# 13964 - Savage Model 23AA
9/28/2010
Mike Wightman, Kinston, North Carolina

Savage Sporter on top of barrel, bolt action, patented November 20th, 1917 When my father in law passed away, I found this rifle in his collection. It is in great condition, both stock and rifle. Bluing in good shape. It has attached to the weapon a Weaver Model 330 scope. Looks to be a nine inch barrel, possibly steel, with excellent glass and crosshairs. There isn't a serial number on the scope, but you can tell it is an older scope. Has been well taken care of. Looks like the rifle and scope came together many years ago. I'm interested in the age and value of the gun and scope if known. I shot the rifle using the scope, (has magnification) several weeks ago and it was RIGHT ON! Would like to also find a place to pick up another clip for the rifle if available.

Answer:
Mike, Savage manufactured the Model 23AA from 1933 to 1942. The rifle was an improved version of the older Model 23A, with a speed lock and checkered stock. Values in the blue book for the 23AA range from $90 to about $300 depending on condition. I have not been able to find if the 23AA came set up for mounting a scope from the factory. If your father in law had the receiver drilled and tapped, that will lower the value by 50 percent or more. Marc

# 13930 - German Danzig Musket
9/28/2010
German

At least a 50 caliber muzzleloader. on breech: 1821 is below DANZIG, crown is above, M609 on barrel near trigger, and what looks like a acorn (?) next to it M609 also on wood stock. The finish is browning. Overall gun length 41 3/4 inches. It came to me from Belgium. Can send photos! CR in an oval on brass breech assembly part. Would like to know the origin and history of this firearm.

Answer:
Sir- Sorry, we cannot help much with that without good photos. The various Germanic muskets are hard to ID even with photos. John Spangler

# 13928 - Mauser Model 1871/84 In .410 Gage With Unit Marks
9/25/2010
Richard, Keene NH USA

This is a MAUSER MODEL 71/84 11MM. BUSHING HAS BEEN ARSENAL MODIFIED TO FIRE .410 SHOTGUN SHELLS( EITHER 3'' OR 2 3/4'')SOLID BULLET,OR SHOT. Also, the butt plate has the Regimental markings of 3 GGR over R 447 I'm told the 3 GGR might be the 3rd Regiment of Guards Grenadiers Regiment... but if that's true, what's the R 447? I have a question, I just picked up a MAUSER MODEL 71/84 11MM. BUSHING HAS BEEN ARSENAL MODIFIED TO FIRE .410 SHOTGUN SHELLS( EITHER 3'' OR 2 3/4'')SOLID BULLET,OR SHOT. Any thoughts on the Arsenal that might have done this conversion? Did anyone come up with who did this modification? and should it be safe to shoot with ''modern'' over the counter shot shells or should I get some older brass ones and reload with black powder?? I have run into a few people online that have or had this same conversion, but not one has much info on them. Thanks much for any help.

Answer:
Richard- As far as I know, there is no truth to the speculation that any Model 1871/1884 Mauser rifles were converted by arsenals to use .410 gauge shotshells. I have no doubt that such conversions exist, but doubt seriously that these were a military approved alterations done in German arsenals. I cannot comment on the type of ammunition to use, or if these are even safe to shoot at all.

Your interpretation of the Regimental unit markings seems to be correct, and the R 447 would be a Company (or similar subdivision) and 447 the number within that element. That’s about all we can tell you. John Spangler

# 13962 - 1934 Beretta Information
9/25/2010
Tim, Virginia Beach, VA

GARDONE V.T. 1937-XV Curious as to the value of this gun. I know there were military and non- military issued guns. I am told military issued are worth more, is this true?

Answer:
Tim, you are correct, military issued pistols are worth more, value can go as high as $650 depending on markings and condition. The model 1934 was Italy's service weapon in WWII, and over one million were manufactured between 1934-1980. Military Model 1934 pistols are usually fit with metal-backed grips. Military slides were marked P. Beretta Cal 9 Corto - Mo 1934 Brevet Gardone VT followed by the date of manufacture. The date of manufacture is usually given in two systems (except on late wartime production models) the Christian calendar - e.g. 1942 - followed by a Roman numeral denoting the year of the Fascist calendar which began in 1922. Thus, an inscription might read 1942 XX or 1937 XV.

