# 2293 - FN Model 1922?
8/28/99
BARRY, USA, New York

"Eagle over WaA 140". "FABRIQUE NATIONAL D'ARMES DE GUERRE HERSTAL BELGIQUE"above "BROWNING PATENT DEPOSE". "FN" monogram molded on to grip. "(H)" stamped on barrel. "M" stamped on trigger guard. An eagle with wings spread on a small circle with either and "X" or a swastika in it. I wonder if you know exactly which model this is. I've been recently told it is a 1910, but I heard otherwise also. Any idea what year it was made? Thanks for your insight. P.S. I have a holster that looks like the original. Brown leather, extra magazine slot built in over barrel. The holster is marked "BA 1815" and has what looks like an "hg" over a "43" stamped on it.

Answer:
Barry, your pistol was manufactured under Nazi occupation of Belgium which lasted from May 1940 to September of 1944. Your description leads me to believe that you have a FN model 1922. The FN model 1922 can be distinguished from the model 1910 because it has a slide extension piece with a release catch fitted to the front of the slide, hence the Heerswaffenamt name for the model 1922 "Die Lange Browning Pistole" (The Long Browning Pistol). WaA 140 is a late German WW-II Heerswaffenamt inspector's mark on arms produced at Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre, Herstal, Belgium. The eagle over swastika in a circle is the military test proof. Marc

# 2219 - Japanese Rifle
8/28/99
Chris

Mr. Spangler, I was really surprised by your email. It is not the simply the best response to an email inquiry I've ever made, it is the only positive response I've ever received. Not only that but the time/date stamp reflected that you did so in less than four hours, all without pay or promise of money. I am impressed as well as grateful. Not wanting to bleed a well dry I will once again ask your help in finding parts for the weapon, most notably the bolt. I'm trying to help a nephew rebuild it. Also could you tell me the caliber and a little about the performance of the weapon if possible. By the way the weapon has a little surface rust but seems otherwise in good shape. It has the full Chrysanthemum emblem and elevation sights. Any response is welcome and appreciated. Chris

Answer:
Chris- Your rifle is 7.7 mm Japanese caliber, which is comparable to the .30-06 cartridge used by the US in WW2. The rifle is often called an "Arisaka" after one of the makers, but is correctly called the Type 99 Japanese military rifle. Performance is about the same as any other bolt action military rifle of the Mauser pattern used circa 1900-1950. Rugged, reliable, easy to make, able to be operated with minimal amount of training. These killed thousands of young Americans between 1941 and 1945 and are important reminders of the price we have paid to protect our freedom. Use some WD40 or 3 in 1 Oil and some fine steel work (000 or 0000 grade) and mush of the rust will come off. John Spangler

# 2218 - Hopkins and Allen Shotguns
8/28/99
John Texas

Through an estate sale I acquired (2) 12 gauge Hopkins and Allen shotguns, single shot. On the left side of the breach one has Hopkins And Allen Arms Company, Norwich, Conn. It also has 'FOREHAND' on inscribed above the company name. The other one has all of the above except FOREHAND. The serial no. on the Forehand one is : 150035 and the other one is S1719. They are on the rear of the trigger guard piece. After 5 hours on the net, all I have been able to find out is that H&A was one of the better of the non-big name manufacturers. And a couple of books by Charles E. Carder. I do not wish to waste anyone's time , but if you can provide any information, I would be most appreciative. The auctioneer maintained they were sister guns, but their serial numbers are not successive-----one family member also said they were sisters. Both are in excellent condition, but I'm a rookie. Thus far, yours is the most informative website I have found.....please point me in the right direction for info on these 2 puppies. Thanks for your time..... John. P.S...I only gave $20.00 for both of 'em.

Answer:
John- Glad you found our site helpful. Carder's book(s) provide the best info on old shotguns. From his most recent edition I can tell you that Forehand Arms Co. was sold to Hopkins & Allen in 1901-1902, but they continued to produce arms with the Forehand name until about 1903. That pretty well dates that one. Hopkins & Allen was most active circa 1887-1915. They went bankrupt during WW1 trying to make military arms of the Belgian government. In 1921 their assets were sold to Marlin. That is a pretty good date range for the other gun. There is little collector interest in these old single shot shotguns by any maker (with exception of WInchesters). Values are very low, and obviously no one else at the sale was fighting you for them, so you probably got them at a fair price. Enjoy. John Spangler

# 2215 - Mauser Model 1910 Disassembly Instructions
8/24/99
Rob, Albuquerque, NM

WAFFENFABRIK MAUSER A.-G. OBERNDORF A.N. I just bought one of these nifty little pistols. How does one field strip it? Can you tell me when it was made?

