be less good if it has a blue finish instead of nickel, as there is some risk that the cloth may accumulate some moisture and start to rust a blued finish, but this is not likely with the nickel finish. I would wide it down with some good gun oil occasionally, but not overdue it. I would avoid deep penetrating solvents like WD-40 as there is a risk that they will seep in between the nickel finish and the base steel and lead to peeling or flaking. Also, I would keep it locked up out of the reach of young children, but I would make the effort to show it to them, explain basic gun safety rules and allow them to handle it before you lock it up. Someday, as a special treat after discussing family history a bit, and the former owner, you might even let them shoot it. (Assuming it is in good condition and you buy some fresh ammunition, not old stuff that may be corrosive primed, and then promptly and thoroughly clean it.) John Spangler

# 14161 - Excam Value
6/4/2011
JoAnn Monroeville NJ

oom Gardone Vt This gun was given to me but I know nothing about it. Can you give me an idea is it a good gun to hold on to and pass down to family or sell it and buy a better type, can you give me a selling price.

Answer:
JoAnn, it is hard to say what you have from the information that you provided, it would be nice to know what type of action the gun has and a little about condition. From the brand and markings that you did mention, I can tell that the firearm is a modern reproduction, probably of some classic design from the past. Some of the modern reproductions are very well made but most do not have a lot of value on the collectors market so there is no reason to keep them as potentially valuable collectors items. My guess is that value will be somewhere in the $150 or less range. I suggest that you take it to a gunshow and get bids from several different dealers to determine a price. Marc