WWII military weapons were marked on the left side of the frame just behind the top of the grip with the branch of the armed forces they were issued to:

• RE (Regia Esercito) for the army
• RA (Regia Aeronautica) for the air force
• RM (Regia Marine) for the navy

Police weapons were marked PS (Publica Sicurezza) at the left rear of the frame. Model 1934-s were also sold commercially during WWII but only in relatively small numbers, since most of the production was taken by the Italian forces. Later production model 1934-s have an alphabetical prefix. Post war production models have serial numbers that start with C00001. Marc

# 13897 - SPESCO Muzzle Loader
9/21/2010
Paul, Pittsburgh PA

It is a flint lock rifle Any information regarding this gun. It indicates that it is made in Belgium, but I cannot find any information or value regarding this gun. Thanks ? Paul

Answer:
Paul- I am pretty sure that your gun is a replica made in the 1970s. SPESCO was one of the numerous brand names used on replica Colt percussion revolvers being sold then. I suspect they also offered other types of guns, but do not have any details that allow me to positively ID your gun. John Spangler

# 13961 - Luger Identification
9/21/2010
Dennis

This is a Lazy N - Crown over N horizontal on left side stock, almost centered above the locking bolt. Slide is not self locking. All s/n match throughout. Magazine has no serial number. BWA on top of slide. No holster or presentation box. When was this gun made? Is it a collectable? I understand that it depends upon many factors. but is this a potentially valuable gun?

Answer:
Dennis, just about all Lugers are collectable, the value will depend on what model you have, condition and several other factors. The markings on your Luger are probably DWM not DWA or BWA. DWM are manufactures initials, they stand for Deutsche Waffen u. Munitionswerke of Berlin-Borsigwalde, Germany and they can be seen on the top of the toggle. The crown over N marking is a smokeless powder proof mark that was in use from 1912 to 1939. The caliber that your Luger is chambered in (.30 Luger) would indicate that it was manufactured for commercial sales instead of one that made for military service. Since you did not mention a chamber date I will assume that your Luger must not have one.

Without seeing your Luger it is impossible to say for sure but my guess is that you have a 1920 commercial model. I have seen many of these in .30 Luger that do not have a chamber date. If your Luger is indeed a 1920 commercial model, values will be in the $450 to $750 range depending on condition. If your Luger is some other model, the value could be quite a bit higher. The only way to know for sure is to have it appraised by someone who knows about Lugers. Marc

# 13927 - Reproduction Harpers Ferry Flintlock Pistol
9/18/2010
Mark, San Jose Ca

Harpers Ferry 1807 stamped on metal frame above trigger.. Belgium stamped on metal frame opposite side. Stamped on barrel near trigger are , in descending order, the letter S, a crown, a circle with the letters '' E L G '' inside , some scrolling lines and finally the number 144. While this has the same styling as a Harper's Ferry Model 1805 flintlock pistol, the stamped name '' Belgium '' on one side in modern font lends me to believe this is a modern reproduction . Are my suspicions correct?

Answer:
Mark- One of the earliest modern replica firearms to be introduced was the Model 1805 Harpers Ferry flintlock pistol. At first, these were made in Belgium, and were really handsome pieces, well fitted and nicely finished. Later other makers in Italy began to make them and in my opinion the quality was not as nice. These are great looking guns, and with the prices on original far above what most collectors can afford, they are a good filler. Reportedly they are also popular as gifts for Military Police personnel, since the pistol is the basis for the MP branch insignia.

So, yes, your gun is a modern made replica, but a nice one. John Spangler

# 13960 - Remington 12-A (Rusty?)
9/18/2010
Chris Salyersville, KY..

shoots perfect never restored wood and butt plate is perfect considering its age & has minor surface rust. Age & value of gun?

Answer:
Chris, The Remington Model 12 which was later designated the 12A, was manufactured from 1909 to 1936. The model was a popular and production reached around 840,000. The 12A was a hammerless slide action .22 rifle that came with a 22 inch barrel, open sights, tubular magazine and a plain grip walnut stock. Remington also offered the Model 12B which was a gallery model with an octagon barrel chambered in .22 short, the 12C which had a 24 inch octagon barrel and came in grades D,E and F, the 12C NRA target, and the 12CS which was chambered in .22 Remington Special.

I often see 12A rifles that are in almost new condition selling at gunshows in the $500 - $550 range. The old `considering its age` excuse won`t help value much. I would expect to see a rusty 12A being offered for sale at a gunshow in the $200 to $250 range. Marc

# 13922 - Nickel Or Chrome Italian Carcano
9/14/2010
Brad, Hardin, Texas

Trying to find out what I have it is a bolt action rifle it is nickel or Stainless steel not sure including butt plate and strap connectors and mag compartment the markings are Beretta Gardone 1943-xxi the barrel at the tip is marked made. In Italy on the rear sights is marked cal 6.5 the gun looks to be in perfect condition but Mag is missing it has a issue number on side of stock any info would help thanks