Answer:
Rob, although I am not a big fan of .25 caliber pistols, I must agree that the Mauser Pocket 1910 is one of the best made and most finely finished pistols ever manufactured. I do not have any serial number information on this particular model so the most that I tell you about date of manufacture is that the Mauser Model 1910 was produced between 1910 and 1934. The following instructions for disassembly come form Smith's "Book Of Pistols & Revolvers":

(1) Press in the spring catch below the muzzle of the barrel and twist the head of the recoil spring guide pin out of engagement.

(2) Pull the pin directly out to the front.

(3) With magazine in the handle, draw the slide back until it is held open by action of the magazine on the catch.

(4) Now raise the barrel up so that the locking pin on its under side comes up out of its locking hole in the receiver. The barrel may now be lifted out.

(5) Withdraw the magazine and then while holding the slide firmly with the left hand, force the magazine back into the handle, as this action will release the slide catch. Now ease the slide forward out on its guides in the receiver.

(6) Withdraw the magazine, and the slide may now be drawn completely off the receiver.

(7) The recoil spring and the recoil spring guide tube may now be lifted out.

(8) Twist the striker pin to free it from engagement and lift it and its spring out of their mounting in the receiver.

(9) Remove the stock screw and work the stock off.

(10) The side plate on the left side of the receiver may now be worked off. The trigger and sear arrangement with their components may be withdrawn from the receiver if necessary.

Hope that this helps. Marc

# 2210 - Japanese Rifle
8/24/99

Dear Oldguns, I have recently acquired an incomplete collection of parts. No maker or brand name appears on the weapon. It is missing many part including the bolt, but seems otherwise to be in great shape. I have enclosed a file in windows paint format(.bmp). I drew them myself an am no artist. If you can recognize any of them, I would appreciate the information. If you know anyone that can help me that to would be appreciated.

Answer:
Sir- Ahh So! Velly good artist. Must be Toyota mechanic, no? Your EXCELLENT information and precise rendering of the Kanji characters provides an exact identification. The sunburst type thing is the Japanese Royal Chrysanthemum, emblem of the Imperial family. The three characters near it with the first two looking alike read "99 Type" indicating it is the model rifle adopted in the year 2599 of the basic Japanese calendar. (That was back in 1939, so they had their Year 2000 problem some 600 years ago. Guess that is why they are not as excited as all the Western nations about this Y2K foolishness) The real complicated figure is that used by the Kokura Arsenal Inspection group at Toyo Kogyo. The figure in the circle is a "series" marking which the Japanese used to avoid having serial numbers over 99,999 on any rifles. (A primitive solution to a Y2k precursor in which some flunky failed to allow enough room to record all the information for larger numbers). The Germans used a similar approach and limited their serial numbers to four digits (9999) or less but added a letter each time the serial number meter turned over (after 9999 it would run 1a-9999a; then 1b-9999b, etc). The Japanese "series" numbers started at 1 and went up, but were actually the 47 Kana characters of their phonetic alphabet (as distinct from the Kanji characters they had for individual words.) At least that is how I understand it, but some linguistics expert is probably grabbing a Saki bottle after reading this round-eyes' interpretation. I make this out to be series 35 but am not certain. The number 4029 is the serial number, but only complete when noted as from the 35th series. The pile of circles represents a stack of 4 cannon balls (3 in a triangle with one on top) but it looks like the old Ballentine beer sign to me. That was first the symbol for the Koishikawa Arsenal (in Tokyo) but after 1935 was used exclusively by the Kokura arsenal after small arms manufacture was transferred there from Tokyo. However, the circle with partial crosshair indicates that Kokura was the supervisor, while actual manufacture was by Toyo Kogyo (Toyo Manufacturing) in Hiroshima. The 35th series rifles were made probably in late 1944 and have many "last ditch" features adopted to speed production and cut cost. The rear sight is probably a fixed peep, the stock may be pieced under the rear band, buttplate may be wood instead of metal, etc. Our Model 1903A3s probably would have looked like this if we had been on the losing end at that point. After all this wonderful history, you would assume that eager buyers would be waiting to throw huge sums at you for this historic old rifle. But, such is not the case. Complete Japanese rifles usually sell in the $75-150 range, but ones with the Chrysanthemum are relatively desirable. This was usually defaced by grinding or chisel marks before or after capture. Some claim it was done by the Japanese to avoid embarrassment to the Emperor. My personal hunch is that it was done by U.S. authorities as a means of identifying arms that had been seized and accounted for. I would be glad to see documentation of whatever is the true story. People are always looking for Japanese rifles for parts, but prices are really low ($20-50 depending on how much is there). Hope this helps. (Notice we did not offer to sell this on consignment or buy it at any price. We will let someone else "invest" in this treasure.) John

# 2209 - 1893 Spanish Mauser Metallurgy
8/24/99
Donovan

I am trying to find some answers for my dad. He is a machinist and owns his own shop and is a hobby (business) gunsmith. He is going to rechamber a 1893 model Spanish Mauser and would like to know what kind of steel that model rifle was made. He would like to find out without spending thousands of dollars on sending samples to various labs etc. Can you folks with all of your contacts help in this matter. Your speedy response will be greatly appreciated.

Answer:
Donovan, in my opinion it is a waste of time and materials to build a rifle on the M1893 Spanish Mauser action. I consider the alterations to .308 to be unsafe, even though they are widely sold. Recommend you get a nice 6.5 Swede which will cost very little, and is already in a great caliber. A lot of the best custom makers use the 1909 Argentine actions. But, I do not have any info on the metallurgy of the 1893 actions. I suspect that the German made actions are of better material and overall quality than the later one made at Oviedo in Spain. Hope this helps. John Spangler

# 2211 - Remington 722 in .244
8/21/99
Jeffrey

A friend of mine recently passed away and his wife gave to me a rifle which he had for many years. the rifle is a Remington Model 722 caliber 244. I would like any information you may know about the gun and an approximate value . To my knowledge it has never been refinished in any way however it does show signs of being used. It also has a strait nine power scope made by United which I have never heard of. I would say that the gun is in fair to good condition. Also information about ammunition availability.

Answer:
Remington's Models 721 and 722 were first introduced in January of 1948, the two models were nearly identical except for different length receivers. Both models had several features that gave them exceptional strength including a shrouded bolt head to provide additional support for the cartridge case, a ring type extractor and a very strong and rigid cylindrical receiver. When first introduced in 1948, the Model 722 sold for about $75.00 and the Model 721 for about $80.00. The Model 722 was the short action version of the 721, it was initially chambered in .257 Roberts and .300 Savage. Remington started offering Model 722's chambered for .244 in 1956. Production of the Model 722 was discontinued in 1961 after 117,751 rifles had been manufactured. Blue book value for the Remington Model 722 rifle in the condition that you describe is in the $175 to $225 range. For ammunition, check our links page for "The Olde Western Scrounger" who specializes in obsolete and unusual ammunition. Marc

# 2208 - Black Powder Shells
8/21/99
Vince

I have an old side/side shotgun. It's 10 ga. and I can't find shells for her. I was wondering if you have any resources available. I was told it wasn't a Damascus type barrel. It was inherited and I have little information on this shotgun.

Answer:
Vince- We remind you that you should never shoot an old gun, especially old shotgun, unless a competent gunsmith has inspected it and declared it to be safe to shoot and advised the correct ammunition to use in it. Check our links page for "Olde Western Scrounger" who specializes in obsolete and unusual ammunition. John Spangler

# 2207 - AR-15 3 Round Burst Conversion
8/21/99
Mrcareworn

Do you have anything that can make a ar-15 3 round burst?

Answer:
Sir- What you are asking is for something to convert a semi automatic rifle into a full automatic firearm. This would be a serious federal felony for anyone not properly licensed by the BATF. Even possession of the parts to do this could be considered a violation. However, it is legal for law abiding citizens in many states to own full automatic firearms. They must be purchased from a "Class 3" federally licensed dealer. They buyer has to pass a FBI background check, and there is a $200 tax on each sale. Consult a class 3 dealer or your local BATF office for more information. We do not deal with full automatic firearms in any way. John Spangler

# 2206 - Why Is It Called 30'06?
8/17/99
Scott

I would like to find the true origin of the 30'06. Why is it called 30'06? What does the '06 mean? Thank you.

Answer:
Scott- Since Paul Harvey has not told you "the Rest of the Story" we will. Self contained cartridges were first just called by the caliber, and sometimes with the make of the gun they were to be used in. By the end of the Civil War this was causing chaos in the supply system. "General- Please send carbine ammunition, Respectfully Lt.Col. Custer" was not sufficient. Various units had carbines made by Sharps (linen cartridge ignited by an external percussion cap) Maynard or Burnside (two different really weird looking brass cartridges ignited by external percussion caps) the Spencer with a self contained .56 caliber rimfire cartridge, and a few troopers had Henry rifles using a .44 rinfire cartridge. In the years following the war, the situation got worse, especially in the civilian market. Sharps alone made a dozen or more different cartridges, and guns chambered for them. These were designated by caliber, and sometimes the length of the cartridge case, and sometimes by the powder charge. This pattern of caliber-powder charge (in grains of black powder) and sometimes bullet weight (in grains) continued through the end of the blackpowder era. (Examples- .45-70-405 rifle cartridge and .45-55-405 carbine cartridge.) Some early smokeless cartridges continued the pattern including the powder charge weight. (Example- the .30-40-220 Krag although it actually used between 36 and 42 grains of smokeless powder with the exact charge varied to give the specified velocity to the 220 grain bullet.) The Krag was called the ".30 Government" or ".30 U.S. Army" or ".30 U.S." cartridge. This latter term often confuses collectors with 1895 Winchesters who hope they have one of the scarce rifles bought by the U.S. Army which were marked "U.S." in big letters on the receiver ring.