Answer:
Brad- Your rifle is one of the Italian WWW2 military rifles generally known as a “Mannlicher-Carcano.” These were originally made with a blue finish and none were made using stainless steel. There is a remote chance that this was one that nickel or chrome plated while in Italian service and brought home as a souvenir. However, it is more likely that it was one of the huge numbers that were imported as surplus in the early 1960s, at very low prices, and someone nickel or chrome plated it for use by a color guard or similar ceremonial use. This is similar to the rifle used to murder President Kennedy, which was sold for $9.95 with a scope mounted on it. These have very minimal collector interest and value, even in original configuration, so I think yours would be worth whatever you can get for it. John Spangler

# 13966 - FN 1900 Value
9/14/2010
Matthew, Statesville, NC

Has on the handgun Fabrique Nationale Herstal Leige also one it states Brevete S.G.D.G. How rare is the handgun and value of it

Answer:
Matthew, FN manufactured 724,500 Model 1900 pistols between 1900 and 1914. Value depends on condition and markings and it can range from about $100 to over $450. Hope this helps. Marc

# 13921 - Remington Hepburn Front Sights
9/11/2010
Doug

Did the Hepburn have any other size than 3/8 or 7/16/ dovetail for the front sight. Thanks Doug

Answer:
Doug- I really do not know what the factory sights were. The Remington Hepburn rifles were excellent guns, and very popular with target shooters. Target shooters are always looking for the technological gizmo that will bring them higher scores, although even though more practice and attention to the fundamentals may be a better solution. Thus the front sight dovetail may have been altered to suit just about any front sight that was popular over the years. Nick Stroebel’s “Old Gunsights & Rifle Scopes” indicates that Remington only used 3/8” and 7/16” front sight dovetails, but while he may be right for most of their production, he may not be aware of every possible option that was offered. You really need to check with a Remington expert like Roy Marcot, or the Remington Society of America (http://www.remingtonsociety.com/) or a sight expert like Garry Fellers (listed on our links page). Hope that helps. John Spangler

# 13959 - Marlin With A Ten Inch Barrel?
9/11/2010
Tom,Ash,N.C.

On the barrel is marked ''The Marlin Firearms Corp. NEWHAVEN,CONN.U.S.A.'' A ny information that you can give me would be appreciated. Thank you, Tom

Answer:
Tom - I have never heard of a Marlin Model 2236 or a Model 3336 and a quick internet search and a search of my reference books does not come up with anything. Marlin did make a lever action Model 336 in 30-30, it had a 20 inch barrel and a 6 shot tubular magazine.

If this is a rifle, and your barrel is really only 10 inches long, there is an issue that you should consider. Federal law states that a sawed off ("short barreled") rifle is any rifle with a barrel length of less than 16 inches, with an overall length of less than 26 inches. Possession of an unregistered sawed off rifle is a federal felony with big hard time sentences and hefty fines (something like 10 years and/or $10,000 fine).  BATF prosecutes a lot of these cases, even if the owner is not using the gun in holdups or anything. Anyone who has an unregistered sawed off rifle has several options, none very appealing.

• Contact your closest BATF office (blue pages, US Govt., Treasury Dept., BATF) and tell them that you found/inherited or were given this item, or whatever the case is, and want to (1) know if it is legal to keep and (2) if not, turn it in for destruction. If they confirm it is illegal then you can make arrangements for it to be turned over. You will not be compensated, but you won’t be prosecuted.
• The most stupid action in the world would be to attempt to sell an illegal machine gun or sawed off shotgun/rifle. It just would not be worth it. Reportedly BATF actively looks for people doing this, and get lots of convictions. Your legal fees would be horrendous, and chances of escaping jail are not good. People (other than BATF agents) wanting to buy illegal guns are probably nasty violent criminals anyway. You must be crazy to even think of doing business with them.
• The next most stupid action in the world would be to keep an illegal machine gun and hope no one finds out about it. The plumber, baby sitter, ex-spouse, kid's friends, etc. might notice your contraband and tell someone else about it. Eventually your friendly BATF agents would contact you. The Branch Davidians at Waco and Randy Weaver's family at Ruby Ridge ended up dead as a result of reports of illegal firearms possession and subsequent BATF attacks.

# 13944 - HSC With Holster
9/7/2010
Lindsay Sault Ste Marie Ontario Canada

On handle-797009 ''K'' stamped on handle butt left trigger guard stamped with an eagle and the letter m and what looks like an a on the right side of trigger guard it is stamped with a eagle The holster is tamped with 1942 P.Mod 27 and an eagle with what looks like WDA76 I inherited this gun and would like to know some history and what it might be worth. It is in excellent condition.

Answer:
Lindsay, The Mauser HSc replaced the earlier Mauser Model 1934 in 1940. Mauser manufactured over 250,000 HSc pistols from 1940 until the war ended in 1945. HSc serial numbers were a continuation of Model 1934 numbers, they began at about 700000, and ended at about 951000.