Anyway this system worked fine until 1903 when the Model 1903 Springfield rifle was introduced. Now ANOTHER .30 caliber cartridge was being used by the U.S. government! It had a 220 grain roundnose bullet just like the Krag, but the case was rimless and shaped differently. To differentiate between the Krag and the new round for the M1903 rifle, the new round was designated "Ball [or other type] Cartridge for U.S. Magazine Rifle, Model 1903". Winchester added this to the options for the Model 1895 rifle and carbine, and soon everyone called the .30 Model 1903 cartridge simply ".30-03".

Now, everything was fine until 1906 when the Army decided that a pointed 150 grain bullet would give much better accuracy at ranges over 1000 yards. The lighter bullet had a shorter bearing surface to fit in the case neck so the case was shortened about .10" The shorter case neck resulted in poor accuracy due to excessive bullet "jump" before it engaged the rifling. The new cartridge was designated "Caliber .30 Ball [or other type] cartridge Model of 1906". Early headstamps were often "[maker identification] .30G 1906" later shortened to simply ".30-06."

Anyone good at math might wonder how a rifle adopted in 1903 ended up using ammunition not adopted until 1906. That is another chaotic story. The original Model 1903 rifles were made with rod bayonets (see our old gun page for description and photos of one of these rare rifles). President Teddy Roosevelt had a pretty good knowledge of guns, and experience being shot at by the Spanish while charging up San Juan Hill in Cuba a few years earlier. On January 4, 1905 he fired off a letter to the Secretary of War "Sir- I must say that I think the ramrod bayonet about as poor an invention as I ever saw. ...Theodore Roosevelt" The Army promptly saw the error of its ways, and adopted a lengthened version of the Krag bayonet which required modifications ot the stock and band on all Model 1903 rifles made to date. This resulted in the rifle "Model of 1903 with modification of 1905" and the Model 1905 bayonet. And, just about the time they were starting to get these ready for issue, the ammo guys came up with their changes. The chaos that followed took several years to sort out as new parts were made and M1903 rifles altered to take the new bayonet and the new cartridge. Of course, that made real collectors items out of the handful of rod bayonet rifles that escaped all conversion, and another handful that got the bayonet alteration but never got the barrel alterations for the shorter cartridge. (They salvaged .30-03 barrels by cutting .10" off the breech end and rechambering them.)

Anyway, for the last 96 years no one has found any more reasons to mess with the cartridge we call the .30-06. At least not until 1954 when more powerful powder allowed the cartridge to be shortened about 1/4 inch giving birth to 7.62 NATO round or the .308 Winchester commercial counterpart. Should that really be called the .30 model of 1954 or .30-54? John Spangler

# 2194 - Reproduction Of The Baker Rifle
8/17/99
Ruth

Looking for a Baker rifle as used by riflemen in the Napoleonic Wars. Can you help guide me in my search.

Answer:
Ruth- I know people are making kits for these and undoubtedly someone is making completed rifles. Recommend you contact "Track of the Wolf" gun shop in Osseo, Minnesota (612)424-2500. They have a great selection and can probably steer you in the right direction. There is an outfit in Oklahoma that makes up the parts for these and many other exotic old rifles and pistols. I do not get very excited about the reproductions, but it is very smart to see what is being reproduced. Hate to pay big bucks for a "new" old gun thinking "Gee, nobody would ever fake one of these!" Good luck. John Spangler

# 2177 - Earley "480" Marked P.38
8/17/99
SHAGBARK26

480 also, what appear to be eagles with 359 under them also, what appears to be the last two numbers of the serial number on a number of locations I believe that this is from German military of WW II. Do the markings verify this belief? Is there anything unusual or valuable concerning this pistol? Is there any book that describes the P38 history? Thanks very much.

Answer:
Shagbark, the markings that you describe indicate that your pistol is an early German WWII military issue Walther made P.38. The number 480 was the initial WW-II German ordnance code assigned to Carl Walther, Ze la-Mehlis, Germany, it was used prior to the code "ac". The eagle over "359" is the German WW-II Heerswaffenamt inspector's mark on arms from Walther, ZellaúMehlis, Germany, it should be stamped twice on the right side of the slide, once on the cartridge indicator pin cover plate, on the left side of the frame above the trigger, on the left side of the hammer, on the left side of the slide stop, on the left side of the trigger, on the right side of the barrel group, on the right side of the barrel locking block, and on the upper rear of the magazine. A good book about P.38 pistols is "P.38 Automatic Pistol The First 50 Years" by Gene Gangarosa Jr. Marc

# 2193 - Books on Danish Rifles
8/14/99
Tom

I'm impressed with the detail in some of your descriptions -- what are you using for a reference on the Danish RBs?

Answer:
Tom - Wish I could smugly tell you I am just so damn smart I know everything. Actually, I just buy a lot of good books. The best I have found on the early cartridge era is one written with dual Italian and English text. Lots of good photos, and the info seem to be accurate and well researched, at least by comparing what it has on things that I do know something about. Some info on US guns but main focus is European military arms. Covers some of the late percussion guns, the conversions, and the early single shot and repeating breechloaders. Massimo Pagani, Ordnance Shoulder Arms 1841-1890- Guide to Their Identification, Brescia Italy, 1997 351 pp 9" x 12". (Hardbound, red cover with close up of some trapdoor-like rifle on it.) The bigger dealers in gun books should have this. Price was about $60-80 as I recall, but I highly recommend it Another recent, and overlooked resource is John Walter's "Rifles of the World." Krause Publications, 500 pp about $25. A massive Gun Digest size paperback. It is done with Walter's usual wealth of solid information and attention to detail. Organized by country it covers both military and sporting rifles. On some it has a load of info I have not found elsewhere, and on others it can be a bit skimpy. Highly recommended. Many of Walter's other books have gone out of print quickly and gotten hard to find, so you might want to grab one of these soon to avoid disappointment. If you buy both of these, you too can convince a lot of people you know a whole lot of stuff. John Spangler

# 2191 - Winchester 1886
8/14/99
Delbert

I have a Winchester 40 65 model 1886 can you tell me something about it and approximate value. Thank you.

Answer:
Delbert- You can check to see when your Winchester was made by clicking on the link on the left side or at the bottom of our page marked "Winchester Manufacture Dates" The Model 1886 was John M. Browning's first lever action design, and it is still one of the best, and in production today. The prototype for that and a lot of Browning's other great innovations can be seen at the museum in Ogden, Utah. Well worth the visit. The Model 1886 was made in several variations, including rifles (usually 26" barrel); carbine (usually 22" barrel and saddle ring on left side); take down and "extra light" rifles, full stock carbines, and even musket style with 30" barrel and long forearm. Values start at about $800 in NRA antique very good condition for the common rifles, and go up and sometimes way up for the scarcer variations and better conditions. Jim Perry from Wyoming has sometimes put out a display of an amazing variety of Winchester Model 1886 rifles, really neat stuff, some one of a kind. Being able to see great collections like that is one good reason to get to as many gun shows as you can. About 159,000 were made from 1886-1935, and lots more in recent years. (Those under serial number 119193 (approximately) are considered antiques and not currently subject to federal gun laws. These were made in a variety of calibers including .33 WCF, .45-70 and .45-90, and .50-110 Express. .40-65 was a less common caliber, but also seem to be less desirable among collectors. If you decide to sell, let us know, maybe we can work something out. John Spangler

# 2154 - Raising Numbers On Metal
8/14/99
Ed, Grapevine, TX

I purchased this P-08 from your site a few months ago. It has very faint traces of the original unit makings on the front grip strap but were ground off during its 1920 rework. How would I be able to extract the unit markings so that I may put them back on as part of my restoration project?

Answer:
Greetings Ed, good to hear from you, we always do our best to answer questions from valued customers like yourself. This can be done, but it requires treatment with acid mixture of some sort. It only works on numbers that have been stamped into metal and then filed off, it does not work if the numbers have been peened or welded over. This is a one shot process, and cannot be recovered a second time. A friend of ours Art Gogan author of "Fighting Iron" a book recently published by Man At Arms knows how to do it, and he describes the process in his book. Art recommends that since this is a one shot process, that you get a set of stamps, a file, and a scrap piece of metal and practice before you try on your Luger. There is a link to Man At Arms on our links page.

# 2187 - Marble Game Getter
8/10/99
Tony Lebo, KS

Could you give me any information you had available on this firearm. I think it was manufactured in 1921. Could you give me the approximate value of this item? Thank You for your time and help!