HSc Pistols that were issued to the German military were marked with the Heerswaffenamt inspector's proof stamp for arms produced at Mauser Werke, eagle over "135", "WaA135" or "655". HSc pistols issued to police departments were marked with police proof marks, an eagle over an "x" inside a circle with the letter "L" to the right. Police proof markings will be located on the lower left side of the trigger guard. Pistols that were sold commercially do not have military or police proofs. The Eagle over the letter "M" that you mention sounds to me like a commercial proof mark (eagle over the letter "N") . Could your "M" really be an "N"?

Your holster is not the proper one to go with an HSc, it was designated to fit a Czechoslovakian Model 1927 pistol. The "WDA" part of the marking on the your holster does not fit in with any markings that I am familiar with, but the "76" part could be a Heerswaffenamt inspector's proof stamp for P.27(t) holsters manufactured at Ceská Zbrojovka Strakonitz Prag (CZ) in 1939 or at Böhmische Waffenfabrik Strakonitz, Prag (CZ) from 1939 to 1941. Marc

# 13920 - Springfield Joslyn Rifle
9/7/2010
Robert LaRue Ohio

US Springfield Arms with an eagle and 1864 hammer side and B F Joslyn Patent Oct 8 1861 June24 1862 Was this made for US Springfield

Answer:
Robert- The Joslyn breech loading rifles were the first breech-loading rifles made at Springfield and issued to troops. For many years these were erroneously considered to be conversions, and some books on Civil War arms omit mention of them entirely. The simple and reliable Joslyn action had been used on about 16,500 cavalry carbines purchased during the Civil War. In late 1864 the Ordnance Department bought 3,007 Joslyn actions to be used in rifles that otherwise resembled the Model 1863 .58 caliber three band rifle muskets, but with a 35.5 inch barrel (instead of 40 inches). However, the exterior diameter of the barrel was kept the same as on the .58 caliber muskets, possibly for manufacturing considerations, and allow use of the same bayonets. While the standard Model 1855 bayonet will fit, 3000 bayonets were made with blade 2 inches longer, so that the overall “reach” would be closer to that of the standard musket/bayonet combination.

The special .50 caliber rimfire cartridge used in the Joslyn rifle was slightly more powerful than the .56-50 Spencer. A few Joslyn rifles may have been issued late in the Civil War, but none saw combat.

About half of the Joslyn rifles were converted from .50 rimfire to .50-70 centerfire and sold to France in 1870. In nearly every case the number on the breechblock does not match that on the barrel tang on these conversions.

Since the Joslyn ammunition was hard to find, many of the rifles were later converted to smoothbore shotguns with the shortened barrels reamed out to about 20 gauge. I suspect your rifle is one of these shotgun conversions. John Spangler

# 13915 - Trapdoor Used By 20th Kansas?
9/4/2010
Terence - Naples - FL - USA

All the original markings, not recalled and refurbished. In cleaning my collection I found a note I'd attached to this weapon which referenced something you had written saying there were 15 of these between 204301 and 204398 as being issued to Company G of the 22nd Kansa Volunteer Infantry. I never followed up on this and, although very unlikely, I was curious whether this number was one of them. Thank you. (P.S. If it is I'm sure you'll let me know. If I don't hear from you I'll know it isn't.)

Answer:
Terence- Don’t waste your money buying lottery tickets, because close doesn’t count. Your number is not one of those listed, so we cannot prove where it was (or was not) at any time. John Spangler

# 13957 - Unique 32
9/4/2010
Bruce, Chattanooga, TN

32 cal Auto 7,65 Court 9 Coups ''Unique'' Manufacture D`Armes Des Pypenees Hendaye On the handles there is a FR inside a circle What is it? and what is it worth?

Answer:
Bruce, you really did not provide me with enough information to base an answer on. You question is like telling a car dealer that you have a Chevy and you want to know what it is worth, he does not know if you have a beat up old Vega or a cool new Camaro. I can tell you that Unique pistols were manufactured by d'Armes des Pyrenees. Pre-1945 Unique pistols were for the most part copies of Browning designs.

There is not much collector interest in Unique pistols except for those that were issued to the German military during WWII. 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. If your pistol is a pre-war commercial model, value will be in the $200 range. If the pistol does have the Nazi markings that I mentioned, value can go as high as six or seven hundred dollars as always depending on condition. Marc

# 13956 - DuPont Reloading Data
9/4/2010
Russell -SC- Nokomis, Fl., USA

I have two unopened cans of Du Pont Pistol Powder Number 5 and do not have any reloading data in order to use this powder. Do you have reloading data on this powder?

Answer:
Sorry Russell, we do not have the data you are looking for and due to liability concerns, we could not provide information of that sort even if we did. Suggest you try a Google search on ``DuPont Powder Number 5 reloading data``. Marc