Answer:
Tony, the Marble Game Getter was an over/under design with a folding steel skeleton attached stock and a pivoting hammer striker that had a mechanical selector for the upper or lower barrel. The tip-up barrels were available in 12, 15, and 18 inches and were opened by pulling trigger guard back. Now only the 18 inch barrel version is legal to posses without the firearm being registered as a class 3 weapon with the ATF. The upper rifled barrel was offered in .22 short, long or long rifle calibers while the lower smooth barrel could be had in .44-40 Game Getter/.410 bore (2 in.), or .410 (2.5 in.). Some Game Getters were also manufactured with both barrels bored for .22 LR cal. There were two models of Marble Game Getter, the 1908 and the 1921. Model 1908 serial numbers range form 1 to about 10,000, and Model 1921 serial numbers ranged form 10,000 to 20,076. The serial number for your Game Getter (13724) falls in the model 1908 serial number range (Fjestads "Blue Book of Gun Values" is the source of this information). Model 1908 values range from about $500 to over $1650 depending on condition. Of course, these values are for the examples with 18 inch barrels. Shorter barrel guns are worth $10,000 of your money and several years as a guest of slick willie , hillary and janet reno (no respect intended) if not properly registered with the ATF. Let us know if you ever decide to sell. Marc

# 2176 - Mauser Rifle ID
8/10/99

I have a rifle which looks to be from Germany a single bolt action with the number 236 on all pieces. The bolt is right angle and identification markings include: a crown above the word Spaudau with the dates 1920 above the crown and 1918 below Spaudau. 3659 appears on the bolt lever and the letters GEM 98 appear on the left side of the bolt. The number 236 appears on the butt plate again and located under the site is a small s next to a large S i.e.sS. the number 236 appears on the metal site. and again the number 236 appears at the top of the rifle. there is a small metal piece with a hole on the bottom of the rifle with the number identification 748.n.I am most interested what year you believe this rifle was manufactured, where from, and the present value.. the rifle seems to be in very good condition. reading numbers and identification markings are easy and the bolt is workable and easy to pull back..thanks again

Answer:
Sir - You provided all the clues, but we know what to make from them, and will translate for you.. Your rifle was made at the Imperial German arsenal in Spandau, Germany, in 1918. It was a "Gewehr 98" or regular 1898 Mauser infantry rifle. In 1920 the victorious Allies allowed it to be issued to the German police (quasi-military) force, as indicated by the 1920 marking. Some f these later had minor modifications from the original Gewehr 98 form into something shorter, but it sounds like your rifle was not altered. Since the number on the bolt is different from everything else, the bolt probably got switched with another rifle somewhere in the last 71 years. The 748.n1. marking is probably a police or unit marking of some sort that I cannot interpret for you. Assuming that the stock is not cut under the band, and that the rifle still has a fair amount of original blue finish I would guess that the value would run anywhere from $150 to $350. A specialized collector may be able to examine it closely and find some exciting details that would increase the value by up to 50%, or they may decide it is just a common variety. I suspect your rifle came to the US as a souvenir after WW2, even though it was originally made for use in WW1. Hope this helps. John Spangler

# 2175 - Ames Sword Co.
8/10/99
Bonnie

I'm hoping you can point me in the right direction! I have a sword which was manufactured by the Ames Sword Co. in Chicopee Massachusetts. It has the following identifying marks: Moulfort, Dunlop No.5 K.P. Bath Maine. Any ideas where I should start my search?

Answer:
Bonnie - Ames made many different models of swords, mostly for military use, but many for civilian "fraternal" or "lodge" type groups. The markings you describe include the letters KP which I am pretty certain refer to the "Knights of Pythias." This was a fraternal organization popular in the period from about 1870 to 1920. I do not know any details about the organizations (never having been invited to any meetings, or learning the secret handshake or being allow to talk to the exulted Grand High Poobah) but think they had quasi-religious overtones. Swords were part of their uniform regalia, and examples are seen quite often today. (We had another inquiry on one of these about 3 days ago). The swords range in quality from pretty good (as would be expected from any Ames product) to barely adequate. They generally have a straight blade, a simple straight crosssguard, and bone or ivory grips. The pommel is usually in the shape of a knights helmet, and relief figures are often cast into the scabbard mountings. Grips usually have some engraved designs in black and red, often including a cross in the motif. The metal scabbards are nickel plated. It is not unusual to find the original sword belts and sometimes black coats or hats which were also part of the uniform regalia. The bad news is that no one seems to be interested in collecting these things, and the swords seem to sell in the $75-150 range, although I often see very optimistic dealers (usually general antique dealers excited about the "oldness") asking much higher prices. The other information engraved on the sword probably refers to the original owner and the Chapter/Lodge/Aerie/Coven or whatever that he was a member of, obviously located in Bath, Maine. (A delightful town, and home of one of the finest shipyards in the world. Everyone should visit there at least once, eat a lobster, and then go home.) John Spangler

# 2173 - Colt SAA .38 Cal
8/7/99
Charles

I am writing to ask in your opinion whether or not a colt SAA in 38 caliber is as collectable as one in 45 caliber? I have the opportunity to purchase one (1903) in good condition. The colts I see in 45 caliber are priced way too high for me. However this one is from an older gentleman who just wants to get rid of it. My second question is whether or not the 38 caliber colt will increase in value like the 45 calibers do? I would really appreciate your comment on this matter. Thank you for your help

Answer:
Charles - Colt Single Action Army revolvers seem to attract a breed of collectors that are unlike many others. They seem to have strange appetites and desires, and often quite large budgets. The military SAA collectors are a different subspecies, and they get all excited about the tiny little marks indicating who inspected a gun. Some aspire to collect an example inspected by each of the different inspectors. They all seem to want the early "cavalry models" with 7 1/2 inch barrels which sell for some really big prices. The "artillery models" which are nothing but cavalry models which were reworked and had the barrels shortened to 5 1/2 inches are their other quest, but with slightly less exorbitant prices. Of course, the fakers recognizing the laws of supply and demand have been busy getting rich at the expense of some of these collectors by renumbering mismatched parts and "stretching" shortened barrels to 7 1/2 inch length. Anyone getting into this field better (a) have lots of money and (b) know a heck of a lot about these guns, or (c) know a dealer who does and they can trust. One well known older Colt dealer (with a reputation for skillful fakery) was once asked how to tell if a gun was original and responded "You will know if I tell you it is." Before spending a dime on a military SAA you better get the gun checked by the highly respected expert in the field John Kopec. Civilian Colt SAAs appeal to collectors more for their western history connection, or for their subtle manufacturing differences. Some aspire to collect an example in each of the 36 calibers the SAA has been made in. Others like engraved examples, or ones associated with famous (or infamous) figures. Some are just happy with a single superb gun, others like to own lots of them. A number even seem to like rusty old dug up examples and are willing to pay almost as much as for one in shooting condition. Pre 1898 guns seem to have the most demand, both for their "antique" status exempt where the cylinder pin is held by a screw from the front instead of the spring loaded cross ways plunger. I do not claim to understand the reasons, but bigger calibers and longer barrels seem to have much higher demand and prices. I am sure the Freudian types could have fun analyzing that, and their explanation may be as valid as any other. Anything can be collectable, if you are interested in it. I like guns, not butterflies, watch fobs, old cars, stamps, carnival glass, or gambling chips. I like US military longarms better than single shot schuetzen rifles, H&R revolvers, house brand shotguns, automatic pistols, or even Colts, Rugers, or Winchesters. Your preferences are just as valid as mine, as long as you are willing to compete against the larger or smaller number of other collectors with similar interests. I cannot predict what will happen to values of any gun or type of gun. Sarah Brady and her friends think that they are all worth maybe $25 each. California is paying $230 for SPS Sporters. I know a lot of people who thought prices for some type of gun reached totally absurd levels and would surely fall to rational levels again---and after a number of years are still waiting. I could not afford a nice trapdoor "Officer's model" rifle at $700, nor at $3,500, nor $7,000, and damn sure cannot afford it at $27,000. The only sure trend I have seen in gun prices is that better condition pieces seem to appreciate more, and are easier to sell. Junk will always be junk. Rare junk is still junk. A real collector has a pair- and a spare. If you like the gun, buy it. If you enjoy it, it is worth whatever you paid. If you do not enjoy it, it was a waste of money. If you sell it later for more than you paid for it congratulations. (Don't forget that Clinton's IRS expects you to pay up on any capital gains on collectibles at your regular tax rate, not a reduced long term rate.) If you lose money on a gun, you must have guessed wrong. However, you probably made out better than if you had taken your money to Las Vegas, Atlantic City, or the nearest riverboat or Indian reservation and "invested" there. Good luck with your decision. John Spangler

# 2171 - British .22 Rifle
8/7/99
Larry Cleveland, GA

My friend has an old 22 rifle (22L) that breeches for single loading. The bbl is octagonal. Stamped on top of the bbl is ARMY & NAVY C.S.L. LONDON. Looking into bore at end is stamped PARKERIFLIED (?) and either ACp or A.Gp On left side in front of trigger guard is stamped 22 CARTRIDGE On right side is stamped 22L - 610 and there are "star" marks or "crow feet" I don't understand. A finely detailed criss-cross pattern is carved into the wood butt, resembling a butt plate pattern...Stamped on bottom of trigger guard is 39758 Any help at identifying this rifle will be much appreciated. Thanks... Larry

Answer:
Larry I cannot identify the specific action used for this rifle, but it is clearly English made and probably dates to 1920-1950. It may be a Farquharsen, or Jeffrey type action, but that is a guess. A.G. Parker is a famous British gun maker, and Parker Rifled just indicates the specific type of rifling used in the barrel, and AGP probably is their inspector marking. The Army & Navy Store in London was originally a supplier of uniforms, equipment and related stuff for British Army and Navy officers bound for or stationed in Colonial outposts. (Sort of a combined military Post Exchange and mail order catalog operation.) I think they may have expanded their customer base to other categories in later years. The stars or crows feet are probably British proof marks. The checkered wood butt is probably done in lieu of a metal buttplate. This was often a sign of a high quality gun, but may also have been used on a cheap gun to give the impression of high quality. Hope this helps. John Spangler

# 2134 - WWI Luger Mismatched And Possibly Reworked
8/7/99
Jim, Lebanon, MO, USA

Three markings on the left side of the chamber - the middle of which looks like a calligraphy "T". I have a Luger inherited from my father who brought it home from WWII. Under the barrel is the number 2179 matching the number on the barrel. On the left side is the number 75 and 79 is on the toggle. The blue is about 95% and has wooden handles. One cartridge has the number 2039 and the second cartridge is numbered 950 and the base of it is made out of wood. Any ideas as to when it was manufactured and its value?

Answer:
Jim, I am assuming that when you say "cartridge" you mean magazine since I do not know of any cartridges that have wooden bases. On most Lugers, the year of manufacture is usually stamped over the chamber, if your chamber is not marked, there is a good possibility that it is a post WWI rework for the commercial market. From your description, it sounds like you have a WWI vintage DWM reworked and mismatched ("On the left side is the number 75") Luger with at least one correct vintage but non matching wood base magazine. Your serial number is 2179, not 142.K.11.1, the 142.K.11.1 stamping is probably a unit number. The non-matching part (or parts) of your Luger will decrease it's value, but the unit marking will help. I estimate that your Luger's value would be in the $300 to $500 range depending on condition and how many other parts do not match. I have determined that the "K" in your Luger's unit number stamping most likely stands for Saxon Mounted Rifle Regiment or Cuirassier Regiment, therefore your Luger's unit markings probably stands for : Saxon Mounted Rifle Regiment or Cuirassier Regiment 142, Company 11, Weapon Number 1. Let us know if you ever decide to sell your Luger. Marc

# 2226 - Late War Walther P.38
8/3/99
Shaun

I have a question about a souvenir my father brought back from France/Germany at the end of WWII. It is a pistol with no markings except P.38 and what I assume is a serial number 793c ac 45. (793 c is also stamped two other places). He says it was issued to German officers. There is no name on it. What is it and what is it worth? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Answer:
Shaun, "ac" is the WW-II German ordnance code assigned to Carl Walther, Zella-Mehlis, Germany, "45" is the year of manufacture, so it looks like you have a Walther P.38 pistol, serial number 793 c that was manufactured in 1945 (P.38 pistols were also manufactured by Mauser and Spreewerk). Values for P.38 pistols range from about $200 to $450 or more depending on condition and accessories. P.38 pistols manufactured in 1945 are usually worth a little less than earlier production pistols because the quality of workmanship declined in the final months of the war. Let us know if you decide to sell. Marc

# 2236 - LC Smith Repair
8/3/99
Kyle

My father has an LC Smith .12 double barrel shotgun (circa 1900) and it is in need of some repair. We have not been able to find a Gunsmith near him in Orange County California. Wondering if you work on them or know someone who might, anywhere? Thank you. Kyle

Answer:
Kyle, we do not know of anyone to recommend for this. A decent general gunsmith can probably do the work, but the cost may be prohibitive considering the probable value of the gun. They may just be polite when telling you they cannot do it. With the idiotic liability situation today many gunsmiths are declining lots of jobs they know they can do. Maybe some personal injury lawyer could fix your gun since they know so darn much about what a gunsmith might have done wrong. John Spangler

# 2237 - Correct Finish For The MP.40.
8/3/99
Karen

I need some help in determining the correct finishes for the mp.40. Was the black colour of the body a gloss or a satin finish? Also the barrel, is it a standard blue/black that a "HOPPS" gun blueing kit can reproduce? Any "class three" owner's with an original who can help would be very much appreciated.

Answer:
Karen- My information is pretty limited on these, having only seen a few and since I am more interested in old US rifles than German class 3 stuff, I didn't pay much attention. As I recall, the finish is a dark blue-black, similar to that produced by the Dulite process used by Winchester on some M1 Garands. It is neither glossy nor flat, but sort of in between ("just right" according to Goldilock's bears). It is typical of the finish found on many WW2 small arms, just the basic machined finish, not buffed, and not sandblasted either. The Hoppes kit may be fine. I prefer Brownells' Oxpho-blue myself. It is pretty dark and pretty idiot proof to apply although sometimes takes several treatments. Remember, any class three weaponry without proper BATF paperwork is a big time federal felony. A lot of guys think that "DEWATs" that were okay prior to 1968 are still okay without paperwork, but that is not the case. Dumb, but follow the rules and no one gets hurt. Hope this helps. John Spangler